Just five key ingredients (I don't count olive oil and S&P) are all you need to make this EASY recipe! Chicken thighs are seared until golden, then coated with a zingy lemon rosemary marinade and baked. The skin crisps up in the oven while the chicken remains moist and tender! Serve with a side salad, roasted veggies, or mashed potatoes for a full meal!
2poundsskin-onbone-in chicken thighs (about 6 to 8 thighs; skin-on, bone-in breasts may be substituted)
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
4clovesgarlicfinely minced
Juice of 2 lemonsabout 1/3 cup juice
1tablespoonfinely chopped fresh rosemaryI do not recommend dried rosemary
1teaspoonlemon zest
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F and pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
To a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, add chicken thighs with the skin side up, and evenly season the chicken with salt and pepper. If you prefer more or less, adjust seasoning amounts to taste. Tip - If you have an ovenproof skillet, use it now and you'll save the step of needing the transfer the chicken to a baking dish later.
Over medium-high heat, sear the chicken on the first side for about 3-4 minutes, flip and sear the second side for about 3-4 minutes. Tip - The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through when you're done searing it. The goal of searing is to add color, crisp up the skin, and lock in moisture - not to actually fully cook it through.
After the chicken is seared, spray a 9x13-inch glass, ceramic, or porcelain baking dish (avoid metal if possible as it cooks differently), spray it with cooking spray, and place the chicken in the baking dish with the skin side up. If you're using an oven-safe skillet, just leave it in the skillet; set aside momentarily.
To a 2-cup glass measuring cup or small bowl, add all remaining ingredients, and whisk to combine.
Evenly pour the mixture over the chicken and bake uncovered for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is done* (See Notes).
Allow chicken to rest, in the pan, for about 5 minutes after pulling it from the oven. Garnish with fresh lemon slices and/or extra rosemary, if desired before serving. Leftover chicken will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in the microwave. Leftover chicken is perfect in salads, wraps, pasta salads, soups, sandwiches, sliders, and more.
Notes
Determining When It's DoneBone-in, skin-on chicken thighs should no longer be pink inside, and when pierced with a fork the juices should run clear. I always use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of my chicken because it’s the only way to be 100% positive that the chicken thighs are done. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. If the temperature registers 170-175ºF, it’s done. Technically speaking, thighs are safe to consume after being cooked to 165ºF, but they're better at 170-175ºF. That's because thigh meat (leg muscles) are worked harder and it takes a bit of a higher temperature to tenderize the meat compared to chicken breast.You can probably pull it at 165-170ºF and let the thighs rest for 5 minutes. Because in those 5 minutes, the carry-over heat from the oven will bring the internal temperature up to 170-175ºF.