Bacon

Internet Chicken With Apples, Bacon & Brussels Sprouts

November 20, 2020
4.5
2 Ratings
Photo by Lizzie Munro
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

TASTE founding editor Matt Rodbard and his wife, Tamar Anitai, have been making a version of this semi-viral BuzzFeed sheet pan chicken recipe for years and years. The dish, with an autumn-ish union of root vegetables, apples, and bacon, is certainly not for autumn only. It's a year-round staple in their household, and they really unlocked the sheet pan chicken secret when, one night, they added pomegranate molasses to the mix for a burst of sweetness and acidity. This turned out to be a very good decision.

Recipe courtesy of SHEET PAN CHICKEN: 50 Simple and Satisfying Ways to Cook Dinner. Copyright © 2020 by Cathy Erway. Photography by Lizzie Munro. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.Cathy Erway

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Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped into 3⁄4-inch pieces
  • 8 to 10 Brussels sprouts, halved
  • 2 medium Fuji apples, cored and sliced into half-moons about 3⁄4 inch thick
  • 6 to 8 slices smoked bacon, chopped crosswise into 1-inch-wide pieces
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 450°F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, pomegranate molasses, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Massage the chicken with your hands (both of them!), working to distribute the herbs and seasoning evenly over the chicken. Set aside to rest at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Place the sweet potato, brussels sprouts, and apples on a sheet pan. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then toss to evenly coat and season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer, turning the brussels sprouts cut-side down to get as much contact with the pan as possible.
  4. Place the chicken thighs over the vegetable-apple mix. Scatter the chopped bacon over everything. Roast for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is well browned on top and a kitchen thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 160°F. Serve!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

3 Reviews

Merrilee E. May 16, 2021
This recipe is simple, complex tasting, and so very good. We like to make it with broccoli in place of the sprouts on occasion--that tastes great too. Thanks so much for this one!
Lizzy C. February 18, 2021
This may be my favorite recipe on Food52. I make this all the time now, and everyone I've made it for RAVES. So simple and wonderful
I bought the book, sheet pan chicken, and this is the first recipe I tried. Came out sooooo good! My 4 year old ate it up as did we adults. And it was easy to throw together. Only thing I didn’t follow was I didn’t have pomegranate molasses, just plain. I think I’ll get the pomegranate stuff just because I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks Cathy Erway, you are awesome!