Spicy Sheet-Pan Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Kale

By Yasmin Fahr

Published Dec. 15, 2020

Spicy Sheet-Pan Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Kale
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(1,489)
Comments
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These sheet-pan chicken thighs gain gorgeous color from a harissa-yogurt marinade, which also keeps the meat juicy during the roasting process. The thighs only need 15 minutes in the marinade, but you can leave them for up to 24 hours in the fridge. For weeknights, heat the oven, place the chicken in the marinade, then wash and cut the sweet potato and kale, so the prep work is done and the oven hot by the time the chicken is done marinating. Make the herb oil while the chicken roasts so it has time to sit. While it’s meant for the vegetables, it’s also wonderful drizzled on top of the chicken.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings
  • 1tablespoon harissa
  • ¼cup full-fat Greek or Skyr yogurt
  • 4bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1½ to 2 pounds)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1medium sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
  • 1bunch lacinato or curly kale, stemmed and cut or torn into 1-inch ribbons
  • 1small red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
  • 3tablespoons plus ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½cup flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
  • 1lime, zested and juiced
  • ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

589 calories; 48 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 27 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 26 grams protein; 841 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large shallow mixing bowl, combine the harissa and yogurt. Pat the chicken dry, then season all over with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture, gently rubbing until fully coated, and set aside for 15 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oven to 450 degrees and place a rack in the lower third and one 6 inches from the broiler. On a sheet pan, toss the sweet potato, kale and onion with 3 tablespoons oil. Season with cumin, salt and pepper, massaging the kale as you do so. Clear four spaces for the chicken pieces, then place them skin-side up on the pan. (It may look messy and crowded, but the kale will shrink down as it cooks.)

  3. Step 3

    Roast on the lower rack, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring the vegetables halfway and rotating the tray, until the chicken skin is crispy and the juices run clear, the squash is tender and the kale is crispy. If the vegetables are done, but the chicken skin is not as crispy as you’d like, remove the vegetables from the sheet pan and place just the chicken under the broiler for another 1 to 3 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Meanwhile, in a small serving bowl, combine the parsley, lime zest and half the lime juice with the remaining ¼ cup oil and the red-pepper flakes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional lime juice. Serve the chicken and vegetables with the herb oil to drizzle over top.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,489 user ratings
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Comments

Terry

If you put kale in the oven at 450 for 30 minutes, you'll turn the pan to a pile of char and smoke. Turn this down to 425, cook the chicken alone for 15, then add the veggies and cook another 20. Also, Step 3 refers to sweet potatoes as "squash."

Jenny

This was very good and easy. Agree, add kale at the end or do separately. I added a parsnip, which was great. This is a very versatile recipe and wow love the dressing at the end. So good!

susan soroka

Excellent recipe! Followed as written. Removed chicken thighs after 30 minutes and placed in a cast iron skillet for an additional 7 minutes in the oven. Placed vegetables on top of stove and covered with baking sheet to stay warm. Definitely will make again!

Sarah

A little boring. This could have benefitted from more harissa and marinating the chicken longer before cooking, perhaps tossing all the veggies in harissa. Similar to other comments, I let the kale cook for 15 minutes at the end vs the entire time. I also set my over to 425 to avoid burning the sweet potatoes and onions.

Meg

This was good, but nothing life-changing. I had everything home, including a beautiful bunch of lacinato kale (also called dinosaur or Tuscan), which is the type I would aim for in this recipe. The yogurt-harissa marinade does render incredibly juicy chicken, although thighs are so juicy anyway that I sort of wonder what this would do for bone-in chicken breasts? It’s not very spicy, though. Like others noted, hold the kale for the last 10-12 minutes of roasting. I roasted the chicken, potatoes, and onion for 20 minutes, added my massaged kale, and roasted for another 12 minutes. I didn’t need the broiler. The lime juice is overpowering in the sauce; I think half a lime would suffice. Would I make again? Yes—I eat a lot of roast chicken, sweet potatoes, and kale, and this is slightly elevated. Like a reliable cardigan with little sparkle.

PVC

Easy and so flavorful! Made per recipe except used boneless skinless thighs. Ready in 30 min. WOW! Especially love that lime parsley dressing.

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