Roasted tarragon chicken and vegetables

An easy, nutritious and delicious sheet pan dinner!

This is a super tasty sheet pan dinner that’s healthy as well! I love the fresh flavours of spring and in this dish, the chicken, asparagus, leeks and baby potatoes – not to mention lemons and tarragon – come together beautifully. It takes less than an hour from start to finish and because you line the sheet pan with parchment paper, cleanup is a breeze.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) freshly-squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large)
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons (8 g) chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil
• 1 lb (454 g) baby potatoes, quartered or sliced
• 1 large bunch asparagus ( about 1 1/2 lb / 680 g)
• 2 large leeks
• 1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 – 2 tablespoons (15 – 30 mL) olive oil
• Additional chopped fresh tarragon, to serve

Method

• Preheat oven to 450F. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
• Make the marinade by placing the lemon juice, garlic, tarragon, Dijon, salt and pepper in a small jar with a tight lid; shake to blend. Add oil and shake again.
• Place the potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with two tablespoons (30 mL) of the marinade. Toss to coat then spread out on the sheet pan and place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.  
• While potatoes are cooking, snap the woody ends off the asparagus and place the spears in the same bowl that held the potatoes.
• Trim root ends and coarse dark green tops off leeks. Slice pale parts of the leeks lengthwise then, if needed, rinse under cool, running water to remove any grit. Slice crosswise into 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick rounds. Add to the bowl with the asparagus. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of the marinade. Toss to coat evenly then at the 10 minute mark, add to the sheet pan with the potatoes.  
• Slice chicken breasts horizontally then place the pieces in the bowl that held the vegetables. Drizzle with remaining marinade and toss to coat. Place on sheet pan, nestling in between the vegetables.  Drizzle any marinade left in the bowl over the chicken and vegetables.
• Return the pan to the oven and continue to roast for 25 – 30 minutes, turning chicken and stirring vegetables at the 15 minute mark. The dish is almost ready when vegetables are tender and chicken registers 165F in its thickest parts.
• When chicken achieves desired temperature, remove pan from oven and preheat broiler. Push vegetables to one side of the baking tray and spread the chicken pieces out in a single layer and brush tops with just enough olive oil to coat. Return pan to oven for 2 – 3 minutes, or until tops of chicken have crisped slightly. NOTE: this step is optional.
• Remove from the oven. Divide vegetables and chicken among four serving plates and drizzle pan juices over top. Sprinkle with remaining fresh tarragon and serve.

Serves 4.