I like to say that making roast chicken thighs is one of my specialities. It took a lot of trial and error, but once I found the right blend of seasonings, cook time, marinade, and flavor profile, its become my basically disaster-proof, "won't ever disappoint", kind of dish. Learning to cook and bake with buttermilk has been such a game-changer, and tenderizes even the toughest of meats.
Now these crispy potatoes, I have FINALLY figured out how to get them crispy without them being too oily, or getting mushy while baking. Boiling them beforehand! Boiling the potato's in salted water, giving them a good shake in a bowl, and then roasting them keeps the inside soft and creamy while creating a crispy salty skin on outside thats to die for!
Now this dish would pair great with some beautifully roasted veggies for a light yet filling meal, quinoa, rice, anything you can think of! You can also split this recipe up and use the roasted potatoes to pair with another meal, or make the chicken to pair with your favorite side dish. Really any recipe I share on here is for you to add to your own inventory of meals that you can feel good about making.
Happy Cooking!
Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade:
4 bone in, skin on chicken thighs (fat trimmed)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
chicken seasoning
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp dried or 3 sprigs fresh whole thyme
1/2 tsp dried 2 sprigs whole rosemary
whole black peppercorn
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic and onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1-2 cups buttermilk
drizzle of olive oil
4-5 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)
Crispy Potatoes:
drizzle of olive oil (for roasting)
5 yukkon gold potatoes
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder, plus more to taste
Pan Sauce:
3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1/3 yellow onion
1 cup white wine
3/4-1 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp dijon mustard (plus more to taste)
drizzle of maple syrup
grated lemon zest (to taste)
1-2 tbsp salted butter
Special Equipment:
cast iron skillet or oven proof pan
Directions:
If needed, trim excess fat off chicken thighs and place in a large bowl
To the bowl, add your buttermilk, chicken seasoning, crushed garlic cloves, and drizzle of olive oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and let marinade in fridge for at least 30 minutes-1 hr. This can also sit overnight, and will give the chicken even more flavor!
While the chicken marinades, put a pot with water to boil. Begin cutting the yukon potatoes four ways, then sliced down the middle to give you triangle shaped pieces. Once the water is boiling, add a pinch of salt and the potatoes, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
When potatoes are done in the water, they should soft but not falling apart. Place them in a bowl and give the bowl a few shakes to roughen the edges of the potatoes. This will allow the potatoes to develop a crispy outside while maintaining a soft, creamy inside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Take out chicken thighs and let rest for at least 15-30 minutes before baking, this will promote even browning and cooking once its in the oven!
Once the oven is ready, lightly pat down chicken (just so its not dripping buttermilk, you want the buttermilk to stay on the chicken!) and remove any leftover peppercorns stuck to the chicken (it can be tedious, but the peppercorns add a lot of flavor to the marinade!). Drizzle a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt on the skin side and rub into the chicken. Pour the rest of the olive oil into your skillet or pan and turn on medium heat. (To check if the oil is hot enough, lightly dampen your fingers and flick water droplets into the oil. If it sizzles, your ready to go).
Place the chicken skin side down onto the skillet and cook without disturbing for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip to the other side and cook for 1 more minute before placing into the center rack of the oven to cook for 40-45 minutes or until temparature reaches above 165 degrees (I like my chicken thighs to be at least 175-180 before taking out).
While the chicken cooks, place the potatoes onto a lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, and garlic powder. Give the baking sheet a couple of shakes to get everything coated. When the timer reads 35 minutes, place the potatoes into the bottom rack of the oven. Check the potatoes at the halfway mark to give them a stir and make sure they are not sticking to the baking sheet.
Once the chicken and potatoes are done, place on a plate and cover lightly with aluminum foil to rest while you make the pan sauce. On medium heat, add the onion and garlic to the drippings, cooking until onions are becoming translucent. Carefully add in the wine, and using a wooden spoon begin scraping off the browned bits at the bottom of the skillet, cooking down the wine until its half evaporated.
Add in the dijon, drizzle of maple, half of the chicken stock, and lemon zest, continuing to mix until incorporated. Taste for salt, more lemon, more dijon, or more maple before taking off heat and adding in the one-two tbsp of butter, swirling until mixed in.
Add the chicken back into the sauce, add some fresh parsley and lemon zest on top, and dinner is served!