Rosemary and Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs

Bone-in chicken thighs topped with a mixture of fresh rosemary, lemon zest, EVOO, Kosher salt and pepper; then roasted until juicy and golden brown. 

Simple recipes like these Rosemary & Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs are best. Not only because they’re super easy to make, they also don’t require a lot of ingredients. 

I’ve said it many times before but rosemary and lemon are one of my favorite flavor combinations. Well that is besides caprese style anything! The two add such a refreshing, light flavor to just about any recipe you can think of. 

What’s the difference between cooking with fresh and dried rosemary?

There are some herbs that just don’t taste the same when using dried herbs versus fresh; and rosemary is one of them. Fresh rosemary adds such an aromatic flavor to recipes that the dried version just doesn’t.

Also, dried rosemary is “stick-like” and tough whereas fresh rosemary is soft and pliable. They often include parts of the stem which are thicker. With fresh rosemary, you pull all of the leaves off of the thicker stem before chopping. 

When eating, it certainly makes a big difference; especially if you’ve ever had one of those sticks lodge itself in your throat. Not a sight I’d like to replicate while eating with others if I can help it. 

Chicken thighs are also one of my favorite ingredients to make dinner with. They’re so versatile and as you can tell by this post, 20 Chicken Thigh Recipes, you can also make a different version once a month and still have extra recipes to try throughout the year!

This rosemary and lemon version is one of my favorites and takes just a few minutes to put together before roasting. 

What ingredients are needed for this recipe?

For this recipe you’ll need bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, EVOO, lemon zest, fresh chopped rosemary, Kosher salt and black pepper. We’re “skin” people and love the crispness you get while roasting in the oven; however, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well.

You may not get the same results because the skin helps to keep the chicken juicy and the flavor in, but the flavor will still be similar. 

What’s the difference between Roasting and Baking?

I also like to roast most of my food versus baking it; which helps to give meat and poultry that brown, flavorful crust. With roasting, you’ll want to set your oven over 400 degrees F; while baking is set up to 375 degrees F. 

Also, roasting is done in an open, uncovered pan while you most likely will have a covered pan while baking savory recipes.

How do you make Rosemary & Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs?

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F and place your chicken in an oven safe dish. In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients and mix well. Brush the mixture on top of the chicken thighs; then roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes.

Cooking times may vary slightly depending on the size of your chicken thighs, but should be at least 165 degrees F using an instant read thermometer. I always stay on the side of caution and cook mine to 180 degrees F and they are still super juicy and delicious. 

We served these with Parmesan and Rosemary Whipped Potatoes and Sea Salt Roasted Green Beans and my family loved them. If six chicken thighs are too many for your family, I’d make them anyway; then make a nice chicken salad with the leftovers.

This recipe is also gluten free, meets the Keto diet restrictions and Whole30 approved.~Enjoy! 

 

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