Recipes › Rosemary › Rosemary Roast Chicken Thighs with New Potatoes and Lemon
Rosemary Roast Chicken Thighs with New Potatoes and Lemon
A one-tin weeknight roast that punches well above its effort level. Chicken thighs are rubbed with a rosemary, garlic and lemon paste that crisps beautifully in the oven, while the potatoes roast underneath, soaking up all the herby dripping. This is the kind of supper that becomes a household regular.
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Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 30 g fresh rosemary, leaves stripped from stems
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 lemon, zest of both, juice of one, other cut into wedges
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 700 g new potatoes, scrubbed, halved if larger than a walnutor Charlotte potatoes
- 1 red onion, cut into 8 wedges
- 100 ml dry white wine (optional)or use chicken stock
Contains: sulphites.
Method
- Preheat your oven to 210°C (190°C fan). Finely chop the rosemary leaves and crush the garlic to a paste with a pinch of the salt, either using a pestle and mortar or the flat side of a knife. Combine in a bowl with the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, remaining salt and pepper to make a thick paste.About 8 min
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper — this is key for crispy skin. Use your fingers to loosen the skin from the flesh and push about half the rosemary paste under the skin of each thigh. Rub the rest over the skin and exposed flesh.About 5 min
- Scatter the potatoes and red onion wedges into a large roasting tin. Pour over the wine (or stock) and toss briefly to coat. Nestle the chicken thighs on top, skin side up, making sure they sit above the potatoes and are not submerged in liquid. Tuck the lemon wedges around the chicken.About 2 min
- Roast for 45–50 minutes until the chicken skin is deeply golden and crisp, and the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part with a skewer. The potatoes should be tender and catching colour at the edges. If the skin needs more colour, give it 5 minutes under the grill.About 50 min
- Rest the tin for 5 minutes before serving, spooning the tin juices back over everything at the table.About 5 min
Tips
- Getting the paste under the skin is what makes this dish — do not skip it. The rosemary infuses the meat directly and protects it from drying out.
- Dry the chicken skin thoroughly before rubbing. Any moisture on the surface will steam rather than roast, and you will lose that crackling finish.
- Do not overcrowd the tin. If you do not have a tin large enough, use two rather than one — crowded potatoes steam and go watery.
Ring the changes
- Use a spatchcocked chicken instead of thighs and increase the roasting time to 55–60 minutes.
- Add 150g of cherry tomatoes and a handful of pitted olives to the tin in the last 15 minutes for a more Mediterranean feel.
Keeping it
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 15 minutes, not the microwave, to keep the skin from going rubbery. The chicken is also excellent cold, pulled from the bone and added to salads.
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