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This Whole30 Sheet Pan Chicken and Fennel is the perfect meal for busy weeknights, when you want to pop something easy in the oven. And you’ve got a wonderful bonus that you don’t have many dishes to clean up afterward, since it all fits on one sheet pan.
It’s time for Spring Vegetables!
As the weather warms up, we’re starting to see the return of many outdoor farmers markets, which means we’re seeing more variety in our vegetables. A welcome change, to be sure, than the endless root vegetables throughout the winter months. These vegetables are more tender and cook up much more quickly, leaving us more time in our day to enjoy the sunshine!
Farmers Market Ingredients and Substitutions
Fennel
Fennel is a bulbous vegetable that’s in the same family as carrots and dill. It isn’t a root vegetable, as the bulb grows above the ground. The anise/licorice flavor is strongest in the fronds and stalks, and mildest in the bulbs. If you’re not a huge fan of licorice, I still encourage you to try fennel, as the flavor is even more mild when the fennel is roasted.
Fennel is at its best in the spring, though you may be able to find it year round in some climates.
Got lots of fennel in your refrigerator? You should also check out my Italian Meatball and Fennel Soup, or this One-Pot Pasta with Fennel and Sausage.
New Potatoes
New potatoes aren’t a specific type of potato. Instead, this refers to the early harvest, when the potatoes are still small and immature. They are buttery, waxy, and sweet, and won’t fall apart when roasted. The skin is very thin, so you won’t need to peel these potatoes.
If you can’t find new potatoes at your farmers market, the easiest substitution is fingerling potatoes. These are similar to new potatoes in size and flavor. Otherwise, look for a waxy potato variety, such as German Butterball potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
The best part about this chicken and fennel sheet pan meal is that it’s an all in one deal. You’ve got a roasted vegetable, a starch, a protein, and a delicious pan sauce. There’s no need for anything else on the plate; you’ve got it all already.
But, maybe you’re in the mood for dessert. In this case, I recommend another spring classic, my Rhubarb Frangipane Tart. Bake it while you’re eating dinner, and you’ll have a great, seasonal dessert ready for you later.
What about the leftovers?
Whole30 Chicken and Fennel is really easy to scale up or down depending on how many servings you’re looking for. I found 4 servings fit nicely on a half sheet pan, so if you want to scale up, you’ll want to use a bigger sheet pan.
Leftovers from this sheet pan meal can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in an oven set to 350degF until hot. I have not tried freezing the leftovers here, so I can’t make a recommendation on that one way or another.
Whole30 Sheet Pan Chicken and Fennel
This Whole30 Sheet Pan meal is sure to get dinner on the table fast for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup ghee
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fennel fronds, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp champagne vinegar
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lemon
- 2 fennel bulbs, halved and sliced into 1/4 thick wedges
- 2 cups new potatoes, halved (quartered if large)
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Mix together the ghee, garlic, fennel fronds, champagne vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the juice and zest of one lemon and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add the sliced fennel bulbs, potatoes, and chicken thighs, and toss until everything is thoroughly coated.
- Spread the chicken, fennel, and potato mixture onto a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked (165°F) and the skin is crispy and golden.
