Sheet Pan Citrus Chicken and Carrots

Spiced citrus marinated chicken thighs with carrots, currants and shallots. Served over black pepper rice with a dollop of plain yogurt for an easy but elevated winter dinner.

Ingredients

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Thighs are much harder to overcook and they can handle a few minutes under the broiler. Bone-in, skin on thighs will work but you may need to cut the carrots larger and add an extra 10-15 minutes to the cook time.

Fresh orange juice and zest. The juice gives the marinade its tang. The zest carries most of the orange flavor, since it holds the fruit’s aromatic oils. Zest the orange before you juice it.

Olive oil. 

Brown sugar. 

Kosher salt. 

Cumin, coriander and turmeric. 

Cinnamon and cardamom. A small amount adds warmth and goes well with the orange. Use ground cardamom, not whole pods.

Carrots. If you scrub them, you don’t have to peel!

Shallots. 

Zante Currants. These are like tiny raisins and they add a nice sweetness, you can also use finely chopped raisins or dates if you have trouble finding them.

Orange and lemon. Slice them as thin as you can so the peel softens and caramelizes. Because you’ll be eating the peel, use unwaxed citrus and scrub it well. Remove any seeds before roasting.

Rice. For serving. Basmati or jasmine rice soaks up the pan juices well.

How to make

Step 1: Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, zest, olive oil, brown sugar, salt and spices. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Recipe tip: Give the marinade the full 4 hours if you can. The salt needs that time to move into the meat. Salt also changes the muscle proteins so they hold onto more moisture as they cook, which helps the thighs stay juicy.

Step 2: Set up the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place one rack in the center and another 6–8 inches from the broiler. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.

Step 3: Add the vegetables and citrus. Add the carrots, shallots and orange and lemon slices to the bowl with the chicken. Toss until everything is coated in the marinade.

Step 4: Spread it out. Arrange everything in an even layer on the sheet pan, with the chicken thighs in a single layer and not overlapping. Tuck the citrus slices around the chicken. Drizzle with a little more olive oil.

Step 5: Bake. Bake on the center rack for 20 minutes, until the chicken is almost cooked through and the carrots are starting to soften.

Step 6: Broil. Move the pan to the upper rack and broil for 5–10 minutes. It’s done when the chicken is deeply caramelized and charred in spots, the citrus edges are dark and the chicken reaches 165°F inside. Check every couple of minutes, since the brown sugar can go from caramelized to burnt quickly.

Step 7: Serve. Serve the chicken, carrots and citrus over rice. Spoon the pan juices over the top and finish with a squeeze of lemon.

How to make black pepper rice

In a small pot with a tight-fitting lid, gently heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add 1-2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper (or more) plus a couple bay leaves. Let those toast for a couple minutes until fragrant before adding 1 cup of dry basmati rice. Toast for another 2-3 min. Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Steam for 15 min, then leave the lid on for another 5-10 min before fluffing with a fork.

You can also make this with day old rice! Just add the cold rice in after toasting the black pepper/bay leaves and cook until everything is heated through.

More sheet pan recipes

• Sheet Pan Sun Dried Tomato Chicken and Chickpeas
• Sheet Pan Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Sheet Pan Chicken Pitas with Herby Ranch Slaw
• Sheet Pan Everything Salmon and Asparagus
• Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Brussel Sprouts and Bacon

Made this recipe? I would love to hear what you think in the review section down below! Also, make sure to tag @wandering_chickpea on Instagram with your creations and save this recipe on Pinterest for later