Crispy Oven Baked Chicken

 Okay…I know #EasyMondays is supposed to be easy but I never thought I’d share a recipe that was this easy. In fact, at our last dinner party, people were raving so much about this chicken that I started to think they didn’t like anything else. You see, I had spent the whole day making homemade pasta and gnocchi. Then the chicken took the cake. Lesson: this will outshine anything else you put in front of people. You have been warned!

But also, you’re welcome because it’s so flipping easy and delicious and moist and full of flavor. *drooling*

First off, let’s talk what type of chicken. My go-to cut of chicken when baking chicken is a skin-on, bone-in chicken thigh. It provides more meat than a wing or drumstick and when the skin and bone are still in tact, the meat is juicier and more tender. Chicken breasts can dry out when cooked in the oven, which — I’m sure we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives. Right?

Well, here it is. The most perfect, juicy, crispy oven baked chicken. Pro tip: You should allow 2 pieces per person with this recipe. Just sayin’.

Print Recipe

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken

Juicy, crispy, buttery and bursting with flavor. Perfect chicken every time. 

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Author: Tessa Port

Ingredients

• 4 large chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 5 tbsp salted butter
• 5 whole garlic cloves peeled and crushed
• 6 sprigs rosemary
• 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a cast iron skillet, heat most of the olive oil over medium-high heat on the stove.  
• Meanwhile, sprinkle the tops of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Then place skin side down in the oil and let them fry for about 2-3 minutes until the skin is browning. Then flip them over and turn off the stove heat. 
• Place a tbsp of butter on top of each piece of chicken and some in the middle. Spread the garlic cloves and 5 of the rosemary sprigs around the pan. Add any remaining oil. Transfer to oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until internal temp is 165 degrees. Basting at least once in the baking time. If I'm not too busy, I'll baste it twice. 
• Remove from oven, let rest a minute. I like to serve with rice as it soaks up all the juice from the chicken and becomes really flavorful. Sprinkle with remaining rosemary.

Notes

If you're making a bigger batch for more people and need to use a Pyrex, you can work in batches frying the tops of the chicken. Then transfer to another dish for baking. Or, if you don't want to fry, you can omit the frying all together. Just make sure to baste it a couple times during the baking so the tops get a little crispy! Be sure to eat the garlic. It's really tasty after being roasted for so long! 

Tag me if you make it, @HonestDarling.

Xx

Tessa