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.
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.