Crispy Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies – a major hit

All it took was one try and this recipe for Crispy Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies became an instant hit in our house. We had to make some minor changes to keep it gluten-free, but this is one dish that’s sure to be a hit at dinner whether you make the gluten-free version or the original.

To make this gluten-free, we swapped out the panko breadcrumbs for our own (which are made from old slices of gluten-free bread run through the food processor with some Italian spices tossed in for flavor). Basically, you can use whatever type of breadcrumbs you have around. If panko works for you, great. If not, swap them out with something more to your liking (or budget).

The original recipe calls for bone-in thighs, but we buy ours from Costco (they’re boneless). They come in a large pack, which we freeze until we’re ready. No Costco? No problem. Buy them on sale or on the spur of the moment. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly. It helps if you have an instant read thermometer! If you do overcook the thighs, they’ll most likely still come out nice and tender and juicy. Yeah, they’re forgiving, and I love them!

What’s with that mayo? OMG, what a great tip. It makes the thighs nice and sticky so the breadcrumbs cling and it also helps to keep the meat nice and juicy. Perfection! 

Final tips

We turned this into a two-night dish by serving half the chicken the first night along with all the veggies. For the second night, all we had to do was roast up more veggies. By the way, the veggies can be about anything you want. The cooking time will have to be adjusted for different veggies, but that’s an easy fix to eek out an extra dinner. Interested in seeing the original recipe? Find it at eatingwell.com.

If you liked this recipe, check out my others on the Recipes page.

Crispy Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots

A delightful dish with crispy, yet juicy, chicken thighs. Serving the chicken and veggies with lemon wedges makes this feel like a light dish suitable for any time of year.

• 1 lb fingerling potatoes (halved lengthwise)
• 1 lb carrots (cut into 3-inch lengths)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 ⁄4 tsp salt (divided)
• 3 ⁄4 tsp ground pepper (divided)
• 1 lemon (zested then cut into wedges, divided)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 4 bone-in chicken thighs (1 3/4 pounds, trimmed 4 tsp mayonnaise)
• 1 ⁄2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1. Position oven racks in upper and middle positions. Preheat to 450 degrees F.
2. Toss potatoes and carrots in a large bowl with oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet; roast for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine lemon zest, garlic, oregano and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture under the skin of the chicken thighs.
4. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise over each thigh. Pour panko on a plate. Firmly press the chicken pieces, skin-side down, into the panko.
5. After the vegetables have roasted for 10 minutes, add the chicken pieces to the pan. Continue roasting until the vegetables are tender and the chicken registers 165 degrees F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, 25 to 27 minutes.
6. Turn the broiler to high. Move the pan to the upper rack and broil, watching carefully, until the chicken is deeply browned, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve the chicken and vegetables with lemon wedges.

The original recipe (and the photo) came from Eating Well. They use panko breadcrumbs and recommend cooking the entire dish on one sheet pan. If you’re going to do that, make sure your sheet pan is broiler-safe. If you’re not sure, use two different pans, one for the chicken and one for the veggies. The cleanup is still pretty easy.