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Baked Rosemary Chicken Thighs

Baked rosemary chicken thighs with garlic, lemon, and fresh rosemary deliver deeply fragrant Italian herb flavor with golden, crisp skin. Marinade infuses the thighs before baking at high heat for tender, cooked-through results.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Marinating 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 5 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Use 4–6 thighs depending on size; keep skin-on for crisping.
Olive oil and aromatics
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic Minced garlic cloves for the marinade.
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 3 tbsp fresh rosemary Chopped rosemary for the marinade.
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
For roasting
  • 1 whole rosemary sprigs and lemon slices Tuck whole sprigs and lemon slices around the chicken in the baking dish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Make the rosemary garlic marinade
  1. Whisk olive oil, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped rosemary, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
  2. Marinate the chicken thighs for 30 minutes so the herbs and lemon cling to the skin.
Bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F and place the chicken skin-side up in a baking dish.
  2. Tuck whole rosemary sprigs and lemon slices around the chicken so they caramelize alongside the meat.
  3. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the thighs are deeply golden and cooked through, with visible browning on the skin.
  4. Rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices settle and the aroma stays strong.

Notes

For best browning, let the thighs sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, and keep them skin-side up in the baking dish. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; freezer is yes (freeze cooked thighs up to 2 months). If you want a lighter option, use half the olive oil (and add a splash of water to the marinade for spreading) to reduce total fat.