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Lemon Pepper Drumsticks is an easy to make, inexpensive, and totally delicious dinner that’s guaranteed to satisfy everyone at the table. With the ease of it being a sheet pan meal, there are less dishes and it makes for a great meal prepping recipe as well!
Sheet pan recipes are under-utilized and underrated. It is a popular cooking trend that gained traction for a bit but I think has slowly died down. I’m still a big fan of it and lemon pepper drumsticks are the perfect example of why I’m a fan of it! This cooking method involves preparing an entire well-balanced meal on a single sheet pan and roasting it in the oven. It’s truly one of the best dinner solutions!
So, if you’re a fan of lemon pepper, you’re really going to love this recipe. The chicken drumsticks are seasoned to perfection, making each bite zesty and packed with flavor. The vegetables are also deliciously cooked with a medley consisting of seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder and dried thyme. The juices from the chicken also help add a flavor boost to the roasted vegetables. Trust me – it’s absolutely mouthwatering!
Why You’ll Love This
- Simple dinner. Is there anything easier than tossing a bunch of ingredients on a sheet pan and popping it in the oven? This is one of the best weeknight dinners because it has the entire well-balanced meal on one pan – there’s no need to make any side dishes!
- Convenience. You can prepare the ingredients in advance, and when it’s time to cook, simply arrange them on the sheet pan and let the oven do the work. Or, you can even prepare it on the sheet pan and place the sheet pan into the oven while it preheats to allow the baking sheet to acclimate to the temperature slowly.
- Easy cleanup. Since everything is cooked on a single pan, there’s less mess to clean up afterward. This saves time and effort, making it a popular choice for those who want to minimize their kitchen chores!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken drumsticks
- Lemon pepper seasoning
- Sweet potatoes
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dried thyme
- Chili powder
- Brussel sprouts
How to Make Lemon Pepper Drumsticks
Set oven and prepare baking sheet. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Season the chicken legs. Add the chicken legs to a large bowl or plastic bag and drizzle a little olive oil on the legs then sprinkle in the lemon & pepper seasoning. Toss to coat all of the chicken. Place on the baking sheet.
Season the sweet potatoes. Add the sweet potatoes to the bowl. Mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme and chili powder together in a bowl, then pour half of it over the sweet potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes on the other half of the baking sheet. Bake the chicken and sweet potatoes for 15 minutes.
Add the brussels sprouts. Add the brussels sprouts to the bowl that was used for the sweet potatoes and pour in the remaining olive oil spice blend and stir to combine.
Flip. After 15 minutes, flip the chicken legs and sweet potatoes. Add the brussels sprouts to the baking sheet and bake everything for another 20 minutes.
Recipe Tips, Substitutions, and Variations
- Be sure to use a rimmed baking sheet. We don’t want juices and oil leaking out all over your oven! The rimmed baking sheet will keep everything contained.
- Arrange in an even layer.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure fully cooked chicken. The safest way to check if the chicken is safe to eat is by taking the temperature of the meat. Using a meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of a chicken leg. If the thermometer reads at least 165°F, it’s fully cooked! If it’s less than that, pop the chicken back in the oven for another few minutes.
- Choose root vegetables. Root vegetables take longer to cook which is why they’re perfect for this recipe as they will take around the same time to cook as the chicken drumsticks. If you use vegetables that aren’t as hearty, they will cook faster – which is totally fine as well! Just remove them from the sheet pan earlier and set aside so they don’t overcook or end up too mushy for you.
- Use other seasonings. If you don’t like lemon pepper seasoning, you can use whatever seasoning you like! There are pre-made seasonings that would be great for this or your favorite homemade version. A dry BBQ rub would be delicious!
- Root vegetable ideas. As previously mentioned, root vegetables are best for sheet pan meals as they can cook alongside the protein and not be too mushy. Here are some heartier vegetable ideas: Koginut Squash, Honeynut Squash, Delicata Squash, Parmesan Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Parmesan Carrots.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Before storing, allow the chicken and vegetables to cool completely. This sheet pan dinner can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Additionally, this is perfect to make ahead for meal prepping! Divide into containers like so below and you’ve got lunch or dinner for the week! The ingredients are nutritious and absolutely satisfying, making this one of the BEST meal prep lunches/dinners you can make.
If you have the time, I recommend popping the chicken legs back into the oven or toaster oven instead of the microwave. For just a few minutes in an oven preheated to 350°F, the chicken legs will reheat without drying out.
If freezing, divide into airtight meal prep boxes for easy thawing and freeze for up to 6 months. Once frozen, to thaw the meal in the microwave set the heat to defrost for 3 minutes, stir then heat at regular heat for 1 minutes, then stir and heat again as needed. To thaw in the fridge, simply place the meal in the fridge for 24-48 hours before you plan on eating it.
Feeling like a winner? Treat yourself to these sheet pan ideas!
- Sheet Pan Lasagna
- Sheet Pan Fruity Pancakes
- Meyer Lemon Sheet Pan Chicken
- Sheet Pan Salmon and Vegetables
- Sheet Pan Greek Chicken
- Sheet Pan Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas
Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5-6 chicken drumsticks with the skin on, pat dry
- 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 ½ pounds (680 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
- ¼ cup (59 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 pound (454 g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick aluminum foil.
- Add the chicken legs to a large bowl and drizzle a little olive oil on the legs then sprinkle in the lemon & pepper seasoning. Toss to coat all of the chicken.
- Remove the chicken and lay the pieces out on the baking sheet.
- Next, add the sweet potatoes to the large bowl.
- Mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme and chili powder together in a bowl, then pour half of it over the sweet potatoes.
- Stir to combine, then add the sweet potatoes to the other half of the baking pan and spread them out so they bake evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, add the brussels sprouts to the bowl that was used for the sweet potatoes and pour in the remaining olive oil spice blend and stir to combine.
- Once the first 15 minutes have passed, remove the pan from the oven, flip the chicken over and move the sweet potatoes around to make space in the middle for the brussels sprouts.
- Add the brussels sprouts to the baking pan in an even layer and bake for another 20-30 minutes, flipping the chicken again and stirring the vegetables halfway through to ensure it doesn't burn.
- Bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 °F (74 °C) and veggies have lightly browned on the bottom.
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. Or if you are meal prepping, let it cool for 45 minutes to an hour, then store.
Cardiac diet for our family! Will boneless skinless breasts work?
yes, that would absolutely work!