Sheet-Pan Tarragon Chicken With Sherry Vinegar Onions

By Melissa Clark

Updated May 13, 2018

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
1 hour, plus 6 hours' marinating
Rating
5(2,808)
Comments
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Roasting chicken with tarragon is a classic combination, but here it’s given a twist. Instead of a whole bird, bone-in thighs are marinated in tarragon and garlic, then quickly roasted over a bed of sliced onions. As the chicken cooks, the fat renders, coating the onions, while the fragrant steam rising from the onions flavors the bird. It’s a succulent, easy and very flavorful dinner. If you’d rather use all white meat, substitute bone-in chicken breast halves, and start checking them after 20 minutes.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • ½ cup finely chopped tarragon (leaves and tender stems), plus 4 whole sprigs

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed

  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, more as needed

  • 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs (skin on)

  • 2 large onions, peeled and sliced (about 4 cups)

  • 4 thyme sprigs

  • Sherry vinegar, to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

16 grams carbs; 222 milligrams cholesterol; 610 calories; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 43 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 663 milligrams sodium; 40 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, stir together tarragon, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 6 hours, and up to overnight.

  2. Step 2

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread onions out on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss well. Clear spaces on the baking pan, then place chicken pieces in the cleared spaces so the onions surround the chicken. Strew thyme and tarragon sprigs over onions and chicken.

  3. Step 3

    Roast, tossing the onions after 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and the onions tender, 25 to 35 minutes. If the chicken skin or onions are not as brown as you’d like, run pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes at the end of cooking.

  4. Step 4

    Place chicken on a platter. Drizzle onions with sherry vinegar and more salt and pepper if needed. Spoon onions around the chicken and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,808 user ratings
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Comments

Hopbell

I really wish food writers would stop writing "Marinate over night" as though you're going to cook it the next morning. A more precise way of writing would be to quantify the time in hours: 4, 6, 8,12 hours.

Carey Green

It's hotter on the top shelf and a good place to brown the chicken slowly without having to take the time to use the broiler later.

Cubicle Cook

I made this with only 15 minutes marinating time. I used 3 onions because they reduce in size during cooking. I added some sherry during cooking because the chicken thighs I had on hand were skinless, after I'd tossed everything. I didn't put the additional herbs in during cooking, I used them for fresh chopped garnish on the serving platter. I use tarragon often and liked how it worked with the sherry flavors. Next time I'll add some thinly sliced potatoes.

Margaret

Using the recipe plus others' suggestions, I used bone-in thighs (defrosted fully), marinated 6 hours using fresh tarragon, 1/2 TBS Dijon, 1 TBSP white balsamic vinegar, doubled the garlic. I could only fit 2 onions on the sheet pan, and the thighs. It had much more moisture than anticipated, so nothing burned (others had that issue), and the onions were fantastic! but RICH ... I used the remaining liquid to roast 2 more onions afterward! if you want to do it all together with extra onions and potatoes, which sounds amazing ... "you're gonna need a bigger boat!"

Margaret

@Kate I used white balsamic vinegar, and also loved it!

Michelle

This was sublime. I had to check myself from eating the entire pan (I halved the recipe). I grow tarragon and thyme in my garden so the freshly harvested herbs probably helped. Only had skinless, boneless thighs and was out of sherry vinegar. I did have ume su (Japanese plum vinegar) so subbed that. Polished off the other two thighs for next day's lunch. A LOT of deliciousness packed into an inexpensive, easy recipe. Look forward to making it again.

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