Autumn Roasted Veggie Sheet Pan Chicken with Craisins

10 Oct

When I was scheming of a hearty, fall-inspired dinner and I pulled this creation out of the oven, the first thing that came to mind was, “NAILED IT”. The second thing was, “I NEED to share this autumn roasted veggie sheet pan chicken with craisins – immediately!”

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There are so many good things going here, it’s hard to highlight just one. I’ll try to do a CliffsNotes version:

EASY: cut, coat, bake. Really – that’s it. Find your favorite cutting board (mine is this plastic, red thing that looks like it should have been thrown out five years ago), chop the leeks, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes. Throw it all on a baking sheet, coat with oil, add chicken, and bake. See? Simple.
TASTY: by adding a few herbs, a little salt, and a sweet addition of dried cranberries (aka craisins), it’s a meal that really doesn’t need to be amped up with any extras. Everything combines SO well, it’s hard to believe it is so minimalistic.
HEALTHY: veggies + chicken. Seriously you can’t get healthier than that! This ‘lil dinner creation is gluten free, paleo, and whole30 compliant too!
PRETTY: am I right?! If this does’t look like fall, I seriously don’t know what does.
LEFTOVERS: heck yeah it makes great leftovers, but even better yet, this meal can be transformed! I reheat any extra roasted veggies and serve with my morning eggs.

Aren’t those the best CliffsNotes ever? Seriously – pretty much sums it all up. I wish CliffsNotes did that for me in college. How come the professors NEVER quizzed on CliffsNotes? I’m still bitter about it. Remember studying on Sunday nights, reading chapter by chapter, then closing the book and saying to yourself, “what did I just read?”. Did that happen to ANYONE else? So demoralizing. My sister is currently a college student, so I am reminded of what Sunday evenings in college were like by her depressing Snapchat stories of papers upon papers and books stacked to the ceiling. I tell her she WILL enjoy Sunday evenings again – just not while in college.

Now I love Sunday evenings, ESPECIALLY this time of year. Football, lounging around, mulled wine, and autumn roasted veggie sheet pan chicken with craisins. Comfort meal – healthified. Now that’s the main CliffsNote point for this beauty.

To make this winner winner chicken dinner, peel one large or two medium sweet potatoes and cut into 1 1/2″ cubes. Wash and slice the brussels sprouts in half, and slice one leek into thin ribbons. Throw it all on a baking sheet and coat with the olive oil, thyme, salt, and cinnamon. Next, add the chicken thighs to the top, coating with the reserved olive oil, salt, and fresh rosemary (optional). Bake at 450 degrees for only 30 minutes.

Yup, 30 minutes to make a meal the entire family will love. But don’t forget to add my favorite part – those sweet craisins! I sprinkled them on top at the 25-minute mark, just enough to get them soft and warm. You could substitute for any dried cranberry brand, or use raisins as an alternative.

A complete, healthy meal that doesn’t require studying or hours of prep. This autumn roasted veggie sheet pan chicken with craisins will be one you come back to over and over again. Heck, you might even read the recipe and remember what it was you just read. See, those study skills paid off!

Love hearty ‘throw-and-bake’ type of meals? Then you have to try this potato and fennel baked chicken casserole and this whole30 cream of celery and mushroom baked chicken.