Rosemary Chicken Thighs and Potatoes are a weeknight one-pan-wonder. Crispy, seasoned skin and tender, juicy meat with a side of potatoes built right in make for an easy, homey meal at the end of a busy day. Herbs are the key to getting a TON of flavor out of these sheet pan chicken thighs so get ready to rub! Lots more tips below to help you on your way to become a “thigh master.”
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Look y’all, I’m not here to tell you what to believe or how to live your life; I’m here to give you the tools to help you prepare, serve and eat delicious food that fits your lifestyle, schedule, budget, dietary restrictions, etc. But every now and again, I really feel the need to make a general public service announcement for the betterment of our society: Stop. Ignoring. Chicken. Thighs.
I am no spring chicken (pun intended), so I was around for the advent of a vast range and number of culinary innovations (like… oh, I don’t know… say… for example… boneless, skinless chicken breasts) that popped up and promised to enhance the quality of our lives. And don’t get me wrong – many did.
But much like the thick coke-bottle glasses the nerdy girl in any teen rom-com wears, convenience distracted us from the beauty right in front of us the whole time. I completely understand the impetus to not want to grapple with a whole chicken (though it’s not nearly as daunting as you think – see here and here), but we’ve been conditioned to think of meat having any bones and skin as some major inconvenience, and even worse – a detriment to our well-being. And don’t even get me started on dark meat vs. white meat.
The point is, pre-trimmed, skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are frickin’ incredible. Skin and bones are where the flavor’s at! Savory, tender meat with a crisped layer of seasoned chicken skin. What’s not to love? Plus, unless you’re removing the skin and bones, there’s hardly any difference in prep and again, only a negligible difference in cook time. And lest I forget to mention it, while the nutritional value difference from skinless to skin-on is negligible, the cost savings can be huge because you’re not paying for processing.
What more do you need to know? Let go of your chicken bias and trust that in some cases, there is a whole lotta goodness waiting for you on the “dark side.”
How to Make Sheet Pan Rosemary Chicken
- Season the chicken. Rub olive oil into the chicken thighs, then season on all sides with rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Season the potatoes. Toss the potatoes with olive oil and salt until evenly coated.
- Combine on a baking sheet. Arrange the chicken evenly over the baking sheet with a lemon slice under each thigh, then nestle the potatoes around the chicken in an even layer.
- Roast at high heat. Roast 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F using an instant read thermometer.
- Serve. Serve immediately, drizzled with the residual pan sauce.
Tips for Making This Recipe Perfectly
Use the right kind of sheet pan. A standard half-sheet pan is 13″ x 18″, slightly larger than your average cookie sheet and with a deeper lip. You’ll be grateful for the extra length, width, and depth! I recently upgraded to these non-stick half sheet pans from OXO. They’re on the pricier side, but very durable and true to their non-stick branding.
Season properly. Don’t simply scatter the chicken and potatoes across the sheet pan, sprinkle on a little rosemary, and call it a day. Take the extra 5 minutes to season thoroughly. Rub the olive oil into each chicken thigh, then season with fresh rosemary and seasonings on all sides, especially the underside where the flavor will really seep in. Toss the potatoes with oil and salt in a bowl until well-coated, then scatter around the chicken pieces. Proper seasoning makes a world of difference!
Rotate halfway through. Not all ovens are created equally, and even the best can heat food unevenly. Halfway through cooking, remove the pan from the oven, give the potatoes a stir, then rotate the sheet pan when you return it to the oven.
Remove the chicken early (if necessary). Depending on the size of your chicken thighs, the chicken may finish before the potatoes. That’s totally fine! Simply remove the chicken using tongs, set aside on a plate and tent with foil. Pop the potatoes back into the oven for a further 5-10 minutes, or until roasted to your liking.
Use 2 pans (based on preference). If you love super crispy roasted potatoes, simply layer them onto a second sheet pan. The juices from the chicken and lemon slices create a well-seasoned pan sauce that flavors the potatoes, but doesn’t allow them to get super crispy.
Embrace the broiler. These sheet pan chicken thighs get pretty crispy on their own, but if you like your skin extra crispy (I certainly do!) turn on the broiler for 3-5 minutes at the end and let ’em crisp up. Just make sure you keep an eye on the chicken to prevent scorching.
Can I Use Chicken Breasts?
Yes! Also called a split chicken breast or airplane chicken, skin-on bone-in chicken breast is delicious roasted. Chicken breasts take 5-10 minutes longer to roast than chicken thighs. If you’d like the potatoes to roast at the same rate, simply cut them a bit larger.
Lemon Rosemary Pan Sauce
Once roasted, the pan will have a thin layer of very flavorful pan juices seasoned with lemon and rosemary. It’s just enough for drizzling over the chicken and potatoes, so don’t throw it out!
What to Serve with Rosemary Chicken?
This recipe makes enough for 4-6 servings (the adults in our house typically eat 2 smaller chicken thighs each). I generally serve with a very simple side dish prepared on the stovetop like Garlic Green Beans, Sautéed Zucchini, or a simple tossed green salad.
More Simple, Flavorful Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Balsamic Chicken Thighs
- Apple Cider Chicken Thighs
- Crispy Chicken Thighs with Burst Tomatoes
- Artichoke Chicken Thighs
- Creamy Rosemary Garlic Chicken
Did you make this Sheet Pan Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Sheet Pan Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes
Description
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, about 1 tbsp, plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, sliced into 8 rounds
- 24 oz baby new potatoes, quartered
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Place the chicken thighs onto a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoon olive oil. Rub the oil into the chicken on all sides, coating evenly. Season the chicken on all sides with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Evenly distribute the chicken over the sheet pan, then tuck a lemon slice under each piece of chicken.
- Combine the diced potatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon sea salt in a mixing bowl. Toss until evenly coated. Nestle the potatoes around the chicken in an even layer.
- Transfer to the oven; bake 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F using an instant read thermometer and potatoes are cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven halfway through baking and stir the potatoes to ensure even roasting.
Recipe Notes
- If the chicken finishes before the potatoes, remove chicken pieces from the sheet pan, tent with foil, then continue cooking potatoes an additional 5-10 minutes, or until tender.
- For extra crispy skin, flip the oven to the broil setting and broil 3-5 minutes, or until the skin is crisped to your preference.
Deb Esposti
Easy and delicious. Always made my chicken and pototoes separate. Once dish is the way to go!