Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs, Shallots and Potatoes

This Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs, Shallots and Potatoes is what fall dreams are made of. The flavor is incredible and so distinctly fall. Crispy caramelized potatoes with sweet figs and shallots – the perfect backdrop for the savory roasted chicken. No sauce necessary – the pan juices are all you need!

This truly can be done on a weeknight, as the prep is so minimal and all of the cooking is hands-off, allowing you to do other things.

But, it’s also special enough in flavor that it can be done for your very best guests.

It’s the kind of meal that has minimal effort and maximum reward, meaning it will taste so good that people will think you went to a lot of trouble to prepare something so fantastic, but you and I will know better (wink!)!

Embrace fig season while it’s here!

And if you want more sheet pan ideas for this fall, consider this Sheet Pan Salmon with Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta, this Sheet Pan Salad with Chicken, Pears and Squash, and this Easy Sheet Pan Weeknight Eggplant Parmesan. They are some of my favorites!

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this incredible Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs:

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

The ingredients to make this sheet pan dinner are easy to find and readily available at most any grocery store. For figs specifically, it’s important to know that they are in season in both early June, and then again August through October. If you happen to miss the fresh fig season, I’ve listed some substitutions below.

Here are a few ingredient notes:

Chicken: I’ve chosen to use a whole chicken and to remove the backbone (spatchcock) for a faster roasting time. You can always substitute a whole chicken that is already cut up or use a mix of thighs and legs — just make sure to use chicken that is skin-on and bone-in for the best results – afterall, it is the skin and bones that provide so much of the flavor.

Figs: One of my favorite times of the year – fresh fig season! Early June and August through October – the season(s) go fast, so you’ve got to catch them when you can. If you are unable to find fresh figs, you could substitute rehydrated dried figs. Rehydrate them by soaking them in hot water until they plumb back up, then proceed with recipe as usual. And, if you can’t find dried figs or don’t want to use them, consider substituting wedges of fresh stone fruit – apricots, plums, or even peaches and nectarines.

Shallots: A mellow relative of the onion, shallots become incredibly sweet when roasted and caramelized and pair so nicely with the figs and potatoes. If you do not have shallots, you could substitute thick wedges of onion or pearl onions or cipollini onions.

Potatoes: Yellow baby potatoes are what I opted for in this recipe, but you could easily substitute small red potatoes as well. And if you only have large potatoes on hand, then you can cut those into smaller cubes mimicking the size of a baby potato.

Rosemary: A must in this recipe, rosemary belongs with figs and potatoes! Try not to substitute anything else, but it you absolutely must, only consider sprigs of fresh thyme.

Let’s Make Sheet Pan Chicken with Figs Together: STEP BY STEP

Steps 1 & 2:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and prep the vegetables by cutting the potatoes in half, the figs in half, and peeling the shallots and garlic. If the shallots are really large, cut those in half, too, so that they are close to the size of the potatoes.

Next, spatchcock the chicken (remove its backbone) by placing it, breast down, on a sheet pan. Using poultry or kitchen shears, cut along each side of the backbone to remove it, as shown below. For more detail on how to do this, see the video below.

Steps 3 & 4:

Place the garlic cloves beneath the cavity of the chicken on the sheet pan and scatter the potatoes and shallots around the chicken. Brush the chicken with olive oil and drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season everything with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven. Toss the figs with olive oil and scatter them around the pan. Remove the leaves of rosemary and scatter them over everything.

Steps 5 & 6:

Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Technique: How To Spatchcock a Chicken

Spatchcocking a chicken, or removing it’s backbone, is great for two primary reasons: (1) it speeds up the cooking time, and (2) it exposes more of the surface area to the heat which means more crispy skin and better flavor.

This is a quick unedited video to show you how to do it from start to finish. It’s quick and easy — promise!

Storage & Reheating

STORAGE: Store all of the contents of this sheet pan meal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

REHEATING: To reheat, place items in an oven-proof container with a splash of water, and cover with foil and bake at 375 until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave until warmed through.

FREEZING: You can freeze any leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Recipe Card

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