This one-pan chicken and autumn vegetable dish is warm and comforting meal – but so easy! – way to welcome the changing seasons. When the weather gets chilly, I love to fill my kitchen and house with the wonderful smells of things roasting in the oven.

First, peel the carrots. I love to peel vegetables on top of a paper towel. When you’re done, you fold up the whole paper towel with the peelings inside and throw it all away. Easy clean up!

Peel the sweet potato.

Slice carrots into ½ inch rounds. At the skinny end, up the length to an inch or so, depending on how skinny it is. Make all the pieces similar sizes so they cook at the same rate. Cut the sweet potato into 1 inch cubes. The sweet potato cubes need to be bigger than the carrots because they cook faster.

Cut your red onion into small wedges. I cut mine into eights, then each eighth into 3 pieces, yielding 24 pieces for one onion.

Lay all your vegetables onto a foil-lined baking sheet.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the vegetables.

Toss the vegetables in the olive oil, then spread evenly into a single layer.

Sprinkle all over with 1 ½ tsp salt.

Nestle the chicken thighs in the vegetables and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil. Sprinkle with ¾ tsp salt and fresh ground pepper. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, chili powder, and ground mustard. Sprinkle evenly on chicken thighs. Roast in a preheated 400°F oven for 40 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the largest thigh reads 165°F. Place the pan back in the oven, but this time under the broiler to get the skin crispy. Watch closely while under the broiler; it only takes a couple minutes.

When it’s all done, the skin will be golden and crispy, and the vegetables will be fork tender and a little caramelized.

There are even some delicious natural juices that are left over in the pan, ready to be added to a gravy, or poured over the chicken and vegetables themselves.

Dig in!

One-Pan Roasted Chicken and Autumn Vegetables
Serves 4

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
4 carrots
1 medium sweet potato
1 red onion
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil, separated
2 ¼ tsp salt, separated
Fresh ground pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp ground mustard

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with foil. Set aside.

Peel the carrots and sweet potatoes. Starting at the large end, cut the carrots into ½ inch slices. As the carrot gets skinnier, make the cuts a little longer, so all the pieces are about the same size overall. Cut the sweet potato into 1 inch pieces. Cut the onion into small wedges. Transfer all cut vegetables to the sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil, then toss until evenly coated. Spread out in an even layer. Sprinkle with 1 ½ tsp salt.

Nestle the chicken thighs into the vegetables and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil. Sprinkle with ¾ tsp salt and fresh ground pepper. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, chili powder, and ground mustard. Sprinkle spice mixture over the chicken.

Roast in the preheated 400°F oven for 40 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a chicken thigh reads 165°F. Put pan under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, until the chicken is golden and crispy, being careful not to burn it. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.