Baked Chicken Thighs Lemon Thyme (Printable Version)

Juicy baked chicken thighs paired with lemon, thyme, and tender baby potatoes in one dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2.5 lbs)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1.3 lbs baby potatoes, halved
03 - 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Marinade & Flavorings

05 - 2 lemons (1 sliced, 1 juiced)
06 - 3 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 2 tsp dried thyme
08 - 1 tsp sea salt
09 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - Chopped fresh parsley

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - In a large baking dish, combine halved baby potatoes, red onion wedges, and minced garlic. Drizzle with half of the olive oil and toss to coat evenly.
03 - Pat chicken thighs dry and arrange skin-side up on top of the vegetable mixture.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together remaining olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika if using. Brush the mixture evenly over the chicken thighs.
05 - Tuck the lemon slices around the chicken and vegetables to infuse flavor during roasting.
06 - Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the chicken skin is golden, the internal temperature reaches 165°F, and the potatoes are tender.
07 - Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before sprinkling with chopped fresh parsley and serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so cleanup is a single dish and maybe a spoon.
  • The chicken skin crisps up perfectly while the potatoes underneath soak in all those lemony, garlicky drippings.
  • It tastes like you spent hours marinating and fussing, but really you just tossed things together and walked away.
02 -
  • Dry the chicken thighs completely before arranging them or the skin will never crisp, just turn rubbery and pale.
  • Don't crowd the pan. If your baking dish is too small, use two dishes or the vegetables will steam instead of roast.
  • Check the potatoes as well as the chicken. Sometimes the chicken is done but the potatoes need another 5 minutes, so just tent the chicken with foil and keep going.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check for 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone, so you never have to guess.
  • If your thyme is dried, rub it between your palms before adding it to release the oils and wake up the flavor.
  • For a deeper color and flavor, marinate the chicken in the lemon mixture for an hour before baking, but it's not necessary if you're short on time.
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