Turmeric Chicken with Cauliflower (Printable)
A flavorful sheet pan dinner with golden turmeric-spiced chicken and caramelized cauliflower for a quick, nourishing meal.
# What you'll need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
→ Vegetables
11 - 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
12 - 1 medium red onion, sliced into wedges
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnish
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
17 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
02 - In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat evenly. Set aside to marinate while preparing the vegetables.
03 - In a separate bowl, toss the cauliflower florets and red onion wedges with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and black pepper until well coated.
04 - Arrange the marinated chicken thighs on the prepared sheet pan, skin-side up. Spread the cauliflower and onion evenly around the chicken.
05 - Roast in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F) and the cauliflower is tender and caramelized.
06 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The chicken and cauliflower finish at exactly the same time, something I learned only after countless sheet pan disasters where one component was perfect and the other was ruined.
- The spice blend creates an incredible sauce on the pan that you can scrape up and drizzle over everything, turning an ordinary weeknight meal into something worthy of company.
02 -
- The sheet pan needs to be large enough for everything to have breathing room, otherwise youll end up with soggy vegetables that never properly caramelize.
- Checking the chicken with a meat thermometer at the 30-minute mark saved me from overdrying the meat on multiple occasions, as oven temperatures can vary significantly.
03 -
- Let the sheet pan heat in the oven while you prepare the ingredients, then carefully arrange everything on the hot pan for an immediate sear that locks in juices and jumpstarts caramelization.
- Save any leftover roasted vegetables to fold into scrambled eggs the next morning for a breakfast that will make you look forward to getting out of bed.