Alright, Wednesday again. Midweek hustle, you know how it is. Usually means I need something dependable for dinner, nothing too fancy or that takes ages.
So, tonight I decided on my old reliable: roasted chicken thighs with whatever veggies I had kicking around. It’s simple, mostly hands-off once it’s in the oven.
Getting Things Ready
First thing, I pulled out the chicken thighs from the fridge. Let them sit out for maybe 15 minutes, just to take the chill off. While they were resting, I rummaged through the veggie drawer.
- Found some broccoli.
- A couple of carrots.
- One lonely onion.
- And a few potatoes that needed using up.
Good enough. Started chopping everything up. Carrots into rounds, potatoes into chunks, onion into wedges, broccoli into florets. Nothing precise, just roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Next, grabbed a big bowl. Tossed all the veggies in there. Drizzled a good amount of olive oil over them. Then the seasonings – salt, pepper, garlic powder, maybe some paprika for color. Mixed it all up with my hands, the easiest way. Did the same for the chicken thighs in a separate bowl. Really rubbed the spices in.
Got my biggest baking sheet out. Spread the veggies in a single layer. Then I nestled the chicken thighs right on top of them. This way, the chicken juices drip down onto the veggies while everything cooks. That’s the good stuff.
The Cooking Part
Shoved the whole tray into the oven. Had it preheated to around 400F (or 200C, whatever your oven does). Now, the waiting game. Usually takes about 40-45 minutes. I peeked in once or twice, mostly just enjoying the smell filling up the kitchen.
Around the 40-minute mark, I checked the chicken. Made sure it was cooked through, juices running clear. The veggies looked nice and roasted, slightly charred at the edges – perfect. Sometimes I crank up the heat for the last 5 minutes to get the skin extra crispy, did that tonight.
Pulled the tray out. Let it rest for a few minutes. Then just scooped a bit of everything onto plates. Chicken, roasted veggies… job done. It’s not gourmet, but it’s a solid, tasty meal. Cleans up pretty easy too, which is always a win on a Wednesday night.
Yeah, that hit the spot. Another Wednesday dinner sorted.
