These Crispy Chicken Thighs with Rosemary and Garlic are so delicious and easy to make. You are not going to believe how crispy the skin gets with this stove top recipe!
How to Debone a Chicken Thigh
The first step in this recipe is deboning the chicken thighs. I like to debone the chicken, so that it cooks more quickly and evenly.
If you don’t want to remove the bone yourself, you can ask your butcher to do it for you. Just keep in mind, it’s very important to use skin-on chicken for this recipe.
If you decide to remove the bone yourself, turn the chicken skin side down on your cutting board (2). Then, cut a slit through the flesh down the length of the bone. Use your knife to scrape the aside, exposing the bone (3).
Slide your knife under the smaller joint and cut around it until it’s free. Lift bone by the separated joint (4). Cut away flesh from second joint until free (5&6).
How To Make Crispy Chicken Thighs
To cook the chicken, add a small amount of oil to a nonstick pan and place the seasoned thighs in skin-side down. You actually want to start with a cold pan. That way, when you start warming the pan, the chicken skin will slowly render its fat before taking on any color.
Cook this on medium-low heat for 40-60 minutes, or until the skin is browned and very crispy. At this point, the chicken should be 90% of the way cooked through.
Then, flip the chicken and deglaze the pan with wine, broth or water, making sure the skin does not get wet. The liquid will help the chicken steam and cook through on the other side.
The result is tender, juicy chicken, and skin as crispy as a cracker!
Can I Make This Recipe with a Chicken Breast or Bone-In Chicken?
If desired, you could make this same recipe with skin-on, boneless chicken breasts. You could buy a whole chicken and remove the breasts from the carcass, while keeping on the skin. Otherwise, just ask your butcher for some help.
If you want to use bone-in chicken for this recipe, I recommend following the same directions up to the point where you flip the chicken and deglaze the pan.
After deglazing the pan, transfer the pan into a preheated 350F oven. Make sure you’re cooking with an oven safe pan, of course. After 5 minutes, temp the chicken in the thickest part to check if it’s done. It should register between 160-165F.
Remove the chicken from the oven, transfer it a a plate, and let it rest 5-8 minutes before serving.
Substitutions for Fresh Rosemary and Garlic
If you don’t have fresh rosemary and garlic on hand, there are several substitutions you can make. First of all, you can leave out the rosemary and garlic all together.
You could also season the chicken with some dried rosemary and garlic powder, although I’d personally prefer it plain if I didn’t have fresh ingredients.
You can also skip the rosemary and garlic all together and try other spices, such are paprika, cayenne, chili powder, cumin and/or coriander. Thyme would make a great substitute for rosemary, as well.
The possibilities with this chicken recipe are endless, so make it your own!
Side Dishes to Pair with Rosemary Garlic Chicken
- Rosemary Garlic Potatoes
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
- Italian Stuffed Artichokes
- Orange and Fennel Salad with Radicchio
- Roasted Sunchokes with Salsa Verde
More Chicken Recipes
- Coconut Curry Chicken Legs
- Braised Chicken Thighs and Artichokes
- Coq Au Vin Blanc
- Lemon Za’atar Grilled Chicken Legs
- Spiced Chicken Kebabs with Tahini Sauce
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Crispy Chicken Thighs with Rosemary and Garlic
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
You are not going to believe how crispy these chicken thighs are! I like to flavor them with fresh rosemary and garlic, but see the notes for more variations.
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs*
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 8–10 whole garlic cloves in skin*
- 3–4 sprigs rosemary*
- ¼ cup white wine, chicken stock or water
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Season chicken and prepare pan: Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Add oil to room temperature, nonstick pan. The pan should be small enough for the thighs to be slightly crowded in pan. Add chicken skin side down and turn heat to medium. Add garlic and rosemary to pan.
- Slowly cook chicken: Allow chicken to slowly cook on skin side for a total of 40-60 minutes. Once pan heats up, reduce heat to medium-low so skin renders fat, and slowly browns and crisps. Move garlic and rosemary in pan as needed to prevent burning.
- Flip and Deglaze: Once chicken appears about 90% of the way cooked through and the skin is crispy, flip over chicken. Pour white wine in the bottom of the pan, avoiding the skin. Increase heat and allow most of the wine to evaporate and for chicken to finish cooking through, 4-6 minutes.
- Serve: Serve chicken with pan juices, and garlic cloves. The garlic should be tender and sweet. Enjoy.
Notes
See photos and notes in post on how to debone a chicken thigh. You can also ask for help from your local butcher.
If desired, you could make this with skin-on, boneless chicken breasts.
You can also use bone in chicken. In that case, follow the same steps up to when you deglaze the pan with wine. Then place the pan in a preheated 350F oven. Start checking for doneness after 5 minutes. The chicken should register 160-165F in the thickest part. Rest 5-8 minutes before serving.
Substitute with a few sprinkles of dried rosemary and garlic, or leave out all together. You can use other herbs and spices, as desired, in place of the fresh rosemary and garlic, as well.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main
- Method: Pan roast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 190mg
This looks really good! So, what has everyone served with the thighs? Potatoes? Pasta? Rice? Please share your suggestions. Thanks!
Thank you, Terry! I usually serve these thighs with my potato wedges: https://www.mythreeseasons.com/rosemary-garlic-potatoes/ or simple baked or roasted potatoes, or rice. Let me know if you try out the recipe!
This chicken thigh recipe is fanatic and simple to make.
Thank you 🙂
I like the tips you share int he recipe.
That’s good! Hope they were helpful 🙂
Yum! These look delicious!
Thanks, Jess!
A full hour skin down. I am going to try this ASAP. I bet the skin is crazy crispy. You are breaking new ground here. Nice!
And yes, pulling rendered chicken fat out of the pan to cook something else that will land on the plate something everybody needs to start doing.
Do you think I could substitute another lemon pepper if I can’t get Redmonds?
Thanks!! I love this technique! And sure! You could substitute or leave off the lemon pepper all together.