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Slow Roasted Chicken Thighs

Slow roasted chicken thighs with deeply golden, fully rendered skin—low-and-slow in the oven until the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender. Finished with a quick high-heat blast to crisp the skin, then topped with roasted garlic, fresh thyme, and lemon.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
resting 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and seasoning
  • 5 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Use 4–6 thighs; aim for even thickness.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Garlic and serving
  • 1 garlic Halved crosswise.
  • 1 fresh thyme For serving.
  • 1 lemon For serving; squeeze over before eating.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and season
  1. Preheat the oven to 300F, then pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels.
  2. Rub the chicken with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper, including under the skin.
Low-and-slow roast
  1. Place the chicken skin-side up in a baking dish with the garlic head halves cut-side down.
  2. Roast at 300F for 1.5–2 hours until the skin is deeply golden, the fat is fully rendered, and the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender.
Crisp the skin and finish
  1. Increase the oven to 425F and roast for 15 minutes more, until the skin is completely crisp.
  2. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes, then squeeze the roasted garlic over the chicken and serve with fresh thyme and lemon.

Notes

For best results, keep the thighs skin-side up so the fat can render and baste the meat. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat at 375F until hot, but expect the skin to soften. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes. If you want a lower-fat option, remove any excess rendered fat from the dish before serving and pat the thighs slightly—flavor stays strong but the skin won’t be quite as glossy.