Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Veggies (Gluten-Free Easy Weeknight Dinner)

A simple sheet pan lemon garlic chicken with potatoes and green beans. Gluten-free, family-friendly, and on the table with minimal cleanup.

inspired by Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet Casserole from Mason Fit.

There are nights when the idea of washing more than one pan feels deeply offensive. That’s usually when I reach for a sheet pan and whatever’s in the fridge. This lemon-garlic chicken happened on one of those nights when I’d already used all my “decision power” on work and the only thing left in my brain was “I don’t want pasta again.”

I had some chicken thighs, a bag of green beans that had maybe one more day in them, and a few potatoes rolling around the bottom of the drawer. Not exactly inspiring, but it turned into one of those dinners where everyone went quiet for a few minutes while eating, which is the best compliment.

Why this recipe stuck with me

It’s the ratio of effort to payoff. You cut a few things, toss them with oil and seasoning, and then the oven does all the heavy lifting while you pretend to clean the kitchen or scroll your phone. And because everything roasts together, you get those crispy edges on the potatoes, the slightly blistered green beans, and chicken that actually tastes like the marinade.

It also scales well. I’ve made this for one (half the recipe on a smaller pan) and for a small group. The method doesn’t care.

Ingredients (grams)

For the chicken and marinade:

  • Chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, 800 g
  • Olive oil, 30 g
  • Lemon juice, 25 g
  • Lemon zest, 4 g
  • Garlic, minced, 12 g
  • Salt, 9 g
  • Black pepper, 2 g
  • Dried oregano, 3 g
  • Smoked paprika, 3 g

For the vegetables:

  • Small potatoes, halved or quartered, 500 g
  • Green beans, trimmed, 350 g
  • Olive oil, 15 g
  • Salt, 4 g
  • Black pepper, 1 g

How I actually made it

I started by doing the thing I usually skip: a quick marinade. It’s not long, but even 15–20 minutes while the oven heats makes a difference. I whisked olive oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and smoked paprika straight in a big bowl, tossed in the chicken thighs, and let them hang out on the counter while I dealt with the vegetables.

The potatoes got chopped into bite-sized pieces, nothing precise, just “cook in the same amount of time” sizing. The green beans got trimmed most lazily: lined up, sliced the ends off, and called it a day. I tossed both with a little more olive oil, salt, and pepper right on the sheet pan because I didn’t feel like dirtying another bowl.

The oven went on at 220 C, because if we’re roasting, we’re roasting. I spread the potatoes and green beans out, making sure they weren’t piled on top of each other, and slid the pan in alone for about 10 minutes, just long enough to give the potatoes a head start.

After that, I pulled the pan out, scooted the vegetables to the sides, and nestled the marinated chicken thighs in the center, pouring any leftover marinade over them. Back into the oven it went, and I set a timer for 20 minutes.

Around the 20-minute mark, the kitchen smelled like roasted garlic and lemon, which is always a good sign. The potatoes had crispy edges, the beans had a little char, and the chicken looked glossy and slightly caramelized around the edges. I flipped one piece over just to check doneness (you can use a thermometer if you’re more responsible than me 75 C in the thickest part).

What it tasted like

It tasted like someone had actually planned dinner, which is funny because I definitely hadn’t. The chicken was garlicky and bright from the lemon, the oregano made it feel vaguely Mediterranean without being too specific, and the smoked paprika added just enough depth that it didn’t taste “diet-y.”

The potatoes had that thing I love: crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, slightly coated in chicken juices. The green beans were one step past tender, with those little blistered spots that make them addictive.

How I serve it / leftovers

I usually serve it straight from the sheet pan with a big spoon. If I’m pretending to be organized, I’ll throw everything into meal prep containers—one piece of chicken, a pile of potatoes, a handful of green beans. It reheats surprisingly well; the potatoes lose a little crispness, but the flavor holds.

Sometimes I slice leftover chicken and throw it on top of a salad the next day. If I’m really stretching it, I’ll chop everything up, warm it in a pan, and call it a “warm bowl” with a spoon of Greek yogurt on top.

Honest tips or mistakes

  • The worst version of this is when everything is crowded. If your vegetables are piled up, they’ll steam instead of roast. Use a second pan if you need to.
  • Don’t skimp on salt with potatoes—they eat it.
  • If your green beans are thin and delicate, add them halfway through so they don’t go too soft.
  • If the chicken is done before the potatoes, just pull the thighs off the tray and let the veg keep roasting for a few more minutes.

This is the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together for an hour or two, even if the rest of the week is chaos. One pan, normal ingredients, and enough leftovers to justify washing the sheet pan later instead of right away.