A perfect weeknight dinner or fuss-free meal for guests, One Skillet Lemon Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Potatoes deliver so much flavor with a few simple ingredients!
Quick look at the recipe
Ready In: 1 hour 10 minutes (15 minutes prep, 55 minutes cook time)
Servings: 4
Nutrition: 670 Cals/ 35g Protein
Main Ingredients: Chicken thighs, potatoes, fresh rosemary, lemons, capers
Dietary Notes: Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free
Why You'll Love It: All made in one skillet and so much flavor.
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One skillet meals like these Lemon Rosemary Chicken Thighs always hold a place on my list of favorites.
Dinner done in one skillet - that's hard to beat! Like Skillet Pizza Chicken Casserole or Lemon Pepper Chicken & Broccoli Skillet, you can use any skillet you'd like, as long as it's stovetop and oven-safe.
Cooking the chicken thighs first on the cooktop and then in the oven means tender, juicy meat infused with the brightness of lemon and rosemary.
Serve this with roasted veggies (broccoli or Simple Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts work well) or a simple salad to round this out into a full meal.
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Ingredients of note
CHICKEN THIGHS: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs work best for this recipe! In a pinch, you can opt for boneless chicken thighs. But trust me, you'll want the skin.
RED POTATOES: Get the smallest red potatoes you can find; large potatoes won't cook as quickly and may be undercooked or force you to overcook the chicken thighs.
LEMON: Fresh lemons (for their juice and slices) give this recipe its brightness and zest!
ROSEMARY: Using fresh rosemary delivers lots of flavor and also provides a pretty garnish for this recipe. That said, you can substitute ½ tablespoon dried rosemary if needed.
CAPERS: Little pops of briney flavor! Capers give this recipe chicken piccata vibes.
GARLIC: The sleeper hit of these lemon rosemary chicken thighs. Can you have a kick-ass skillet recipe without sneaking in lots of garlic?
How to make one skillet chicken thighs
Three main steps make this recipe easy to follow and largely hands-off!
PREP SAUCE - Combine olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, garlic, capers, lemon slices, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
SEAR CHICKEN - Heat the rest of the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and potatoes. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the chicken skin is browned and crispy, then flip with kitchen tongs.
Searing the chicken thighs before roasting helps keep the skin browned and crisp, instead of limp and soggy. Better flavor all around!
ROAST - Pour the sauce overtop of the chicken and potatoes, then pop in the oven at 450 degrees F for 45 minutes or so, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 170 degrees F.
Top Tips from Chelsea
My skillet of choice: One skillet meals are best with a big cast iron skillet! Seriously, I own two cast iron skillets that I use for almost ALL of my cooking. If you don't own one yet, this is the exact skillet I use. It's big, and it's a true workhorse.
That said, you can use any skillet that can go right from the stovetop to the oven, like a good stainless steel skillet.
Smaller potatoes work best. Fingerling or new red potatoes work best for this recipe! If the potatoes are too large, they won't cook through or won't absorb as much of that delicious sauce.
Use the sauce. The best part of recipes like this is the flavor-rich sauce left in the skillet after roasting. Spoon this over the potatoes, chicken thighs, and roasted veggies (if using) when serving. You won't regret it!
Variations and substitutions
Want (or need) to change things up? Here are some easy ways:
- Omit potatoes and use another hearty veggie like carrots, parsnips, or rutabaga. You may need to adjust the cooking time.
- Use boneless, skin-on chicken thighs if you can't find bone-in. You may need to reduce the cooking time.
- Halve rosemary and add 2 teaspoons fresh sage or thyme, finely minced, for fall flavors.
- Omit capers if you aren't a fan.
Serving suggestions
This one skillet meal takes care of protein and starch, but what else can you serve with rosemary lemon chicken thighs?
Simple roasted veggies like Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Beets with Parsley can be roasted in sheet pans at the same time as the chicken thighs, on a different oven rack.
Otherwise, prep a light salad like Mediterranean Tomato & Cucumber Salad or Mâche Salad with Beets, Pecans, and Goat Cheese!
FAQs
If you can't get your hands on fresh rosemary, use ½ tablespoon dried rosemary leaves.
Feel free to use boneless chicken thighs, but note that they will cook more quickly because they tend to not be as thick. Cut up the potatoes further if needed so they roast more quickly, too.
Small "new" or baby potatoes are your best bet! Fingerling potatoes also work well. Just be sure to chop them in half or quarter them so they cook through (and get coated in more sauce).
The food-safe temperature for chicken is 165 degrees F. For more tender meat, you can cook chicken thighs up to 180 degrees F before it starts getting too tough.
More easy chicken dinner recipes to try
- Gluten Free Chicken Teriyaki Bowls
- Chicken Meatballs with Feta & Spinach
- Feta Greek Salad Meal Prep Bowls
- Lime Ancho Chicken Tacos with Mango Slaw
Have you made rosemary lemon chicken thighs? I'd love to hear what you think!
Please leave a comment and rating or tag me on Instagram - I love your feedback.
Print📖 Recipe
One Skillet Rosemary Lemon Chicken and Potatoes Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten Free, Paleo
Description
Using only one skillet, this gluten free Lemon Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes recipe works well for meal prep or serving guests! A quick sear on the stovetop and long roast in the oven creates flavorful, crispy chicken thighs.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ (3.5-oz) jar capers (3 tablespoons), drained
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 ½ lb)
- 1 pound small red potatoes or fingerling potatoes, halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, capers, sliced lemon, smashed garlic cloves, rosemary leaves, salt, and black pepper.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with additional salt and pepper and add to skillet, skin sides down. Add potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes, until chicken is browned and skin is crispy. Flip the chicken using kitchen tongs. Pour the lemon mixture over the chicken and potatoes.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Serve the chicken with potatoes and pan sauce.
Notes
Use boneless, skin-on chicken thighs if you can't find bone-in thighs. You may need to reduce the cook time if you're going this route - start checking at 35 minutes.
No potatoes on hand? You can use other hardy veggies like parsnips, carrots, or rutabaga if you'd like.
milah says
Ever since I tried this recipe it's been on my family's weekly rotation. It has everything you need for a meal. We all love it.
Milah says
This is my go to recipe for everything...you have a birthday... Lemon rosemary chicken... getting married ...lemon rosemary chicken...long day at work...lemon rosemary. It's so good I double the recipe every time so I can have it for two days. Thank you for a wonderful dish.
Chelsea Joy says
Thanks so much for the kind comment, Milah! <3