Go Back

Slow Roasted Chicken Thighs

Slow roasted chicken thighs with deeply golden, fully rendered skin and meat that’s falling-off-the-bone tender. Low-and-slow roasting at 300°F followed by a high-heat finish crisps the skin without drying the meat.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
resting 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and seasonings
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 1 whole head garlic halved crosswise
Serving
  • 1 fresh thyme
  • 1 lemon for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and season
  1. Preheat oven to 300°F, then pat the chicken thighs completely dry.
  2. Rub the chicken with olive oil and all seasonings, including under the skin.
  3. Halve the garlic head crosswise.
  4. Place chicken thighs skin-side up in a baking dish, and set garlic halves cut-side down around the chicken.
Slow roast
  1. Roast at 300°F for 1.5–2 hours until the skin is deeply golden, the fat is fully rendered, and the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender.
  2. Increase oven to 425°F and roast for 15 minutes more to crisp the skin completely.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes to let juices settle.
  2. Squeeze roasted garlic over the chicken and serve with fresh thyme and lemon.

Notes

For the most rendered skin, keep the chicken completely dry before seasoning and don’t cover the baking dish during roasting. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Freeze cooked chicken for up to 3 months; reheat at 350°F until hot. For a lower-sodium option, use half the salt and keep the rest of the seasonings the same.