Rosemary Lemon Chicken Thighs

5 from 8 votes

An easy weeknight dinner, rosemary lemon chicken thighs are ready in 30 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 595kcal

Author: Cheryl Bennett

4 lbs. bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, about 8 // 1.8kg
2 lemons zested and cut into small wedges, reserve zest for garnish after cooking
6 sprigs of rosemary reserve 1 to chop for garnish, if desired
1/4 cup garlic cloves or a big handful // 60mL
3 tbsp. neutral oil canola, vegetable, avocado, grapeseed
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper or to taste

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) with convection fan on. If your oven does not have convection, you can increase temperature to 400°F / 200°C.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add oil. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, on both sides. When pan is hot, place chicken thighs in the pan, skin side down.
Cook undisturbed, until skin is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. (*see note)
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place garlic cloves, rosemary and lemon, on the sheet pan. Transfer chicken to sheet pan, skin side up, placing it on top of the lemon, garlic, and rosemary.
Roast for 30-35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and skin is golden brown and crispy.
Remove from oven, and sprinkle with chopped rosemary and lemon zest while warm, if desired.

If you prefer to cook the chicken in the same pan, remove chicken thighs and place garlic, lemons and rosemary into the pan, then flip chicken skin side up and return to the pan. Proceed with recipe as written.
Chicken thighs will get crispier all over if cooked on a sheet pan vs a sauté pan, especially in a convection oven, because the sides of the sauté pan block the air flow around the chicken as it is cooking. They will still get crispy, but on a sheet pan that has very shallow sides, the air can move around the chicken much better and the skin will become SUPER crispy and crunchy.
Cook time will vary slightly depending on the size of the chicken thighs. If they are on the small side, you might cook them 2 minutes less. If they are large, add a few extra minutes to ensure they are done or use a meat thermometer - it should register 160° and allow chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Store leftover chicken thighs in an air tight container for up to 4 days.