One-Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs with Potatoes
Crispy-skinned lemon garlic chicken thighs roasted over baby potatoes in one skillet. 10 minutes of prep and a pan sauce made from the drippings.
20% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 35 min
- Resting
- 5 min
- Serves
- 4
- Calories
- 650
- Protein
- 48 g
- Per serving
- $2.38
Why this recipe works
This is the dinner we make when the fridge is nearly empty. Chicken thighs, a bag of baby potatoes, a lemon and a head of garlic are all it needs, and it all happens in one 12-inch oven-safe skillet.
It uses bone-in, skin-on thighs because they are cheaper and harder to overcook. Boneless thighs work too; the tips below explain the timing change.
- Starting the thighs skin-side down in a cold-to-hot pan renders the fat slowly, so the skin crisps instead of tearing.
- The potatoes roast in the chicken fat under the thighs and soak up the lemon garlic juices.
- A splash of broth and butter at the end turns the browned bits into a sauce in 60 seconds.
Ingredients
For the pan sauce
You will need
- 12-inch oven-safe skillet (cast iron or stainless)
- Instant-read thermometer
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the middle. Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels and season all over with the salt, pepper and oregano.
Render the skin
Place the thighs skin-side down in a cold 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Set over medium heat and cook without moving until the skin is deep golden and releases easily from the pan.
Add the potatoes
Move the chicken to a plate. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat. Toss the potatoes, olive oil, garlic and a pinch of salt in the skillet, cut-side down, then nestle the thighs on top skin-side up with the lemon slices between them.
Roast
Roast until the potatoes are tender when pierced and the chicken reads 175°F (80°C) at the thickest part near the bone.
Rest and make the sauce
Move the chicken to a board to rest. Set the skillet over medium heat (the handle is hot, so use a towel), add the broth, lemon juice and butter, and scrape up the browned bits until glossy, about 1 minute.
Serve
Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the sauce over the potatoes and scatter with parsley. Serve straight from the skillet.
Techniques in this recipe
- Fish and seafood145°F / 63°C
- Pork chops, tenderloin, whole cuts of beef145°F / 63°C
- Ground beef, pork and sausage160°F / 71°C
- Chicken and turkey (all cuts)165°F / 74°C
Source: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures. Measure the thickest part, away from bone. Is it done? Safe temperatures
The internal temperatures that tell you chicken, pork, beef, fish and ground meat are cooked safely, and when to pull them early for juicier results.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Drying the skin matters more than anything else. Wet skin steams and stays flabby; dry skin crisps in 12 minutes.
- Thighs are safe at 165°F, but they are juicier and more tender at 175°F as the connective tissue melts.
- No oven-safe skillet? Brown the chicken in any pan, then move everything to a sheet pan to roast.
- Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge. Reheat at 400°F for 10 minutes to bring the skin back.
Nutrition per serving
650 calories
$2.38 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 30% of calories | 48 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 18% of calories | 29 g |
| Fat | 52% of calories | 37 g |
| Fiber | 4 g | |
| Sodium | 820 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Can I use boneless chicken thighs?
Yes. Use 6 boneless thighs, brown them for 5 minutes, and roast for 15 minutes instead of 22. Start the potatoes in the oven 10 minutes earlier so they finish at the same time.
Why start the chicken in a cold pan?
A cold start lets the fat under the skin melt slowly before the skin sets, which gives thinner, crispier skin and less spatter than dropping it into a hot pan.
Can I make this ahead?
Season the chicken up to 24 hours ahead and keep it uncovered in the fridge. The skin dries out further and crisps even better.
