Sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than a simple roast chicken. It is festive and humble, rich and thrifty, all at the same time. And while I love it more than I can really express, roast chicken can be fussy, and inevitably – in roasting it whole – you are sacrificing either juicy white meat or tender dark meat.
Chicken thighs can deliver on roasted chicken’s promise, but they need a little extra care to get there. In this recipe, we will take a few extra steps to guarantee the crisp skin and juicy interior we all desire, without much extra fussing about. A few hours of rest to dry out in the refrigerator, and a sprinkling of baking powder help them develop crisp skin and brown evenly. Otherwise, this recipe is really all chicken.
Simple Roasted Chicken Thighs with Pan Gravy
Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes45
minutes2
hours3
hoursSimple roasted chicken thighs.
Ingredients
- Roasted Chicken Thighs
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
8-12 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
1 tbsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
- Pan Gravy
1 tbsp drippings from 4 roasted chicken thighs
1 tbsp AP flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp brandy (optional)
1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Roasted Chicken
- Pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel.
- Season both sides well with salt.
- Place on a rack, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. You can, if desired, scatter thyme around and under the chicken pieces while they are drying; this will scent the meat.
- Preheat your oven to 400°.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator and again, pat dry with a paper towel.
- Evenly rub a small amount of the baking powder into the skin of each thigh. Season with black pepper and more salt.
- Roast on a rack until well browned and the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and pan gravy, roasted vegetables, or almost anything else. This chicken also makes a great roasted chicken salad.
- Pan Gravy
- Add drippings to a pan over medium heat.
- Add the flour, stirring to incorporate the two.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour begins to brown lightly.
- Add the chicken stock and brandy if using, and bring to a low simmer, whisking to break up any lumps and combine well.
- If you’d like a particularly rich sauce, swirl softened butter into the hot gravy off the heat right before serving.
Be sure to check out my other food project, The Weekly Menu!
How do you roast on a rack? Do you use a rack in a dutch oven? What exactly do you use or recommend?
I use sheet pans with a rack on them. like those you can find here: https://chickenthighguy.com/equipment/
I also usually line the pan with foil, it makes cleanup a lot easier.