Sheet-Pan Chicken With Black Beans and Squash
Updated February 20, 2026
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Ready In
- 45 min
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
1 ½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry
1 pound cubed butternut squash
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and shaken dry
1 red onion, thinly sliced, divided
3 tablespoons avocado or other neutral-tasting oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
Cilantro, toasted pepitas, sour cream, or lime wedges or a combination, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 to 4 servings)
35 grams carbs; 167 milligrams cholesterol; 635 calories; 19 grams monosaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 40 grams fat; 11 grams fiber; 1011 milligrams sodium; 36 grams protein; 4 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
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, combine the chicken, squash, beans, half the red onion, oil, chili powder, cumin and 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ¾ teaspoon coarse kosher salt). Toss to coat, then spread into an even layer. Roast until the chicken skin is deeply golden and the squash is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Step 2
Top the cooked chicken and vegetables as you like with the remaining red onion, cilantro, pepitas, dollops of sour cream and a squeeze of lime.
To use boneless, skinless thighs, toss them in the seasonings, then remove from the sheet pan. Roast the squash, onion and beans for 15 minutes, then add the thighs and continue to roast until cooked through, another 10 to 15 minutes. Broil for more browning if you like.
Private Notes
Comments
New family favourite! My two-year-old loved this so much that in her bedtime prayers she said, “Thank you, God, for the new dinner.”
Another great Ali Slagle sheet pan dinner that'll be going into the rotation at our house! I subbed in sweet potatoes for the squash because I find them easier to work with and my family likes them better anyway. For toppings we had cilantro, lime, red onion, and feta. I doubled the recipe for our family of 4 (2 adults, 2 elementary-aged kids) hoping for leftovers. But everyone liked it and we only had one thigh leftover, so I think we would have been hungry if I hadn't.
@Kate C. I took your suggestion and used sweet potatoes. Also prepped veggies early and tossed in large bowl with spices. Spice wimp here so only one 1t. of chili powder. Added chicken after an hour. Delicious!
This was delicious, this was easy, this was healthy, this was in the oven in 20 minutes on a Monday night! Add 1 tsp of oregano in addition to the spices listed here. Cut up an avocado and lightly mash with a fork while the chicken cooks, add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste to serve with the vegetables. Squeeze more lime juice on the squash and beans right before serving and top with crumbled feta cheese. My chicken needed an extra 10 minutes or so in the oven than the recipe stated.
Fabulous recipe! Perfect as is. Thanks Ali! I used Rancho Gordo New Mexican Chili Powder and it was just the right heat and flavor profile for me. Also, I just threw the pepitas right on top of the sheet pan about 5 minutes before everything was done and they came out nice and toasty. Another hint - I checked the internal temp. of the chicken thighs - America's Test Kitchen suggests that you cook thighs to 190-195 - sounds high but apparently it break down the connective tissue. Worked for me.
Delicious. I doubled the recipe and adjusted spices and oil accordingly. But I only had one can of beans and i wish I would have added another can. Husband loved it.