Fresh fig season is short, so while I love using them in desserts, I also want to make the most of them in savory recipes like this Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs. With no sauce or marinade needed, juicy roasted chicken is paired with tender carrots, crispy potatoes, and fresh figs that become soft, caramelized, and perfectly sweet as they roast. Everything cooks together on one pan for a flavorful dinner with minimal prep and even less cleanup. Gluten free, dairy free, and fully paleo!
This simple sheet pan chicken is allergy friendly, and you only need a handful of wholesome ingredients to make it. The natural sweetness of the figs pairs surprisingly well with savory roasted chicken and vegetables, making this an easy weeknight dinner that feels a little more special than your usual chicken-and-veggies situation.
This is one of my favorite recipes to make every year in late summer when fresh figs come into season. It's a wonderful one pan dish that turns a short-season ingredient into an easy savory dinner rather than another dessert. I have some other great fig recipes on my website for this time of year too. Try my Gluten Free Fig Cake or Dairy Free Honey Roasted Fig Ice Cream.
Why You'll Love This Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs
- Allergy friendly: this simple sheet pan dinner is not only gluten free and dairy free, but also fully Paleo and AIP friendly.
- Easy one pan meal: the best part of this recipe is that it is made in one pan which means easy dinner and even easier cleanup.
- Seasonal meal: this recipe is a delicious savory way to use fresh figs when they're in season in late summer and early fall. The sweet roasted figs complement the savory chicken and vegetables perfectly.
- Simple ingredients: chicken, potatoes, carrots, figs, and some herbs are all it takes to create this delicious meal!
Ingredients for Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs and Vegetables
- Chicken: I have made this recipe with both chicken breast and boneless, skinless chicken thighs and it's delicious with either.
- Fresh figs: the key ingredient that makes this chicken sheet pan dinner stand out. Be sure to use ripe figs that give when gently squeezed. Black Mission Figs or Brown Turkey Figs are ideal for their sweetness in this recipe.
- Baby potatoes: you can use baby golden potatoes or fingerling potatoes.
- Carrots: carrots are slightly sweet when roasted so they bridge the gap between the savory chicken and sweet figs.
- Olive oil
- Thyme, rosemary, cilantro: I stick to dried herbs to keep this recipe easy (no washing and chopping of herbs), but you can use fresh herbs for a stronger flavor.
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs
- Preheat oven to 425F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don't have a big one, line two pans.
- Chop off the stems of the figs and quarter them. Toss lightly in olive oil in a small bowl and set aside.
- Chop the carrots into ¼ inch rounds and the potatoes into ½ inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast for 20 minutes.
- Prepare and season the chicken while the veggies start roasting.
- Arrange chicken between the potatoes and carrots on the sheet pan. If using skin-on thighs, place chicken skin side up. Continue roasting until the chicken is nearly cooked through, about 15–20 minutes depending on the cut and thickness.
- Add the sliced figs and roast another 10 minutes. We wait to add the figs so they don't become a pile of mush, but caramelize just enough.
- You can broil the chicken and veggies for 5 minutes to get a nice crisp on the chicken and veggies, if desired. The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the meat and the potatoes are tender and golden brown.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Substitutions & Variations
- Chicken: I've made this recipe with both chicken breasts and boneless thighs. You can also use skin-on chicken thighs if you want to obtain that crispy skin. You can also use chicken drumsticks, but the cooking time will vary depending on their size, so use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. Which chicken you use is up to your personal preference.
- Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes, small red potatoes, or fingerling potatoes will also work. I find sweet potatoes provide too much sweetness with the carrots and figs.
- Other vegetables: you can truly make this sheet pan dinner your own by using parsnips, broccoli, or other vegetables you have on hand. Just keep in mind that some veggies cook faster than others. If using broccoli, add it to the pan when you add the chicken. Root veggies will take the longest to roast. Add some fennel, sweet onions, or red onions for extra flavor.
- Fresh herbs: you can certainly use fresh herbs over dried, I just use dried because it's often faster and people have those on hand already.
- Variations: toss the veggies and figs in a balsamic vinegar and honey or balsamic-maple sauce before roasting for a balsamic fig chicken. Or just add a drizzle of balsamic glaze after cooking and before serving. Add some lemon zest to the chicken when seasoning for more of a zingy flavor.
What Kind of Figs Should I Use?
I have made this recipe with both Black Mission Figs and Brown Turkey Figs. These are usually the two varieties you can more easily find in stores and are sweeter than other types. Black Mission have a very short season at the end of August/early September so they can be harder to find, but are sweeter and caramelize beautifully when roasted. Brown Turkey have a longer season and are easier to get your hands on. They tend to be slightly less sweet than ripe Black Mission figs, but they're still delicious roasted.
Black Mission Figs are my favorite if you can find them as they become super jammy and sweet with roasting. If you are having trouble finding figs in the store, local farmers often have them in August at the Farmer's Market.
Avoid using dried figs as they don't have the moisture needed to undergo roasting and produce a sweet, caramelized flavor. They will just dry up further.
Tips for the Best Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs
- Don't overcrowd the pan: over-crowding means the veggies won't cook as well and won't get those crisp edges. If you don't have an extra large baking sheet, just split this recipe over two baking sheets.
- Cut potatoes and carrots into similar-sized pieces: this ensures even roasting so one veggie doesn't get over or under cooked.
- Add figs at the end: you don't want to roast the figs for the same length of time as the other veggies or they will just disintegrate into a soggy mess.
- Don't overcook the chicken: knowing when to add the chicken depends on the cut and thickness. The cook time for chicken breasts will take longer than chicken thighs. If using thick chicken breasts, add 20 minutes into roasting the veggies. If using chicken thighs, add 30 minutes into roasting. Either way, the veggies should be getting soft and starting to caramelize before adding the chicken.
- If using skin on chicken thighs, don't skip the broiling step in order to get crispy chicken thighs!
- Use a meat/instant-read thermometer: this is ideal for knowing when the chicken is done and can help you gauge how much more time everything needs to roast.
What to Serve with Sheet Pan Fig Chicken
This sheet pan chicken is a complete meal on its own, but if you want to serve something alongside it, keep it simple...
- a green salad
- gluten-free bread
- rice of choice
- fig jam for even more fig flavor!
How to Store & Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers at 300F for 30-40 minutes. You can also freeze portioned leftovers, just be aware that the figs may become a bit more mushy. They'll still be delicious though!
FAQ
Yes, it is completely gluten free, paleo, and AIP friendly!
Yes, it is naturally dairy free.
You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this easy sheet pan chicken and veggies recipe. See substitutions and tips sections for more info.
The best figs to use are Black Mission Figs or Brown Turkey Figs.
No, dried figs are already dried out and we want juicy figs so they'll caramelize while cooking.
This recipe is best fresh if serving for a party or guests. You can prepare the components (chop veggies and figs, season the chicken) the day before then roast day of.
The key is not over-cooking it by adding it to the pan later in the cooking process. You want the veggies to start cooking first, since they take longer, then add the chicken halfway through cooking.
Yes. If you don't have an extra-large baking sheet, divide the chicken and vegetables between two pans. Avoid overcrowding the pans so the vegetables have room to roast and caramelize rather than steam.
More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken (Paleo)
Sheet Pan Honey Balsamic Chicken and Veggies
Spinach and Feta Chicken Meatballs (dairy free)
Another delicious sheet pan meal I have is my Turmeric and Ginger Turkey Meatballs
If you try this recipe, please leave a rating and review below!
Easy Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs (Gluten Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½-1 lbs fresh figs
- 1 lbs baby golden potatoes quartered
- 1 lbs carrots sliced into ¼ inch coins
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast or thigh
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried cilantro
- salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don't have a big one, line two pans.
- Chop off the stems of the figs and quarter them. Toss lightly in a little olive oil in a small bowl and set aside.
- Chop the carrots into ¼ inch rounds and the potatoes into ½ inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast for 20 minutes if using chicken breasts or for 30 minutes if using chicken thighs.
- Prepare and season the chicken while the veggies start roasting.
- Arrange chicken between the potatoes and carrots on the sheet pan. If using skin-on thighs, place chicken skin side up. Continue roasting until the chicken is nearly cooked through, about 15–20 minutes depending on the cut and thickness.
- Add the sliced figs and roast another 10 minutes. We wait to add the figs so they don't become a pile of mush, but caramelize just enough.
- You can broil the chicken and veggies for 5 minutes to get a nice crisp on the chicken and veggies, if desired. The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the meat and the potatoes are tender and golden brown.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
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