While we love a baked chicken leg recipe, there is something that is even better—a recipe that allows us to cook our chicken legs and a side dish on the same baking sheet! Sheet pan dinners like this one are perfect for busy weeknights because they come together in a snap, dirty minimal dishes, and are still full of flavor. Let’s make some sheet pan chicken and veggies!
Are chicken legs and chicken drumsticks different?
Sometimes, “chicken legs” means just the drumsticks, but sometimes they are both the thighs and drumsticks together. We tend to use chicken drumsticks when we make this recipe, but there is no reason you can’t use chicken quarters (the chicken thighs and legs together). Both options will work!
What do I need to make sheet pan chicken legs and vegetables?
For this sheet pan meal, you’ll need:
- Chicken drumsticks or chicken quarters
- Chicken marinade ingredients: rice wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, honey, tamari or coconut aminos, and orange marmalade
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Avocado oil
- Sesame oil
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Fresh cilantro
How do I make these sheet pan chicken legs?
- Mix up all the marinade ingredients, and seal the chicken drumsticks in a large zip-top bag with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, up to overnight.
- Toss the broccoli and cauliflower with avocado oil, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Create an aluminum foil boat to fit all the chicken and set it on the sheet pan. Spread the vegetables out on the outside of the foil boat.
- Roast at 425°F for 10 minutes.
- Turn the vegetables, and add the marinated chicken to the aluminum foil tray. Roast the chicken and vegetables together for 15-20 minutes.
- Reduce the marinade on the stove, making sure that it comes to a full rolling boil to kill off any bacteria.
- When the vegetables are cooked, remove them from the pan.
- Brush the chicken with the glaze, and broil for 3-5 minutes on each side.
How long do you cook chicken drumsticks at 425°F?
At such a high baking temperature, the chicken should be cooked all the way through in less than 30 minutes. For safety, the internal temperature of chicken should be 165°F—but because we finish these sheet pan chicken drumsticks under the broiler, you can pull them from the oven when they read 160°F. The time under the broiler will get them up those last five degrees!
Protip: Take an accurate temperature!
When using an instant read meat thermometer on your chicken, make sure to measure the thickest part of the meat and check that the probe doesn’t touch the bone. Otherwise, your temperature reading may be inaccurate!
Is it safe to use the marinade as a sauce?
This marinade can serve double duty as a glaze because of these food safety measures:
- The chicken stays in the fridge while it is marinating, so it doesn’t get into the “danger zone,” or the temperature where bacteria can rapidly multiply.
- You’ll boil the marinade before you use it as a glaze—this kills microorganisms in the marinade.
- The chicken gets finished under the broiler, killing any lingering bacteria.
- You’ll use clean utensils and bowls to brush on the glaze.
Sheet Pan Chicken Legs and Vegetables
These chicken legs are marinated and roasted with vegetables for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that has tons of flavor.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon tamari or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for garnish
For the vegetables:
- 3 cups broccoli florets (about 2 crowns worth)
- 3 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 small head worth)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Mix up all the chicken marinade ingredients, from rice wine vinegar to salt and pepper, in a large zip-top bag. Add the chicken drumsticks to the bag with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Toss the broccoli and cauliflower florets with avocado oil, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Create a boat of aluminum foil large enough to hold the chicken, and set it on the baking sheet to serve as a divider. Spread the vegetables out on the outside of the divider.
- Roast at 425°F for 10 minutes.
- Turn the vegetables, and add the marinated chicken to the aluminum foil tray, reserving the marinade for the next step. Roast the chicken and vegetables together for 15-20 minutes.
- While the chicken and veggies are roasting, reduce the marinade on the stove to make a glaze. Make sure that it comes to a full rolling boil to kill off any bacteria.
- When the broccoli and cauliflower are cooked, remove them from the pan and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
- Brush the drumsticks with the glaze, then broil for 3-5 minutes on each side. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve with roasted broccoli and cauliflower.
Notes
- Don't worry about using the marinade as a glaze! We've taken lots of precautions to make sure it's safe to eat. The meat is refrigerated at all times, then you rapidly boil the marinade afterward. This helps thicken the sauce and cooks out any bad bugs that might have made it in, making it safe to use.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 781Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 231mgSodium: 884mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 10gSugar: 36gProtein: 53g
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
