It’s little wonder that sheet pan dinners are all the rage. Even for those of us who like to cook, making dinner every night gets tiresome. Simply sticking a pan in the oven, taking it out with a brown and crusty dinner and then having only one pan and one or two bowls to wash is a week-night wonder.
The only downside is that you are left with a terribly burnt and cruddy sheet pan. Here are my thoughts on the baking pan you should use for sheet pan dinners that I’ve never seen included with recipes.
About the sheet pan
Almost every sheet pan dinner is best made in a full sheet pan. You want to arrange the food in an even layer with most of it touching the pan. The food touching the pan will become brown and crusty, which is the idea. You can even cook small amounts in a large sheet pan simply by scrunching the food close together. I make this point because the sheet pan you use will become burnt, crusty and impossible to get entirely clean. I have 2 sheet pans, one shiny and clean for baking and one burnt and yucky from sheet pan dinners. (Of course the sheet pan one can also be used for baking when covered with parchment or foil.)
I have tried covering the bottom of the pan with parchment and lining the entire pan with foil, but the food never browns the same.
The best type of baking pan for sheet pan dinners must be shallow, and heavy. If they are too thin they will warp in the oven on high heat. (You’ve probably experienced that noise.) I am opposed to black pans for most every type of cooking, because they brown too quickly, but for sheet pan dinners, they work great. Plus you can’t see the grime build-up, just like with cast iron pans.
If you have any questions about the baking sheets, please feel free to leave them in the comment section on my website. I’d love to go into more detail with you.
About this recipe
The recipe comes from Food and Wine and was created by cookbook author Julia Turshen. The finished chicken doesn’t look very appetizing, but take no heed. The light and zesty parsley sauce covers it nicely. The 4 ingredient sauce is also the perfect counterpoint to the chicken and mushrooms. If you don’t have parsley or don’t like it, basil makes a terrific sub. The lemon slices that lie in direct contact with the pan become very brown and crisp, whereas the others, remain juicy. I like to arrange them on the pan so that I get some of each. I have adjusted the baking times in the recipe slightly for my oven and given you a little broader range.
I happened to have some leftover Thai peanut sauce in the fridge when I made this, so I tried the chicken with some of each sauce. They both tasted great, but the simple parsley sauce is truly perfect for this simple dinner.
Here is the raw chicken ready to go into the oven. Arrange the lemon slices so some are on the baking sheet and a few on the mushrooms and chicken.
The chicken looks naked after it’s baked, but the parsley sauce dresses it beautifully.
Sheet Pan Chicken and Mushrooms with Parsley Sauce
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake and cremini, stemmed and halved if large
1 lemon, thinly sliced, plus slices for garnish
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, minced
1. Preheat the oven to 450° and place a large, rimmed baking sheet in the oven to heat. Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil onto the hot baking sheet: brush over the bottom. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the hot sheet and roast for 5 to 7 minutes, until the chicken begins to brown.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the mushrooms and lemon slices with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Carefully scatter them evenly around the chicken in the oven.
4. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the mushrooms and lemon are browned, and the chicken is cooked through.(The chicken should register 160°.)
5. To make sauce: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the remaining 5 tablespoons of olive oil with the 1/2 cup of parsley, the vinegar and garlic. Season the sauce with salt.
6. Transfer the chicken, mushrooms, and lemon slices to a platter. Drizzle with some of the sauce and garnish with lemon and parsley. Serve, passing the remaining sauce at the table.
Makes 4 servings.
