Perfect for a fall or winter evening when you want something comforting, but still healthy (ish). You also have flexibility on which root vegetables to use. Variations that I have made can include turnip and celery root too. This is super easy to make and the chicken thighs cooking right over the vegetables give them a wonderful flavor.
The key to crispy skin is to make sure the skin is dry before adding the oil and seasoning. And I would be remiss not to mention, that when prepping your chicken thighs, the extra skin is a goldmine in my savory opinion. I would season them the same way you do for the recipe and either saute in oil or bake separately for flavorful chicken cracklings to use in other recipes. They add so much flavor to soups and salads.
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Root Vegetables
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 Tbs kosher salt
- 1 tsp crushed, dried rosemary
- 1 tsp crushed, dried thyme
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 tbs
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 8 cippolini onions, peeled
- 1 Tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme
- salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. You will need a roasting pan with rack for this recipe.
Wash and pat dry your chicken thighs, removing any excess skin or fat. Brush each side of the chicken thigh with olive oil. Combine 1 Tbs kosher salt with crushed, dried rosemary and dried thyme. I actually prefer the dried herbs for the rub, which results in a crispier skin, but of course, you can user fresh too. Sprinkle mixture over the skin side of the thigh.
Combine all vegetables, 1/4 cup olive oil, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, and the remaining salt and pepper. Mix well. Lay in the bottom of the roasting pan.
Place the rack over top of the vegetables, and then lay the thighs on the rack.
Cook at 375 for 35-40 minutes.
The vegetables should be tender and the chicken skin crispy! Enjoy!