Equipment
Ingredients
Crispy Fries
- 500 g russet potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled, and cut into 1-centimeter fries
- 25 ml olive oil
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Rosemary Paprika Chicken
- 350 g boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-centimeter thick strips
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g smoked paprika
- 2 g fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 3 g fine sea salt
Garlic-Lemon Mayonnaise
- 60 g mayonnaise
- 1 garlic, finely minced or grated
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 891 kcal
- Protein
- 43 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 59 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 1674 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 26 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 19 g
- Cholesterol
- 125 mg
- Potassium
- 1499 mg
- Calcium
- 69 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 107 mg
- Phosphorus
- 458 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 85 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 68 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.32 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 20.1 mg
- Folate
- 47 mcg
- Water
- 334 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C or 425°F. For easier cleanup, line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Place the cut russet potatoes in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 25ml of olive oil, and season with 4g of fine sea salt and 1g of black pepper. Toss vigorously until every fry is evenly coated in the oil.
Spread the seasoned potatoes in a single, even layer on the prepared sheet pan, ensuring they do not overlap. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to give the potatoes a head start.
While the potatoes are roasting, use the same mixing bowl to prepare the chicken. Add the chicken strips, 15ml of olive oil, smoked paprika, chopped rosemary, lemon zest, and 3g of salt. Toss well to thoroughly coat the meat with the seasonings.
Carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven. Push the partially cooked fries to one side of the pan. Spread the seasoned chicken strips in a single layer on the empty side. Return the pan to the oven and roast for an additional 12 to 15 minutes.
While the chicken and fries are finishing in the oven, combine the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Serve the chicken and fries hot directly from the pan, or portion onto plates, with the garlic-lemon mayonnaise on the side for dipping.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve even crispier fries, you can soak the cut potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes to remove excess surface starch, then dry them completely with a clean towel before tossing with oil.
- Russet potatoes are specifically chosen for this recipe due to their high starch and low moisture content, making them the ultimate potato for achieving a fluffy interior and crispy exterior in the oven.
- Using smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika provides a deep, wood-fired flavor profile that perfectly complements the piney notes of fresh rosemary without requiring a grill.
- Be sure to utilize the lemon zest on the chicken and the lemon juice in the mayonnaise. The essential oils in the zest hold up better to the high heat of the oven, while the juice provides a bright acidity to the dipping sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store chicken and fries separately from the mayonnaise.
Reheating: Reheat chicken and fries in a 180C oven for 10 minutes until warmed through and re-crisped.
Troubleshooting
Fries are soggy instead of crispy
Cause: Potatoes were overcrowded on the pan or the oven temperature was too low
Fix: Remove the cooked chicken and return the fries to the oven under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
Prevention: Ensure potatoes are in a single layer with space between them so steam can escape. Do not skip preheating the oven.
Chicken strips are dry and tough
Cause: Chicken was cut too small or left in the oven too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but dipping in the rich mayonnaise will help add moisture back to the bite.
Prevention: Cut chicken into uniform strips no thinner than 2 centimeters and check internal temperature at the 10-minute mark.
Cultural Context
Sheet-pan dinners are a modern American culinary innovation designed to minimize cleanup and streamline weeknight cooking by leveraging high-heat roasting for both proteins and carbohydrates. The pairing of crispy potatoes with a mayonnaise-based dipping sauce heavily nods to Belgian and French culinary traditions, where frites and aioli or mayo are a quintessential combination.
