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Sheet Pan Chicken Legs and Sweet Potatoes

By: Author Andi

Posted on Published:

Categories Cheap Meals, Chicken, Healthy Recipes, Main Dishes, Recipes

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Sheet pan chicken legs and sweet potatoes are baked together in the oven for a healthy weeknight meal. Chicken legs are cooked on a large baking sheet with sweet potatoes, onion chunks and garlic cloves.

This recipe is included in our Meal Plan #2. Inside that meal plan, there are 5 delicious recipes, including a free meal plan and a video showing how to make them all. Click here to get the FREE Meal Plan #2.

Close up of chicken drumsticks, chopped sweet potato, and onion on a baking sheet.

Why We Love This Recipe

  • Straightforward ingredients from the grocery store can be combined to create a quick and flavorful recipe.
  • It’s super easy to prepare, just chop, mix and bake!
  • Using a large baking sheet lets you add more ingredients. Or you can use two small baking pans instead!
  • It’s cheap to make using budget-friendly ingredients. Chicken legs are the most inexpensive chicken cut at the grocery store, which is why we chose them.
  • Sweet potatoes are easy and healthy. If your family isn’t a fan of them, you can easily swap with chopped russet potatoes instead.
  • For more ideas try our 10 healthy sheet pan meal recipes.

Need more inspiration? Try our 109 Cheap Easy Meal Ideas which are simple, perfect for busy nights, and budget-friendly.

Recipe ingredients on the counter including a container of raw chicken legs, some sweet potatoes, a yellow onion, and bowls of dried thyme, garlic cloves, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Recipe Ingredients

Only a few ingredients are needed to make this recipe. Here’s a quick overview:

  • CHICKEN LEGS: You can add as many chicken legs as you’d like. I used seven chicken drumsticks. Chicken thighs will also work for this recipe.
  • VEGETABLES: Sweet potatoes, yellow onion and garlic cloves keep things simple and flavorful.
  • SEASONING: Olive oil is mixed with dried thyme, salt and pepper. This is tossed with both the chicken and the vegetables.
Four images showing steps to make the recipe. First is chopped sweet potato and a peeled one on cutting board. Second is chopped sweet potato with onion in a bowl tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Third is chicken legs in the center of a baking sheet. Fourth is half cooked chicken legs in the center of a baking sheet with chopped sweet potato and onion surrounding it.

How To Make Chicken Legs with Sweet Potatoes on a Sheet Pan

All ingredients are baked together on a large sheet pan. Here’s a quick overview with full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  1. Mix together olive oil, dried thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss with the raw chicken legs.
  2. Assemble the chicken in the center of the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
  3. Chop the sweet potato and onion. Mix with oil and seasonings. Add to the baking sheet and bake another 30-45 minutes, until chicken is cooked.
  4. Serve with rice, quinoa, or pasta.

Leftover chicken legs with baked sweet potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or back in the oven.

Looking down at cooked chicken legs, chopped sweet potato and onion on a baking sheet.

Recipe Tips

  • Ingredients should be in a single layer. They will cook faster.
  • If you need to, use two small baking sheets or one large one (like I did).
  • This recipe can be made with root vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, or potatoes.
  • Chop the vegetables into a similar size and shape. They will cook more evenly.
  • Heartier vegetables like potatoes and carrots need longer to cook. Chop them small so that they cook faster.
  • Swap chicken thighs for chicken legs, wings or chicken breasts. You can also try this idea with pork chops and steak.
A white bowl with rice, chicken legs and chopped sweet potato and a fork.

More Sheet Pan Recipes

Chicken legs and sweet potatoes on a baking sheet/

Sheet Pan Chicken and Sweet Potato

5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 6-8 chicken legs
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2-3 medium sweet potatoes - peeled and chopped into cubes
  • 1 medium onion - chopped into wedges
  • 1 garlic bulb - 6-8 cloves, all cloves peeled but not chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet (or two baking sheets) with aluminum foil.
  • In a large bowl, mix together olive oil, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Add in the chicken and toss to coat. Keep the leftover sauce.
    Two images of a glass bowl. First with sauce and a spatula. Second with raw chicken mixed with sauce and a spatula.
  • Place the chicken legs in the center of the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
    Two images of a baking sheet with foil. First with seven raw chicken legs lined in a row. Second with the same chicken legs baked.
  • While the chicken is baking, peel and chop the sweet potato into small cubes. Chop the yellow onion into large chunks. Peel the garlic bulb into cloves.
    Two images of a cutting board. First with chopped sweet potato cubes and a peeled sweet potato. Second with chopped onion, onion skins and a knife.
  • Add the sweet potato, chopped onion and garlic cloves to the large bowl with the leftover olive oil mixture. Toss everything until coated.
  • Once chicken has cooked 15 minutes, remove from oven and add the sweet potato mixture along each side.
    Bake for another 45 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are crispy on the ouside and tender when poked with a fork.
    Chicken should also be fully cooked and reach 165°F internal temperature with a meat thermometer.
    Two images of a baking sheet lined with foil. First is unbaked chicken legs in center, chopped sweet potato and onion surrounding chicken. Second image is baked chicken legs, sweet potatoes and onion on the baking sheet.
  • While sheet pan ingredients are baking, cook some rice (this step is optional).
    White rice in a rice cooker with a spatula.
  • Serve the chicken and sweet potato mixture with rice. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

  • Ingredients should be in a single layer. They will cook faster.
  • If you need to, use two small baking sheets or one large one (like I did).
  • This recipe can be made with root vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, or potatoes.
  • Chop the vegetables into a similar size and shape. They will cook more evenly.
  • Heartier vegetables like potatoes and carrots need longer to cook. Chop them small so that they cook faster.
  • Swap chicken thighs for chicken legs, wings or chicken breasts. You can also try this idea with pork chops and steak.

Nutrition

Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 540mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 16104IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.

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