Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes tossed with simple spices, garlic, and oil. Then baked until chicken is juicy with crispy skin and onions are roasted. Delicious one pan dinner!
We also love these oven baked chicken thighs, spatchcock chicken and sheet pan chicken and veggies.
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These roasted chicken thighs and potatoes is my mom’s recipe. She didn’t cook often (grandma did) but this was her absolute staple for a healthy dinner. Crispy potatoes, roasted onion and garlic combined with juicy dark meat and crispy chicken skin, it will become your family’s favorite!
I’m obsessed with any chicken and potatoes combo because I am Ukrainian. Like Instant Pot chicken and potatoes and one pan chicken and potatoes are just other variations of this recipe. My kids rave about this chicken dish for days!
I often double the recipe, bake one right away and refrigerate another one to bake the next day. It is called “make ahead”.
Ingredients for Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
- Chicken: It’s best to use bone-in chicken thighs with skin on. It will be the juiciest baked chicken and potatoes you ever tried!
- Potatoes: Best potatoes to roast are yellow potatoes, red potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes or baby potatoes.
- Onion, carrots and garlic: There is something about soft sweet carrot and roasted onion. And even maybe burnt slivers of garlic. Use the largest onion ever. There will be a fight for the caramelized roasted onion, trust me.
- Seasonings: You can use any dried herbs you like or have on hand for extra flavor. My family used only salt, pepper and fresh garlic. My rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon of salt, plus 1 tablespoon of dried herbs, plus 1 teaspoon cumin. You can skip cumin or use ground coriander instead.
How to Make Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
Here is a quick overview how we make roasted chicken thighs and potatoes using only one dish. Everything is combined and baked in same baking dish!
- Prep: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and get a large 9 x 13 baking dish with deep walls.
- Combine everything: To the dish, add chicken, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Drizzle with oil and then sprinkle with ground cumin, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Using your hands or large spoon, toss well to coat.
- Bake: Roast chicken and potatoes uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender, and chicken juices run clear or instant read thermometer inserted in the center close to the bone registers 165 F.
Tips for Best Results
- Stretch the chicken skin: After seasoning unbaked chicken thighs and potatoes, stretch the skin to cover the meat to prevent it from drying out.
- Do not use russet potatoes: They do not taste as good when roasted and make the best healthy mashed potatoes.
- Choose deep dish: You can use any large 9 x 13 inches or even bigger baking dish with deep walls. Oven-proof glass or ceramic baking dish is great. You want to be able to mix ingredients with your hands without chicken and potatoes “flying” around your kitchen.
- Do not place chicken on top of the potatoes: Arrange potatoes and carrots around the chicken thighs so they cook evenly. If you place chicken on top of the vegetables, they won’t cook at same rate and won’t crisp up.
What Do I Serve It with?
Since this is one pan meal with protein, carbs and even some vegetables, we usually serve it with some light and simple salad. I particularly like to serve it with vinegar centered salads like butter lettuce salad and vinegar based coleslaw. If you prefer more traditional salad, try this simple spring mix salad.
Sliced cucumbers and tomatoes with healthy veggie dip or cottage cheese ranch dip would pair nicely as well.
I don’t recommend to roast other vegetables at same time in the oven as it may create extra steam preventing chicken and potatoes from crisping up. If you have an air fryer, you can make air fryer broccoli or air fryer brussels sprouts as a simple side dish.
Can I Make It Ahead of Time?
You can make ahead this chicken thighs recipe. In fact, I do it all the time. I prep 2 recipes at same time. Then I bake one tonight and refrigerate second one assembled and covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then bake tomorrow.
Because you coat potatoes in oil and spices, they will not turn brown.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Roasted potatoes, carrots and onions will lose their crispness over time but it’s normal.
Reheat: You can reheat chicken thighs and potatoes in a non-stick skillet to bring some of the crispness back and without much oil thanks to the coating.
FAQs
Yes, you can use skinless boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts in this recipe. Just cut you potatoes and carrots into 1 inch pieces and reduce cook time to 30 minutes.
Yes but keep in mind that sweet potatoes cook faster than regular potatoes. If you want, add yams to the pan after chicken, carrots and onions have been baking for 15 minutes. Do not forget to stir.
You may be able to use frozen chicken thighs if you cut potatoes and carrots into 3 inch cubes. Baking time should be around 1 hour.
Your chicken thighs are ready when their juices run clear. Because chicken is dark meat and often retains a bit of pink color, the most accurate way to check if your chicken is ready to eat is to insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of chicken closer to the bone. As per USDA guidelines, poultry is ready when cooked to 165 F.
More Chicken Thighs Recipes to Try
- How to grill chicken thighs
- Crockpot chicken thighs
- Oven baked boneless chicken thighs
- Chimichurri chicken
- Chicken stew
You might also enjoy this list of 65 healthy chicken recipes.
Roasted Chicken Thighs and Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs bone in and skin on
- 6 large yellow or red potatoes cut into 1.5" cubes
- 4 carrots peeled and cut into large pieces
- 1 large onion cut into large chunks
- 3 large garlic cloves sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp cumin or coriander ground
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and prepare large 9 x 13 baking dish with walls.
- To the dish, add chicken, potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic and bay leaves. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with cumin or coriander, dried herbs, salt and pepper, and mix well, using your hands.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes uncovered or until potatoes are fork tender and chicken juices run clear when poked.
- Remove from the oven and dig in!
Notes
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Veggies will lose their crispness though.
- Reheat: You can reheat meat and potatoes in ceramic non-stick skillet, to bring some of the crispness back and without much oil thanks to the coating.
- Meal prep and make ahead tip – double the recipe: Bake one tonight and refrigerate 2nd one assembled and covered, then bake tomorrow. I do it all the time.
- Seasonings: You can use any dried herbs you like or have on hand. You can skip cumin.
I have made this recipe four times now! My toddler gobbled up the chicken and asked for more! I have been playing around adding red onions or red potatoes as well as using a sweet potato one night. It turns out great every time and it is so fast to make on a weeknight or weekend. Thank you for sharing this dinner…it is the one I’m sure to keep in rotation during the cooler months.
You are very welcome, Andrea. Yes, experimenting is great. Anything common sense goes. I just keep it basic for the sake of simplicity and not to overwhelm people haha.
Doc delicious. Perfect for big family dinners. Allows cook some time to socialize while dish bakes. Easy clean-up also.
So true about socializing. I am obsessed with throw and walk away dinners lately mainly thanks to Instant Pot.
I just found your site and at just the right time. I am attempting to eat much healthier, and I am exited to try lots of your recipes with real and easily accessible ingredients. This chicken was just honest, homey and REAL food. It was delicious. I have stopped buying as many individual spices since they go stale before I use them. I now buy spice blends of spices I would use together anyway. For this recipe I used Trader Joe’s 21 seasoning salute and salt. It came out delicious. Also, since it is just me and I wanted to do your trick of prepping for two meals at once, I cooked with two chicken thighs and vegetables last night and put an equal amount in a baggie to dump into the pan tonight. Two suppers and two lunches with one prep time!
Awe, you are so welcome! So happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes! Good for you. Yes, leftovers and meal prep are key to eating healthy.
Olena, after making this several times – as it’s that good – I realized why I/we love it! It came to me one day like a light bulb in my head… you see my mother-in-law was from Czech Republic (hours away from Ukraine) & this is exactly the way she cooked! It was comforting to me as she has now passed away & we miss her great meals similar to this. Just wanted to share this memory…!?
Awe, thank you for sharing. Food just like places and scents bring so many memories. I am happy I could help and be part of your family. Enjoy!
This is a great recipe! Good enough to rate hand writing it in my notebook of true keeper recipes (with credit to your website). I’ve made it several times. Last night I didn’t have carrots, and used mushrooms in their place. Fifteen minutes before it was done, I put in a pan of seasoned asparagus in the oven and roasted that too. My husband raves every time we have this. The prep work is pretty simple and it makes the house smell amazing once the meal starts cooking. Last night I was made a second pan to put in the oven tonight, too!
Yay. Happy to share. No worries about handwriting. Love it! I myself still do notes and love it. As long as it helps you eat healthy. xoxo
I have boneless, skinless chicken thighs on hand…do I adjust cooking time? Help!
I would say check after 25-30 mins and if potatoes are done then itโs ready.
Making again today – it was that good the first time around… repeat performer!! Thank you for some of the best recipes I’ve cooked recently! In fact, my husband is still talking about them!
Happy Easter to you & your family!
Happy Easter, Tricia! Thank you so much for letting me know!:)
Just wanted to let you know this was delicious! As we ate it all one could hear was Mmmmโฆ as we ate it & finishedโฆ only one thigh & a few left over potatoes/carrots left. Thereโs just the two of us so Iโm thinking my husband will finish the rest later for dinner! He definitely loves your recipes which Iโve made โ all of them so far!! LOLโฆ No, Iโve not run out of recipes to cook yetโฆ still more to try! I donโt know if I commented on the Avocado Salad w/green onions Iโve made twice, but itโs good, too. Also, the Chickpea Avocado Salad. Iโm thinking Iโm going to make the Cedar Plank Salmon next โ after I go buy Cedar Planks. Iโm sure that will be good, too. Between your website I should be all set up without having to worry on what to fix next!! SERIOUSLY! Again,Olena, โthank-youโ!!
Yay! LOL you are welcome!!! Warms my heart.
One thing. Next time when you rate recipes if you liked it then please click 5 stars, not 1.:) 1 means very bad. I fixed it this time, it’s just very tedious process to fix it. So pretty please put down 4-5 or whatever stars if you liked the recipe. Thank you so much!:)
Lunch for today!! I know it will be good… can’t wait to eat it!! Smelling it in the oven now… omg, garlic & spices are wafting from kitchen as i type this. Thanks Olena!
You are very welcome, Tricia. Are you running out of recipes to cook yet? Seems like you have tried them all by now.:)
This one good looking dish,I know by reading the ingredients it will be good,only way to know ,is I will make it tomorrow,
Thanks
Hi Ernest. I agree. SImple food is the best. Fresh quality ingredients are key. And the rest will fall in place.:) Enjoy!