If you’re looking for a new go-to weeknight chicken recipe, let this easy sheet pan curry chicken be it. It even comes with a serving of veggies thanks to the kale.
It’s well documented that Charlie and my go-to lazy Sunday night dinner—what we’ve come to refer to as “our dinner”—is a rotisserie chicken from down the street.
Sometimes we eat it with a simple salad. Other times, to maximize the quantity of condiments we can consume in the same sitting, we make a quick batch of baked sweet potato fries from The Wellness Project book. 
The truth is, though, even when I have slightly more time to fix dinner, I still fall back on this holy trinity. And no time does it come together as easy, quick and delicious as when I’m making this red curry sheet pan chicken recipe with sweet potatoes and crispy kale.
After a busy week, instead of falling back on our Sunday night dinner on repeat for the entire week, I decided to take all its best components and turn it into something fully homemade: a sheet pan chicken dinner with a tangy marinade to create the perfect sweet and spicy jus.
You can make this sheet pan dinner with any type of chicken, but it’s always more price-efficient to buy the whole bird. If you have a butcher on hand, just ask him/her to break it down for you into pieces. Otherwise, you can use any parts you like. Dark meat will fare better as a roast, and keeping skin-on and bone-in will keep the breasts juicy if you prefer white meat.
The marinade is a play on this dressing from last fall, which easily became one of my favorite pan-Asian concoctions for salads. Instead of the sambal olek, I used Thai red curry paste. You can of course substitute any spicy condiment you have on hand—harissa for a Moroccan twist, gochujang for a Korean flair. The spice gets offset with a little maple syrup for sweetness, but you can omit it if you’re going the Whole30 route or reducing your sugar intake.
Any roots will work as the bed for the chicken, but the true veggie star of the dish is the kale. The greens get massaged with the same marinade as the chicken, then nestled in between pieces of the roasted bird. A quick trip to the oven renders some pieces wilted and tender, the top pieces perfectly crispy for added texture.
Click here for the coconut rice recipe.
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Sheet Pan Curry Chicken
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Sheet pan dinners are a lifesaver! This curry chicken with kale is flavorful, healthy, and ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs (454 g) sweet potatoes
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 inch knob (1 tbsp) fresh ginger
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- 2 tsp Thai red curry paste
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 bunch Lacinato Tuscan or Dinosaur kale
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (223°C).
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes, red onion, garlic, and ginger with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Arrange in an even layer.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the curry paste, lemon juice, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until combined.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in an even layer on top of the vegetables. Drizzle the chicken with half the red curry mixture and rub the marinade all over the meat. Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until the skin is beginning to brown and the chicken has released some juices.
- While the chicken roasts, in a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped kale leaves with the remaining red curry mixture. Toss until fully coated.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and nestle the marinated kale among the other vegetables. Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the kale is wilted and the top leaves are beginning to crisp.
- Serve the chicken straight from the pan.
Notes
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in the curry mixture for at least 30 minutes before roasting.
- If you don’t have Lacinato kale, you can substitute with other hearty greens like collard greens or chard.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Thai-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 150
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of chicken works best for this sheet pan curry chicken?
Using a whole chicken is most price-efficient, but you can also use any parts you like; dark meat roasts better, while skin-on, bone-in breasts will remain juicy.
How do I prepare the sweet potatoes for this recipe?
You should cut the sweet potatoes into fries or wedges, then toss them with the marinade before placing them on the sheet pan alongside the chicken.
What is the purpose of the marinade in this recipe?
The marinade adds a tangy flavor that creates a sweet and spicy jus, enhancing the overall taste of the chicken and vegetables.
