By Meredith Hayden
Meat

One Pan Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken (Thighs, Legs or Whole Chicken)

April 1, 2022

Nothing says quality home cooking like a one pan roast chicken dinner. Hearty, cost effective, nutritious and delicious. This recipe also gives you the flexibility of using either bone in chicken thighs, legs, or a whole chicken. The greatest part is that the majority of this recipe is extremely hands off, giving you an hour of ~me-time~ while the chicken roasts.

If you haven’t roasted a chicken before, this is a great place to start. Roasting it in a dutch oven with wine and aromatics insures a flavorful and moist bird no matter what.

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Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken (Thighs, Legs or Whole Chicken)

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Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken or 4-6 bone in skin on chicken thighs or legs
  • 3 large carrots leave whole or cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 lb yukon potatoes halved
  • 4-5 large shallots halved or quartered, keeping roots intact
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 lemon thinly sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • chopped chives for garnish
  • kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  2. Season chicken with salt and allow it to sit at room temperature uncovered for 5-10 minutes. While the chicken sits, prep your vegetables.
  3. Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Pat chicken dry with paper towel. If using a whole chicken, sear breast side down first, then rotating every 5 minutes until all sides are browned. If using thighs or legs, sear skin side down for 7-10 minutes on medium low until golden brown.
  4. Once seared, remove the chicken and set aside. Add in the carrots, potatoes, shallots, garlic, and a pinch of salt and black pepper and sauté in the rendered chicken fat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tbsp of butter if needed. Add the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to cook out and reduce by half.
  5. Scatter sliced lemons and thyme on top of the vegetables. Transfer the chicken on top of lemons and thyme. If using a whole chicken, place breast side up. If using chicken thighs or legs, arrange skin side up in 1 layer. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes for thighs or legs, 45-60 minutes for whole chicken.
  6. Once chicken is cooked, transfer dutch oven to the stove top. For the whole chicken: transfer to a cutting board and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. For thighs and legs: you can serve immediately.
  7. To serve, transfer vegetables to plates or a serving bowl, removing lemons and thyme sprigs. Taste and season with flaky salt and black pepper as needed. Plate the chicken and drizzle with any braising liquid left in the pan. Garnish with chives.

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What do you think of this recipe?

My family and I LOVE this recipe, it’s super easy and so flavorful!

made this on friday and loved it! I used skin on bone in chicken thighs and only 3 pieces so i scaled down the recipe. I think I put to much thyme and it might not be my favorite flavor but still delicious! great recipe so i give it a 10/10 even though i personally didnt love it.

Great recipe! Really easy prep & everything is finished together at one time. I would highly recommend making this. 🙂