Crispy Chicken Thighs with Rosemary and Garlic

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

1. Rosemary Garlic Potatoes
2. Garlic Mashed Potatoes
3. Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
4. Italian Stuffed Artichokes
5. Orange and Fennel Salad with Radicchio
6. Roasted Sunchokes with Salsa Verde

More Chicken Recipes

1. Coconut Curry Chicken Legs
2. Braised Chicken Thighs and Artichokes
3. Coq Au Vin Blanc
4. Lemon Za’atar Grilled Chicken Legs
5. Spiced Chicken Kebabs with Tahini Sauce

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