Lemony Roast Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Herbs

Lemony Roast Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Herbs

Crisp skin, juicy meat, and a bright pan sauce made from the drippings. It's the kind of weeknight-simple dish that tastes like you tried much harder than you did, and it shows how salt, fat, acid and heat can carry a meal on their own.

You need

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg total)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 lemon, halved, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 small bunch parsley, leaves chopped
• 1/4 cup [60 ml] dry white wine or chicken stock

Method

1. Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels. Season all over, especially under the skin edges, with 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper. Set on a rack or plate, skin side up, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour. This dries the skin so it crisps.
2. Heat the oven to 425 F [220 C] with a rack in the middle.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Lay the thighs in skin side down, leaving space between them. Cook undisturbed until the skin is deep golden and releases easily, 7 to 9 minutes. Don't rush it; lower the heat if it smokes.
4. Flip the thighs and tuck the garlic, thyme, and lemon halves into the pan. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the thighs reach 175 F [80 C] in the thickest part, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Move the thighs to a plate and rest for 5 minutes. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan, set it over medium heat, and add the wine or stock. Scrape up the browned bits and simmer 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
6. Squeeze the roasted lemon halves into the pan, add the lemon juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and taste. Add salt if it needs it. Stir in most of the parsley, spoon the sauce over the chicken, and finish with the rest of the parsley.