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Golden roasted chicken thighs resting on chickpeas and cherry tomatoes with crumbled feta on a dark sheet pan

Roasted Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Tray Bake

Bone-in chicken thighs roast on a bed of chickpeas, tomatoes, and olives, finished with feta and lemon, all on one sheet pan.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 414
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 6 pieces chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on (about 1.1 kg / 2.4 lb)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for drizzling
For the Chickpea Base
  • 2 cans chickpeas (400 g each); drained and rinsed
  • 300 g cherry tomatoes halved if large
  • 1 red onion medium; cut into wedges
  • 100 g kalamata olives pitted
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 lemon zested and sliced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
To Finish
  • 150 g feta cheese crumbled
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 200 C / 400 F.
  2. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with the smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  3. In a mixing bowl, toss the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, garlic, oregano, and lemon zest with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Spread the mixture evenly over a 13 x 18-inch / 33 x 46 cm sheet pan.
  4. Nestle the chicken thighs skin side up on top of the chickpea mixture, pressing them in slightly. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and tuck the lemon slices around the pan.
  5. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (away from the bone) reads 165 F / 74 C.
  6. Pull the pan out and scatter the feta over the top. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, just until the feta softens.
  7. Let the pan rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm straight from the pan.

Notes

  • Bone-in thighs give more flavor than boneless in this tray bake.
  • Don't skip drying the chicken skin before seasoning.
  • Rinse canned chickpeas well to cut down on extra sodium.
  • Add feta only in the last 5 minutes so it doesn't melt flat.