Roasted Chicken Thighs & Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 600–700 g total)
• 400 g potatoes (baby potatoes or regular, cut into wedges)
• 1 onion (cut into wedges)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (or any cooking oil)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
• 1 tsp dried oregano or thyme

Optional:

• 3–4 cloves garlic (left whole, unpeeled)
• 1 lemon (cut into wedges)
• Fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs
• 1 carrot (cut into chunks)
• Honey or maple syrup for glazing

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Instructions

1. Preheat

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. If your oven has a fan/convection setting, use it — it helps the skin crisp up.

2. Prep the potatoes and onion

1. Cut potatoes into halves (baby) or wedges (regular). Keep pieces roughly the same size.
2. Cut the onion into wedges.
3. Place in a large bowl.
4. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp paprika.
5. Toss until evenly coated.
6. Spread on a baking tray in a single layer. If using whole garlic cloves or carrot chunks, add them now.

3. Season the chicken

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels — this is important for crispy skin.
2. In a small bowl, mix: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, and 1 tsp dried oregano.
3. Rub this mixture over both sides of each chicken thigh. Get it under the skin too if you can.

4. Arrange on the tray

1. Place the chicken thighs skin side up on top of or between the potatoes.
2. The chicken will release juices as it cooks, flavoring the potatoes underneath.
3. Squeeze lemon wedges over everything if using.
4. Tuck herb sprigs around the tray if using.

5. Roast

1. Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven.
2. Roast for 35–40 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, check — if the potatoes on the edges are browning too fast, toss them around a bit.

6. Check for doneness

• Chicken is done when the internal temperature reads 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part, or when you cut into it and the juices run clear (no pink).
• The skin should be golden brown and crispy.
• If the skin needs more color but the chicken is cooked, turn on the broiler for 2–3 minutes — watch closely so it doesn’t burn.

7. Optional honey glaze

1. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, brush the chicken skin with a thin layer of honey or maple syrup.
2. Return to the oven. This gives a beautiful sticky, caramelized finish.

8. Rest and serve

1. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
2. Serve chicken thighs with the roasted potatoes and onions alongside.
3. Spoon some of the pan juices over the potatoes.

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Tips

• Bone-in, skin-on thighs are the best cut for roasting — they stay juicy and the skin gets crispy. Breasts tend to dry out.
• Don’t skip drying the chicken. Wet skin = steamed, not crispy.
• Baby potatoes are ideal — no peeling needed and they crisp up beautifully.
• This is a one-tray meal. Less washing up.
• Leftover chicken is great cold the next day, or shredded into a salad or sandwich.

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Vegetarian Variation

Replace the chicken with thick-cut cauliflower steaks or portobello mushrooms:

Replacement	Amount	Prep	Notes
Cauliflower steaks	1 large head, cut into 2–3 thick steaks	Season same as chicken, roast directly on tray	Roast 25–30 min, flip halfway
Portobello mushrooms	4 large caps	Remove stems, season same as chicken, place gill-side up	Roast 20–25 min
Tofu (extra firm)	1 block (350–400 g), cut into 4 thick slabs	Press dry, season generously, brush with extra oil	Roast 25–30 min, flip halfway

For cauliflower: cut straight down through the center to get thick “steaks” that hold together. The edges get beautifully caramelized.

For mushrooms: they release a lot of liquid — drain it halfway through roasting if needed so the potatoes don’t get soggy.

The potatoes and onions stay the same in all versions. Just roast the vegetarian option on the same tray.

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Result

With chicken: Crispy-skinned, juicy thighs with golden roasted potatoes that have soaked up all the chicken juices. Hearty, comforting, classic.

With cauliflower/mushrooms: Deeply savory and satisfying. The caramelized edges of the cauliflower or the earthy mushrooms pair perfectly with the crispy potatoes.