Sheet-Pan Roast Chicken With Tangy Greens

Name: Sheet-Pan Roast Chicken With Tangy Greens
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus for drizzling; 6 garlic cloves; 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for finishing; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes; 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters (2 1/2 to 3 pounds); 10 ounces chopped fresh kale leaves or other braising greens (about 6 packed cups); 1/2 cup pitted or unpitted green olives (optional); 2 tablespoons bread-and-butter pickle brine or apple cider vinegar

By Sarah Copeland

Updated Oct. 11, 2023

Sheet-Pan Roast Chicken With Tangy Greens — Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist; Barrett Washburne.

Total Time: 55 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Rating: 5(548)
Comments: Read comments

Chicken quarters are the unsung hero of weeknight dinners. In under an hour, they roast evenly, yielding consistently crisp skin with juicy insides. Curry powder and red-pepper flakes meld with the cooking juices, creating an effortless sauce directly in the pan, perfect for serving over the meat and tossing with greens for a fast, flavor-drenched side. The pickle brine from a jar of bread-and-butter pickles (or a splash of standard apple cider vinegar) lends a tangy finish to the greens. For this recipe, choose slightly larger and fattier chicken leg quarters to ensure enough pan drippings — and luscious schmaltz in every bite.

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus for drizzling
6garlic cloves
1½tablespoons curry powder
2teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for finishing
1teaspoon black pepper
¼teaspoon red-pepper flakes
4bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters (2½ to 3 pounds)
10ounces chopped fresh kale leaves or other braising greens (about 6 packed cups)
½cup pitted or unpitted green olives (optional)
2tablespoons bread-and-butter pickle brine or apple cider vinegar

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a large bowl or heavy-duty resealable plastic bag, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil with the garlic, curry powder, salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes. Add chicken and toss well to coat. (If time allows, you can refrigerate the chicken in the marinade overnight, for deeper flavor.) Add one more tablespoon of oil if the chicken is lean or on the small side.
Step 3
Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, laying the chicken legs skin-side up and scattering the garlic among them. Roast until golden brown and just cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes, turning the pan front to back once about halfway through cooking for even browning. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees.)
Step 4
Transfer the chicken to a platter or four plates to rest. Add the greens, olives (if using) and brine to the baking sheet; toss to coat in the cooking juices, then roast until wilted, bright green and slightly crispy on some of the edges, 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
Step 5
Serve the greens with the chicken, scraping any excess juices from the pan to drizzle over the top.

Ratings

5 out of 5

548 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Madeleine W.2 years ago

This was delicious and easy, the whole family loved it. I ended up using 6 thighs because they were out of quarters. Only thing I would change is it was just a *tad too salty, and I would cut down the curry powder by a pinch or too. Also to make the meal more robust, I thinly sliced gold potatoes, tossed them in oil, and put them around the edge of the sheet to cook with the chicken. They soaked up some of the juices, not too much, and also got a little brown and crispy. Highly recommend!

Fran2 years ago

Won't peeled garlic cloves burn in 40 minutes at 425?

AW2 years ago

Can you use chicken breasts , bone in, skin on ? Adjust cooking temp or time?

Alice Smith3 months ago

I discovered I had run out of garlic (horrors!) so I added some sliced banana shallots. I also added some thinly sliced sweet potato to the roasting pan. For the greens, I used purple sprouting, cooked separately but added at the end.

WillKS3 months ago

A good sheet pan dinner and an interesting technique to deliver the kale from the same pan, with plenty of room for additional roasted vegetables and potatoes to cook with the chicken, for which a good curry powder is key to good flavor. The flavors of the kale mix did not jump out at me, so next time I'll try more flavorful green olives (my Castelvetranos were bland) and a bit more acid from vinegar/brine. Spread the word that green vegetables can be added at the end of a sheet pan roast.

Ashley B5 months ago

I was distracted while mixing the oil and seasoning, and ended up mincing all six cloves into the mixture, oops. I think it was a happy accident though, because it was delicious and nothing burned. So I think I'll keep doing that!

Private comments are only visible to you.