Sheet Pan Italian Chicken, Tomatoes, and Fennel

The sweet flavor of roasted cherry tomatoes pulls this whole dish together, and the heat of the ingredients wilts the arugula at the very end of the cooking process.

This dish makes a great prepped meal; prep and store the chicken, seasonings, fennel and tomatoes in a large sealable freezer-safe bag until ready to cook (can last up to 3 months in the freezer)

Italian-rubbed Cherry Tomato and Fennel Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

Spices

dried oregano2 teaspoons
dried basil2 teaspoons
dried onion flakes2 teaspoons
ground garlic1/2 teaspoon
dried marjoram1/2 teaspoon

Dry Goods

Kosher salt1/2 teaspoon
freshly cracked pepper1/4 teaspoon
olive oil4 tablespoon

Protein

bone-in chicken thigh2 pounds

Produce

cherry tomato12 ounces
fennel bulb1, large
arugula5 ounces (about 2 cups)

Instructions

This dish can go prepped into the freezer. Freezing and then cooking the fresh tomatoes will mean they might be more wilted once they are thawed and then roasted, but it shouldn’t disrupt the flavor of the dish.  

  1. Preheat the oven to 400*F. 
  2. Combine the dry seasonings, chicken, cherry tomatoes, fennel slices, and olive oil in a large bowl and toss until the chicken, tomatoes, and fennel are evenly coated with seasonings and olive oil. 
  3. Spread the chicken, cherry tomatoes, and fennel onto sheet pan, leaving a few inches of space between each piece of chicken. 
  4. Place the pan in the oven and bake 20-25 minutes or until the fennel has begun to brown, the tomatoes have wilted, and the chicken is completely cooked through, is no longer pink when you cut into it, and registers 160*F on a meat thermometer. 
  5. Remove from the oven and toss with arugula, letting the heat of the cooked ingredient wilt the greens. 
  6. Serve hot.

Prep Plan

Prep it for later:
1. Slice the fennel into strips and toss with chicken, seasonings, and tomatoes.
Can be frozen for up to 3 months or the fridge for 1 week.

You’ll need:
1 resealable bag or container with chicken, fennel, tomatoes, and seasonings
1 package of arugula

Prepare from prepped: If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight.
1. Preheat oven to 400*F and spread contents of the bag with the chicken on a sheet pan, leaving a few inches of space between the pieces of chicken.
2. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the fennel has begun to brown, the tomatoes have wilted, and the chicken is completely cooked through, is no longer pink when you cut into it, and registers 160*F on a meat thermometer.
3. Remove from the oven and toss with arugula, letting the heat of the cooked ingredients wilt the greens.