I make no secret of my unbridled love of chicken thighs, roasted chicken thighs in particular. I have possibly said all I need to say about the tender, moist, forgiving meat. The crackling skin with a generous dusting of salt and pepper, made even crisper with a light rub of olive oil before heading into a very hot oven. The fact that my younger son can make short work out of two or three pieces, and will pilfer any extra crispy skin from any non-alert’s family member’s plate. I’ve exhausted the topic.
A Perfect Simple Roasted Chicken Thigh
But I have not thus far on this website put forth a plain roasted chicken thigh. Unadorned, perfect, delicious. 5 minutes into the oven, the perfect dinner to make when you are simply too tired to think and too tired to cook and not in the mood to spend any money.
The best, the easiest roasted chicken thigh recipe—hard to imagine a better (and more economical!) weeknight meal.
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Easy to Change Up
And with that said, should you want to add a little something on top, do it, do it. One time I blended up some leftover Green Olive Tapenade with a bit more olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, and some minced parsley and dolloped that on. Other things that have ended up on a roasted chicken thigh in my house are Ramp Chimichurri Sauce, Kale Pesto Recipe, Nut-Free Basil Pesto with Pecorino Romano, Creamy Mustard-Oregano Sauce, Herb Dipping Sauce, and whatever is lurking around in the fridge.
Here the simple chicken is paired up with some roasted brussels sprouts with Parmesan (recipe coming!) and mashed potatoes. In the summer go for something more like Creamy Corn and Potato Salad with Bacon and Lemon Buttermilk Dressing and a salad.
Or just keep it very simple and go for a salad and rice or mashed potatoes, for the world’s most reassuring dinner.
Now that you have the basic version in your arsenal, give these other recipes a go.
Roasted Chicken Thigh Recipes:
- Greek Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Creamed Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs
- Rosemary and Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Thai Chicken Thighs
And keep this link handy (in fact roast extra thighs for this very purpose!): 10 Things To Make With Leftover Shredded Chicken
Roasted Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken bone-in, skin-on thighs about 2 ½ pounds
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or foil, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Rub the chicken thighs with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil. Place them on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the chicken for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (an internal temperature of 165°F).
Nutrition Information
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