The Secret to a Flavorful One-Pan Meal
This dish shines because the savory juices from the chicken and sausages envelop the Brussels sprouts and shallots, infusing them with rich flavor. Plus, cooking everything in a single pan means less time spent on cleanup. The Brussels sprouts develop a delightful crispness on the bottom while the chicken skin becomes perfectly crispy on top, delivering an irresistible texture contrast.
Brussels sprouts often evoke strong feelings from childhood—either you were forced to eat them or you were fortunate enough to enjoy them prepared well. The truth is that with proper cooking techniques, even those who claim to dislike these tiny cabbages can be converted into fans.
To achieve maximum flavor, we aim for a beautifully browned exterior on the Brussels sprouts while ensuring they become tender inside. Infusing their leafy layers with flavors from roasted meats elevates this dish even further. This recipe combines roasted chicken thighs, fennel-spiced Italian sausage, and Brussels sprouts alongside thinly sliced lemon—all cooked together in one skillet or baking sheet for simplicity.
As the lemon slices roast and caramelize, they transform into an edible garnish that adds acidity to balance out the richness of the meat. We start by applying a flavorful Dijon mustard rub onto our chicken before roasting it all together.
Our go-to kitchen tool for this recipe is our trusty cast iron skillet; it’s perfect for achieving that coveted crispy skin on chicken thighs. Typically, we cook skin-side down first but here we employ two clever methods: adding honey to our rub helps brown and crisp up the skin while using high oven heat accelerates this process.
For best results, we recommend using traditional Italian pork sausage—whether hot or sweet—as it retains moisture better than turkey or chicken sausages which can dry out quickly during cooking.
When preparing your ingredients in a baking sheet versus a skillet, ensure not to overcrowd your vegetables; they should roast rather than steam for optimal texture and flavor development.
Arrange your Brussels sprouts in one layer within your skillet before placing seasoned chicken thighs and sausage pieces atop them. Everything should finish cooking around the same time; however if your meat cooks faster than expected just set it aside momentarily until your veggies reach perfection.
While mashed potatoes could complement this meal nicely, honestly there’s no need—they’re already included right there in one delicious pan! And trust us—you won’t need any reminders about enjoying those Brussels sprouts!
One-Pan Chicken Thighs with Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (450 g) Brussels sprouts (trimmed & halved)
- 5 medium shallots (peeled & quartered)
- 1 lemon (thinly sliced into rounds)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
- 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1½ tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary needles (chopped)
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (~1½ pounds; ~680 g)
- 4 large Italian sausages (~1½ pounds total), cut into two-inch pieces
Instructions:
- Preheat oven: Position rack in lower third of oven at 450°F (230°C).
- Prepare vegetables: In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, combine halved Brussels sprouts, quartered shallots, and lemon slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season generously with salt and pepper.
- Make seasoning paste: In another bowl mix garlic with mustard,honey,Worcestershire sauce,and rosemary alongwith remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.Season paste as desired.
- Coat meat: Rub seasoning mixture over each piece of chicken thoroughly.Nestle seasoned meats atop vegetable mixture.
- Roast: Place skillet in preheated oven.Roast until vegetables are browned,tender,and internal temperature of thickest part of thigh reaches at least 165°F (74°C)—about 25–30 minutes.(If necessary transfer cooked meats temporarily if veggies require additional browning.) 6 . Serve hot,enjoying every bite!
Equipment Needed:
A rimmed baking sheet or 12-inch cast iron skillet, plus an instant-read thermometer for checking doneness!