My Sheet Pan Miso Chicken Thighs is a quick and easy one-pan dinner that’s delicious and nutritious. Tender, juicy chicken thighs are coated in a flavorful miso sauce and roasted to crispy, golden perfection with colorful vegetables. It’s a complete meal that comes together on one sheet pan — easy to make, easy to clean up!
I’m a big believer in one-pan meals. We all lead busy lives and around the holidays, things can be especially hectic. As a mom, I know that sometimes it’s a struggle to get meals on the table fast.
The next time you need a quick and nutritious meal to turn to, think of sheet pan meals like this Sheet Pan Miso Chicken Thighs. All you need is chicken, some veggies and a sheet pan and you’re all set! It’s easy enough to make as a weeknight meal and elegant enough to serve at the holidays.
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Sheet Pan Meals
I love sheet pan meals because they’re so easy. Simply put all your ingredients on a sheet pan, pop it in the oven, and dinner is set! No messy pots and pans. Easy to make, easy to clean up!
Sheet pan meals are also endlessly customizable. You can use whatever ingredients you have in your fridge. Just be sure to use proteins and vegetables with similar cooking times so that everything is done at the same time. If you’re looking for some ideas, try my Sheet Pan Sweet Chili Salmon and Veggies.
The Holidays and C. Diff
Many of us look forward to the holiday season as a time to relax, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy good food. But for those suffering from C. diff infection, the holidays can also be a difficult time as they struggle to find foods they can enjoy.
C. diff is a highly contagious infection caused by bacteria that take hold deep inside your gut. The most common symptoms include nausea, abdominal cramping, bloating, and diarrhea. People experiencing C. diff may lose their appetite or fear that food will trigger their symptoms. However, good nutrition is crucial for recovery.
Good nutrition is also important to support gut health. C. diff infection occurs when bad bacteria outgrow the good bacteria in the gut. Having a healthy balance of good vs. bad bacteria is crucial not just for your digestive health but also for your immunity and your overall health. Be sure to talk to your doctor about what you can eat during and after a C. diff infection.
My Sheet Pan Miso Chicken Thighs is a quick and easy dish that’s perfect for the holidays and is filled with gut-friendly ingredients. This baked miso chicken is also an easy alternative to making a whole roast chicken or turkey for the holidays. The great thing about this recipe is that you can cook just as many chicken thighs as you need.
Ingredients
- White (shiro) miso paste- adds savory flavor
- Sesame oil- adds a nutty flavor
- Olive oil- coats the chicken and vegetables so that they brown nicely
- Mirin- Japanese sweet rice wine
- Rice vinegar- adds a nice tanginess
- Agave, honey or maple syrup- adds a touch of sweetness
- Chicken thighs - I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this dish because it yields the best, juiciest results. You can always take off the skin after cooking if you prefer.
- Assorted vegetables- I use a combination of butternut squash, rainbow carrots, and parsnips
How to make baked miso chicken thighs
Make the miso chicken marinade
First, I marinate the chicken thighs in a flavorful mixture of Asian pantry staples like miso, sesame oil, mirin, and rice vinegar. The longer you marinate the chicken the better. But if you’re pressed for time, at least let it marinate while you prep your veggies.
My secret ingredient to infuse my chicken with flavor is miso paste. Miso paste is a Japanese fermented soybean paste that adds a burst of flavor to recipes.
You can find it at Asian markets or specialty grocery stores. It comes in several different varieties including white, yellow, and red. In general, the darker the color, the more intense the flavor.
Miso gives the chicken a rich, savory flavor. Combined with the sweetness of the mirin and agave and the acidity from the rice vinegar, it’s a perfect combination of flavors and a definite upgrade to plain baked chicken.
Miso paste is also an excellent gut-friendly ingredient because it’s rich in probiotics. Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that may help keep your gut microbiome in balance. Other examples of probiotic-rich fermented foods/drinks are sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha.
Prep the veggies
While the chicken marinades, I peel and dice my veggies. To pair with the miso marinated chicken thighs, I use a colorful combination of fall vegetables- butternut squash, rainbow carrots and parsnips. You could also use other root vegetables like beets, celery root or potatoes.
These vegetables are all good choices if you’re suffering from a C. diff infection as they’re mild, low in insoluble fiber, and easy to digest. Cooking them until soft will make them even easier to digest.
Toss the veggies with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and get them on a sheet pan. Then, simply nestle the chicken in the vegetables and pop it in the oven.
Bake it in the oven
Bake the miso chicken and vegetables in the oven. As the chicken cooks, the skin crisps up and the juices baste the vegetables, infusing them with their rich flavor. It’s so good!
At the end, I turn the broiler on for a couple of minutes to get the skin nice and crispy. Be careful and keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
You can take the sheet pan straight to the dinner table and serve it right from there. It’s pretty much a full meal but if you like, you can also make some rice, quinoa or egg noodles on the side.
Chef’s Tips
- When making sheet pan meals, choose proteins and veggies that have similar cooking times so nothing gets overcooked. For example, if you’re making shrimp or fish, which cook quickly, choose vegetables that cook quickly as well like asparagus or zucchini. Don’t choose something like potatoes, which take longer to cook.
- Whatever vegetables you use in this recipe, try to cut them all around the same size. This way they’ll have the same cooking time.
- I like using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because the chicken stays juicy and tender as it cooks.
- Put the sheet pan under the broiler at the end of cooking to crisp up the chicken skin
- If you are suffering from C. diff infection, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe, to avoid the fat. The cooking time will be shorter, around 25 minutes.
Have you ever wondered how long chicken can sit out before you need to toss it? Read my post all about how to properly handle and store chicken to help ensure that it's always safe to eat!
Recipe FAQs
Yes. I prefer to use thighs because they stay juicier but you can use chicken breast or even drumsticks. You may have to adjust the cooking time.
The most accurate way is to use a kitchen thermometer and check to make sure the internal temperature is 165°F. The meat should no longer be pink when you cut into it.
You can add miso to a variety of recipes to add a pop of flavor! Add it to soup, salad dressings, roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes. Try my Miso Roasted Rainbow Carrots, Miso Maple Glazed Salmon or Miso Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Looking for more gut-friendly recipes? Read my Gut-Friendly Thanksgiving Menu post.
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Recipe
Sheet Pan Miso Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon agave, honey or maple syrup
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 12 ounces diced butternut squash (about 2 cups)
- 3 parsnips, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Whisk the miso paste, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon olive oil, mirin, rice vinegar, and agave together in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat all the pieces. Let the chicken marinate while you prepare the vegetables (or longer if you have time).
- Toss the vegetables on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.
- Nestle the chicken thighs on the sheet pan amidst the vegetables. Bake 30-35 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature of the meat is 165°F.
- If desired, put the sheet pan under the broiler for a minute or two at the end to brown the skin more. Serve.
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