This Sheet Pan Chicken and Stuffing pairs maple Dijon chicken thighs with herby stuffing, apples, cranberries, and Brussels sprouts. As everything roasts, the chicken skin browns and the stuffing develops crisp edges while staying soft underneath the thighs. It’s a savory fall dinner with sweet-tart fruit and tangy mustard.
The contrast between the crunchy, exposed stuffing and the soft pieces underneath the chicken was exactly what I wanted. A quick toss after baking mixes the two textures so each serving gets some of both.
For a version with stuffing tucked inside boneless chicken instead, try my Stuffing Stuffed Chicken Breasts.
🔍 At a Glance
- ⏱️ Time: 20 minutes prep + 35 minutes cook + 5 minutes rest (60 minutes total)
- 👥 Serves: 4
- 📌 Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, boxed stuffing, Brussels sprouts, apple, and dried cranberries
- 🔥 Cook Method: Oven-roasted on a sheet pan
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Savory herbs, tangy Dijon, and a little sweetness from maple and fruit
- 📝 Great For: Fall dinners and a small holiday-style meal
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- The chicken flavors the stuffing. Skin-on thighs release fat and juices as they roast, adding richness and savory flavor to the stuffing underneath.
- A sheet pan gives the stuffing room to brown. The exposed pieces get crunchy while the stuffing beneath the chicken stays softer, so each serving has both textures.
- Sweetness, tang, and savory herbs work together. Dijon adds tang, while poultry seasoning, garlic, and Parmesan balance the sweetness of the maple, apple, and cranberries.
Ingredients & Why They Matter
- Chicken thighs: Use four large bone-in, skin-on thighs of similar size. Their rendered fat and juices flavor the stuffing as it roasts. You can substitute two large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts; see the FAQ for timing and doneness adjustments.
- Stove Top stuffing: I chose the Savory Herbs flavor. Use the entire 6-ounce box of dry mix, not already-prepared stuffing. Chicken, Turkey, or your preferred flavor is another option, though seasoning and sodium vary. Hydrate with water without adding the package butter.
- Brussels sprouts: Use about 4 cups after trimming and halving. I like buying prewashed, trimmed Brussels sprouts so I only have to quickly halve them. In my test, they were tender but still had some bite. Shaved sprouts would soften much faster.
- Apple: Honeycrisp adds sweetness and holds its shape as it roasts. Pink Lady is a similar option, while Granny Smith makes the stuffing tarter. A medium firm pear, diced to yield about 1 cup, also works as a substitute but may soften more. Leave the peel on and cut into ½-inch pieces.
- Dried cranberries: These add small sweet-tart bites. For a different dried fruit, use the same ⅓ cup of raisins, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots. Chop larger fruit into cranberry-sized pieces so it mixes evenly.
- Dijon and maple syrup: The mixture is thick enough to coat the chicken without running off. I found 3 tablespoons Dijon and 2 tablespoons maple syrup gave this batch a good balance of sweetness and tang. Substitute 2 tablespoons honey for the maple syrup if preferred, and watch the overall browning as it roasts.
- Poultry seasoning and granulated garlic: Use salt-free poultry seasoning. For a homemade alternative totaling 1 teaspoon, use ½ teaspoon rubbed sage, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, and ¼ teaspoon finely crushed dried rosemary.
- Parmesan: Finely grated Parmesan adds savory flavor to the stuffing mixture.
- Morton kosher salt: Add salt to the maple Dijon mixture first, then sprinkle the finishing salt mainly over the Brussels sprouts and chicken skin after roasting. The stuffing and Parmesan already contain salt, so do not salt the stuffing separately before roasting.
Find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Sheet Pan Chicken and Stuffing Step by Step
- Mix the stuffing. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack one position above center. Line a rimmed half-sheet pan with parchment rated for that temperature. Stir boiling water into the dry stuffing mix, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff, then gently fold in the halved Brussels sprouts, diced apple, dried cranberries, and Parmesan. Do not add butter.
- Make the maple Dijon mixture. Stir together the Dijon, maple syrup, poultry seasoning, granulated garlic, ¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper until combined.
- Assemble the pan. Spread the vegetable-stuffing mixture evenly over the entire pan without packing it down. Pat the chicken dry. Spoon some of the maple Dijon mixture onto each thigh, then rub it over the skin, sides, and underside to coat the whole piece. Set the thighs directly on top of the stuffing mixture, evenly spaced and skin-side up. Do not press them into the stuffing; they should sit higher, with the skin fully exposed. No oil is needed.
- Roast, season, and toss. Roast without stirring for about 35 minutes, beginning checks at 30 minutes. The skin should be browned and the Brussels tender with some bite. Check the chicken for about 175°F in the thickest part away from the bone, and the stuffing directly beneath it for 165°F. Allow longer if needed. Sprinkle the finishing salt mainly over the Brussels and chicken skin, and add pepper over everything. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then lift it off and gently toss the stuffing mixture to distribute the crunchy and soft pieces.
💡 Bri’s Best Tip
Toss the stuffing mixture after baking, not during. This lets the exposed pieces brown first, then distributes them among the softer pieces beneath the chicken. The different textures were perfect in my test.
Pro Tips
- Line the pan with parchment. I used parchment for easy cleanup. Choose paper rated for 425°F and keep it within the pan edges.
- Check each thigh separately. If one finishes first, remove it and continue cooking the others; check the stuffing beneath each piece as well.
- Watch the browning near the end. Check the chicken skin, exposed stuffing, and Brussels sprouts. If any are getting too dark before the chicken is done, reduce the oven to 400°F and continue checking for doneness.
- Skip the broiler. Roasting one rack above center browned the chicken skin and crisped the exposed stuffing in my test. No broiling is needed.
- Air-fry leftovers for extra crispness. Use a shallow air-fryer-safe dish to contain the loose stuffing and leave space around the chicken. Reheat refrigerated leftovers for about 8–12 minutes, checking at 6 minutes, until hot throughout. Large bone-in thighs may need longer. Watch the browning of the chicken, stuffing, and Brussels sprouts.
Common Mistakes
- Using dry stuffing straight from the box. Chicken juices do not hydrate every exposed piece evenly. Add the boiling water and let the stuffing stand before mixing in the vegetables.
- Packing the stuffing into a dense layer. This leaves less exposed surface for browning. Spread it loosely rather than pressing it into the pan.
- Relying on color alone. The chicken skin and exposed stuffing can brown before everything is fully cooked. Use a thermometer to check the chicken and stuffing beneath it.
Swap It Up: Variations to Try
- Nut crunch: Fold ¼ cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts into the stuffing mixture before spreading it on the pan for a nutty flavor and extra crunch.
- Orange-cranberry: Fold 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest into the stuffing mixture for a brighter citrus flavor alongside the dried cranberries.
- Fresh rosemary: If you have rosemary in the garden, finely chop about 1 tablespoon and fold it into the stuffing mixture before spreading it on the pan for extra holiday flavor.
- Dairy-free: Omit the ¼ cup Parmesan and use a stuffing mix labeled dairy-free. Check all packaged ingredients, including any optional gravy, and do not add the package butter. The stuffing will have less cheesy flavor.
What to Serve With Chicken and Stuffing
With chicken, stuffing, fruit, and vegetables, this sheet pan is a complete meal. For a holiday-style dinner, serve warm chicken or turkey gravy on the side rather than pouring it over the pan, so the exposed stuffing stays crunchy until serving.
For a homemade option, my Easy Brown Gravy does not require drippings, so there is no need to take any juices away from the stuffing.
Sheet Pan Chicken and Stuffing
Ingredients
Stuffing mixture
- 1 box Stove Top Savory Herbs stuffing mix 6-ounce box; dry mix; any flavor
- 1½ cup water boiling
- 4 cup Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved; measure after prepping
- 1 Honeycrisp apple medium, unpeeled, diced into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup Parmesan finely grated
Maple Dijon chicken
- 3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning salt-free
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt for the chicken
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 chicken thighs large, bone-in, skin-on
Finishing seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt for finishing
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix the stuffing. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack one position above center. Line a rimmed 18-by-13-inch half-sheet pan with parchment rated for 425°F. Place the dry stuffing mix in a large bowl. Stir in the boiling water, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then gently fold in the trimmed, halved Brussels sprouts, unpeeled apple cut into ½-inch cubes, cranberries, and Parmesan. Do not add the package butter.1 box Stove Top Savory Herbs Stuffing Mix
1½ cups water
4 cups Brussels sprouts
1 Honeycrisp apple
⅓ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup Parmesan - Make the maple Dijon mixture. Stir together the Dijon, maple syrup, poultry seasoning, granulated garlic, ¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper until combined.3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
¾ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper - Assemble the pan. Spread the vegetable-stuffing mixture evenly over the entire pan without packing it down. Trim excessive hanging chicken skin or fat, keeping the top skin intact. Pat the chicken dry. Spoon some of the maple Dijon mixture onto each thigh, then rub it over the skin, sides, and underside to coat the whole piece. Set the thighs directly on top of the stuffing mixture, evenly spaced and skin-side up. Do not press them into the stuffing; they should sit higher, with the skin fully exposed. No oil is needed. Do not serve uncooked mixture that has contacted raw chicken.4 chicken thighs
- Roast, season, and toss. Roast without stirring for about 35 minutes, beginning checks at 30 minutes. The skin should be browned and the Brussels tender with some bite. Check the chicken for about 175°F in the thickest part away from bone, and the stuffing directly beneath it for 165°F. Allow longer if needed. Watch the browning of the chicken skin, exposed stuffing, and Brussels sprouts; if any are getting too dark before the chicken finishes, reduce the oven to 400°F and continue cooking. Sprinkle the additional 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt mainly over the Brussels and chicken skin, and add pepper over everything to taste. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then lift it off and gently toss the stuffing mixture to distribute the crunchy and soft pieces.1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
Black pepper to taste
Notes
- Stuffing and sprouts: Hydrate the entire 6-ounce box with 1½ cups boiling water; omit the package butter. Use halved Brussels sprouts, not shaved.
- Keep the skin exposed: Spread the stuffing mixture loosely and evenly, then set the thighs on top without pressing them in.
- Check doneness: Roast one rack above center at 425°F for about 35 minutes. Aim for thighs around 175°F and stuffing underneath at 165°F; reduce to 400°F if the pan is browning too much.
- Finish and toss: Focus the finishing salt on the Brussels sprouts and chicken skin. Lift off the chicken, then toss the stuffing to mix crunchy and soft pieces.
- Chicken breasts: Substitute two large bone-in, skin-on breasts; begin checking at 25 minutes and cook to 165°F. Loosely tent with foil if more time is needed and the pan is already well browned.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Air-fry in a shallow air-fryer-safe dish for about 8–12 minutes, checking at 6 minutes, until hot throughout.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQs
Chicken is safe at 165°F, but thighs have more connective tissue than breasts. Cooking them a little longer, to around 175°F, helps that tissue soften for a more tender, less chewy texture. Their higher fat content makes them more forgiving than lean chicken breasts. Check the thickest part without touching the bone.
Not as a direct swap for this formula. Bread size, dryness, seasoning, and required liquid vary. This recipe uses a 6-ounce boxed mix with 1½ cups water; homemade stuffing would need its own hydration test.
Use two half-sheet pans rather than crowding everything onto one. With two pans in the oven, browning and cooking time may vary. Check the chicken and stuffing on each pan separately for doneness.
Refrigerate in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat covered in the oven until the chicken and stuffing are hot throughout. If the stuffing has dried out, add a little water before reheating. For extra crispness, use the air-fryer option in Pro Tips.
Yes, substitute two large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and set them directly on top of the stuffing, skin-side up, without pressing them in. Begin checking at 25 minutes; allow approximately 30–40 minutes, though very large breasts may take longer. Cook breasts to 165°F rather than the thighs’ 175°F, and check that the stuffing beneath them also reaches 165°F. If large breasts need more time and the chicken, stuffing, and Brussels sprouts are already well browned, loosely tent the pan with foil to prevent overbrowning. Keep the foil off the chicken skin. If the breasts finish first, remove them and let the stuffing and vegetables finish roasting. Slice each breast into two portions to serve four.
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