Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs With Spicy Corn

By Melissa Clark

Updated October 10, 2023

  • Two servings of roasted chicken thighs with spicy corn are sprinkled with basil leaves and plated on white plates.
    David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
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Total Time
55 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes’ marinating
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes’ marinating
Rating
5(4,840)
Comments
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The spicy, salty jalapeño brine balances sweet corn kernels, which roast on a sheet pan alongside chicken thighs in this simple, summery weeknight meal. The chicken, marinated with basil, garlic and a little mayonnaise, stays juicy even after a brief stint under the broiler. You can serve this hot from the oven or at room temperature — it’s equally good each way — and cold leftovers are excellent piled onto lettuce or avocado for a salad the next day.

Featured in: A Sheet-Pan Chicken for Corn Season

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • 1 ¾ teaspoons fine sea or table salt

  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

  • ¼ cup finely chopped basil, plus more for garnish

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

  • ⅓ cup chopped pickled jalapeños, plus brine from the jar

  • 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from about 4 ears)

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 5 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 1 jalapeño, sliced into rings

  • 1 lime, halved

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

27 grams carbs; 144 milligrams cholesterol; 393 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 672 milligrams sodium; 34 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

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

    Season the chicken all over with ¾ teaspoon of salt. In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, basil, garlic and 2 tablespoons jalapeño brine. Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.

  2. Step 2

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss together corn, pickled jalapeños, olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and half of the scallions (save remaining scallions for serving).

  3. Step 3

    Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet, spacing it out. Roast for 12 minutes. Spoon the corn mixture onto the empty parts of the baking sheet. Drizzle chicken and corn with oil. Continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring the corn once while roasting.

  4. Step 4

    Turn the broiler on high and broil the chicken and corn until golden brown in spots, 2 to 4 minutes (watch carefully so it doesn’t burn, though a little blistering is nice).

  5. Step 5

    Garnish chicken and corn with basil, remaining scallions and fresh jalapeño slices. Sprinkle with more pickled jalapeño brine and squeeze with lime juice. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,840 user ratings
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Comments

kmccann18

A worthy twist in one of the best recipes ever - Melissa’s Ginger Lime Chicken. Mayo is an amazing marinade and the generous salt does wonders - even increase it - an especially good technique is you swap in boneless breasts. Basil and corn is a delightful combo and the kick from the peppers is just enough. Easy to do in an aluminum pan on the grill to keep your kitchen cool too. Delightful!

David

Banger! This was so good we decided to start the weekend early. Only mod was using more pickled jalapenos (1/2 cup?) and forgoing the fresh jalapeno at the end. (Actually we first tried it with some slices of fresh jalapeno, but found it overwhelmed a bit. Taster's choice here.). Had a simple, cool tomato salad to go with, and it complimented like a champ.

Audrey

This was eyes-rolled-back-in-your-head good. The fat from the chicken and the olive oil, the acid and spice from the jalapeños, sweetness from the corn, and generous salt, this was perfect. So, so, so good. My husband is still talking about it I pre-salted the chicken in the morning, and then followed the recipe (including the salting) to a T. I love David's idea of tomatoes and will do a cherry tomato salad on the side next time, maybe some warm tortillas on the table too. Unbelievably good.

ADC

This has become one of my very favorite easy summer dishes. The first time I made it, I didn't have a can of pickled Jalapenos so I used salsa verde in both the marinade and mixed in with the corn. I've made it both ways and I kind of prefer the salsa verde! Also making it with the freshest corn you can find makes a huge difference.

Stacey

Absolutely *loved* this! The first bite is surprisingly spicy, but you get used to it quickly. I always add a health grain, like farro, quinoa, or barley - faro in this instance went well with the corn. Potatoes and asparagus on the side made a sufficient-sized dinner for my household.

Becky

Husband said: “This is better than what we can get in a restaurant.” Okay, we do live in Arkansas and the dining pickings are slim, but that was a real compliment. I cooked as described, though I doubled it. As the cook, I loved how easy it was, and how quickly it came together when it was time to cook it. I will definitely serve this again.

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