One-Pan Cutie and Vidalia Onion Chicken
Simple chicken thighs, sweet Cuties, and Vidalia onions roast together in one pan for an easy dinner that tastes bright, cozy, and way fancier than the work it takes. We have added One-Pan Cutie and Vidalia Onion Chicken to our monthly rotation! So yummy.
Y’all, this is the kind of dinner I love.
It looks fancy.
It smells amazing.
And you do not have to stand at the stove and babysit it.
This chicken roasts on one pan with sweet Cuties (little seedless oranges), soft Vidalia onions, lemon, thyme, and a little olive oil. The oven does most of the work. Praise be.
The chicken gets golden. The onions get soft and sweet. The Cuties turn sticky and bright. Then all those good pan juices get spooned right over the top.
That is dinner, friend.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is a great recipe for a tired mom on a busy night.
You only need one pan.
The prep is quick.
The flavors are sweet, bright, and cozy.
And it tastes like you tried harder than you did.
That is my kind of cooking.
One-Pan Cutie and Vidalia Onion Chicken
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 to 45 minutes
Serves
6 to 8
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 small Vidalia onions, cut into thick wedges
- 5 to 6 Cuties or small mandarins
- 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- optional chopped parsley for serving
How to Make It
1. Heat the oven.
Heat your oven to 425°F.
Let it get nice and hot. This helps the chicken skin get crisp and golden.
2. Prep the Cuties.
Slice 3 Cuties into thick rounds. Leave the peel on.
Juice the rest of the Cuties until you have about ¼ cup juice.
Juice half the lemon. You need about 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
Save the other half of the lemon for the end.
3. Make the sauce.
In a small bowl, mix together:
- Cutie juice
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Thyme
- Salt
- Pepper
Give it a good stir.
4. Fill the pan.
Place the chicken thighs on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.
Put them skin-side up.
Tuck the onion wedges around the chicken.
Scatter the Cutie slices over the pan.
No need to make it perfect. Rustic is cute. Also, we are tired.
5. Pour and roast.
Pour the citrus sauce over the chicken, onions, and Cuties.
Keep the chicken skin facing up.
Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F in the thickest part.
6. Spoon the juices over the top.
Do not skip this part.
Those pan juices are the best part. Spoon them over the chicken before serving.
Squeeze the saved lemon half over the pan if you want a little extra brightness.
Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes, then serve.
MOMMA’S COOK TIPS
Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
They stay juicy, and the skin gets nice and crisp. Chicken breasts can dry out faster, and nobody needs sad chicken at the end of a long day.
What to Serve With It
Keep it simple.
This chicken is great with:
- Rice
- Mashed potatoes
- Grits
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- A green salad
- Crusty bread
That bread is really handy for soaking up the sauce. Just saying.
Easy Swaps
- No Vidalia onions? Use another sweet onion.
- No Cuties? Use mandarins, clementines, or tangerines.
- No fresh lemon? Bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch. Fresh is better, but dinner on the table is best.
Final Thoughts
This One-Pan Cutie and Vidalia Onion Chicken is sweet, savory, bright, and cozy.
It is simple enough for a weeknight but pretty enough for company.
And best of all, it gives you a good dinner without making you do a bunch of extra work.
That is a Momma Can win. Dinner is going to be awesome!
Best pan for this recipe: cast iron! The oval pan pictured is Le Creuset, but Staub and Lodge cast iron would also work really well.
One-Pan Cutie and Vidalia Onion Chicken
This One-Pan Cutie and Vidalia Onion Chicken is a simple dinner made with juicy chicken thighs, sweet Cuties, Vidalia onions, lemon, thyme, and olive oil. Everything roasts together in one pan until the chicken is golden, the onions are soft, and the citrus makes a sweet, bright pan sauce.
- Total Time50-55
- Yield6 to 8 servings 1x
- DietDairy-Free
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 small Vidalia onions, cut into thick wedges
- 5 to 6 Cuties, divided
- 1 lemon, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: chopped fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Slice 3 Cuties into thick rounds. Leave the peel on.
- Juice the rest of the Cuties until you have about ¼ cup juice.
- Juice half of the lemon. You need about 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Save the other half for serving.
- In a small bowl, mix the Cutie juice, lemon juice, olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Place the chicken thighs in a large roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Keep the chicken skin-side up.
- Tuck the Vidalia onion wedges around the chicken.
- Place the Cutie slices on top of and around the chicken.
- Pour the citrus mixture over everything. Make sure the chicken is coated, but keep the skin facing up.
- Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through.
- The chicken is done when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
- Spoon the pan juices over the chicken before serving.
- Squeeze the saved lemon half over the top if you want a little extra brightness.
- Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the best flavor. They stay juicy and the skin gets nice and crisp.
- No Vidalia onions? Use another sweet onion, like Walla Walla or Maui. A yellow onion will work in a pinch.
- No Cuties? Use mandarins, clementines, or tangerines.
- Do not crowd the pan. If the chicken is too close together, it may steam instead of roast.
- The pan juices are the best part, y’all. Spoon them over rice, grits, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.
- For fresh thyme, use 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves in place of the dried thyme.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 40-45
- Category: Dinner
- Method: one pan, oven baked
