Crispy-skin chicken thighs over potatoes that catch all the chicken fat.
Why you should cook this
The Sunday lunch you make when Sunday lunch is a concept rather than an event. Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs over halved baby potatoes, a head of garlic split horizontally, three sprigs of rosemary slapped between your hands first to release the oil, half a lemon turned cut-side down to caramelise. One tray, 220 fan, forty-five minutes. The kitchen smells like the back room of a Surry Hills bistro and you have done effectively nothing.
The technique that separates this from the home cook’s first sad attempt is the head start. Potatoes go into the hot oven for fifteen minutes alone. Then everything else joins. By the time the chicken skin is the colour of a cricketer’s forearm in February, the potatoes are crisp on the bottom and silky in the middle. Bone-in is non-negotiable. Boneless thighs go dry at this heat in this time. Squeeze the roasted lemon and garlic over before serving. Cracked pepper. Eat off the tray if nobody is watching.
What to drink with it
A glass of Spanish Garnacha, a Whisky Collins (our recipe), or a chilled French rose.
Notes from the kitchen
Skin-on, bone-in thighs. Boneless skinless dries out in twenty minutes. Bone-in keeps it juicy and flavourful.
The recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 220°C fan.
- Toss potatoes with 2 tbsp oil, salt, pepper. Spread on a large sheet pan.
- Roast potatoes 20 minutes.
- Pat chicken thighs dry. Rub with paprika, salt, pepper, remaining oil.
- Push potatoes to one side. Add chicken thighs (skin-up), garlic head halves, rosemary sprigs and lemon halves cut-side down to the pan.
- Roast 25 more minutes until chicken skin is deep golden and crispy.
- Squeeze the roasted lemon and garlic over before serving.
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Two things that go wrong
Pale potatoes
Pan was crowded. Use two trays if your tray is small.
Burnt rosemary
Tucked under chicken instead of on top. Rosemary needs to crisp at the surface, not steam underneath.
Variations worth knowing
Lemon and oregano
Replace rosemary with oregano. Adds Greek-island feel. Squeeze of fresh lemon at the end.
Maple Dijon
Whisk 2 tablespoons of maple syrup with 2 of dijon. Coat the chicken before roasting.
Honey-soy
Whisk 2 tablespoons of honey with 2 of soy sauce. Glaze the chicken in the last 10 minutes.
Leftovers and make ahead
Three days fridge. Pull leftover chicken meat for sandwiches, salads, or quick chicken-and-rice bowls.