Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs

Herby, Briny, with a whole lot of garlic. Can you say dinner is served?

It is time that we elevate easy sheet pan dinners with these Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs. Seasoned with herbs, lemon, and a ton of garlic they are roasted until juicy and tender then dressed with a briny acidic green olive and herb dressing, and topped with creamy feta. This is a restaurant quality dish at home, one that is incredibly easy to pull together, and one you will be making on repeat.

WHY ARE YOU GOING TO LOVE THIS RECIPE

This is one of those recipes with such developed flavor that it appears harder to make than it actually is. Does it require a bit of chopping? Sure, but once everything is chopped, it’s as easy as tossing everything together and roasting. This dish is perfect for meal prep for the week (see notes on storage), a small gathering or dinner party, or even just for the family. It’s also kid-friendly, so if you are looking for delicious recipes that both you and your kids can enjoy, this is one of them.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR HERB ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS

HERB ROASTED CHICKEN

• Chicken Thighs – You have a few options here: boneless-skinless, bone-in skin-on, or my favorite, boneless skin-on. Each option has its perks, with some requiring next to no work and others needing an additional step (e.g., boneless skin-on thighs). The ‘how-to’ and recipe card walk you through using boneless skin-on thighs, which were the cut used in the photos. However, under the ‘how-to,’ there are additional instructions if you are swapping it out for any of the other options.
• Basil – Fresh only! This is a great recipe to make during the summer when basil is in season and bountiful. The recipe calls for one large bunch of basil, used in both seasoning the chicken and in the green olive dressing. If you get basil off-season, you may need to buy 2 packs instead of 1.
• Thyme – I used fresh, but you can substitute it with a heavy pinch of dried thyme if fresh isn’t available.
• Garlic – You are going to need a lot. Garlic is used to both season the chicken and roast on the pan. The best bites of this dish are the ones with a bit of sweet roasted garlic to cut into the acid of the dressing. The photos also show whole bulbs, which is completely optional and only works if you choose bone-in skin-on or boneless skin-on thighs. I talk about it more below.
• Feta Cheese
• Lemon Zest – The zest of 1 lemon goes a long way here. Don’t worry, the juice won’t go to waste.
• Olive Oil – Pick a really flavorful extra virgin olive oil.

GREEN OLIVE DRESSING

• Castelvetrano Olives – Hands down my favorite olives to use. Why? They have an amazing meaty texture and mild buttery flavor. They aren’t too overpowering, so you won’t just taste briny olive the entire time. Anytime someone tells me they don’t like olives, I give them a recipe with these, and it usually changes their mind.
• Basil – I told you, you need a lot of basil.
• Cilantro – Cilantro brightens up this dressing and adds another flavor profile to the dish. Parsley is not a substitution here; that herb is much more earthy, almost grassy compared to cilantro, which is vibrant and a little floral.
• Lemon Juice – Remember that lemon we zested over the chicken? Don’t throw it out; you’re going to need the juice for the dressing.
• Olive Oil – Use the same extra virgin olive oil that you use to season the chicken.

TOOLS NEEDED

Sheet Pan – Considering that this recipe feeds about 5-6 people, you are going to need a big sheet pan to make it in. I highly recommend the Nordic Ware Half Sheet Pan for this recipe. I exclusively use these when I need to roast or even bake something, and they have held up extremely well over the years.

HOW TO MAKE HERB ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS

Debone the Chicken – If opting for boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, this is the section for you. If choosing one of the alternatives, you can skip this part. Working one at a time, place your chicken thigh skin side down. Locate the bone, and with an extremely sharp knife, start running the knife down the right side of the bone, cutting the meat away from the bone. Follow the cut around the bone until the bone has been completely removed from the thigh. Cut off any extra skin that is hanging off the chicken.

Layer + Season – Place the chicken thighs, chopped basil, thyme, lemon zest, and minced garlic on the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt. Using your hands, coat the chicken thoroughly, trying to tuck as much of the garlic under the skin and chicken. Place the chicken skin side up. Throw the loose cloves of garlic on the pan.

Roast in a 400-degree oven for 30-35 minutes. *See notes below on cook time for the chicken substitutes.

Why do we try and tuck as much of the garlic away? That garlic is going to want to burn and get crispy in the oven, given the 30-35 minute cook time (boneless – skin on). By placing it under the chicken and skin you are protecting the garlic from burning and ultimately getting bitter.

Make the Dressing – While the chicken is cooking, combine the crushed and chopped olives, chopped herbs, lemon juice, olive oil. Season with salt if needed but the olives are super salty on their own. Set aside until ready to dress.

Finish + Dress – When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven. Scatter the large chunks of feta on the sheet pan, and dress the chicken right before serving with as much or as little of the olive dressing as you like.

CHICKEN SUBSITUTES

Below are the 3 types of thighs you can use for this recipe, the cook time and some notes on them and the overall dish.

Boneless – Skinless
By far the easiest and quickest option. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be bought in any supermarket and don’t require any prep work before seasoning on the pan. However, they are the least flavorful of all the options (there’s something special about that crispy skin). If you are looking to make this a 30-minute meal, this is the cut to buy and use.
Cooktime: approx. 25 minutes
Special Notes: Even though it’s optional, you cannot roast whole garlic bulbs with this cut—only the cloves. Also, I recommend drizzling a little extra olive oil on these since they won’t have a lot of fat rendering down.

Bone In – Skin On
Another easy option but with the longest cook time of the three. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs can also be bought in any grocery store and are typically cheaper than boneless, skinless thighs. You do need to trim off any extra skin that hangs off the chicken, i.e., keep the skin neat.
Cooktime: 40-45 minutes
Special Notes: You can cook the whole garlic bulbs if you would like.

Boneless – Skin On
This option offers the best of both worlds: a slightly shorter cook time and the crispy skin. Unfortunately, this cut isn’t something you can buy ready-made (for reasons unknown). Butchering your own chicken thighs is easy, and once you get the hang of it, it should only take about a minute or two for each
Cooktime: 30-35 mintes
Special Notes: You can cook the whole garlic bulbs if you would like.

HOW TO SERVE HERB ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS

If you are like my husband, you’ll just eat these straight off the tray. But if you are looking to round out the meal, below are a few options:

+ Grains – Between the dressing and the juices from the chicken, this dish is begging for a grain to soak it all up. I love serving this with my Vermicelli Rice, but couscous, farro, or barley are also great options.

+ Greens – Salad greens, that is. My Beets and Greens salad or even this Kale Caesar are great options to serve on the side. Both are super easy to make and can be done before the chicken is out of the oven.

+ Bread – If you are looking for no additional work, pair it with some crusty bread to sop up all those juices.

STORING/REHEATING

These herb-roasted chicken thighs can be placed in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. A little tip: store the green olive and feta separately. That way, to reheat, just pop the chicken in a 350F-degree oven or toaster oven until warmed throughout, and then top it off with the chilled cheese and dressing.

Looking for more chicken thigh recipes? Check out some options below!

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs
Harissa Honey Chicken Thighs