Creamy Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes

This one pot chicken thigh dish will warm you to the core.

Crispy-skinned, juicy chicken thighs smothered in a rich rosemary cream sauce and served with tender, flavorful potatoes—yeah, that sounds like an amazing dinner to me! With only a handful of ingredients and about an hour, you can have this one-pot creamy rosemary chicken ready to go. It’s perfect for a cozy weekend dinner with family, or scale it up for an impressive, entertaining-worthy dish.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

This is one of those one-pot—but not quite one-pot—dinners (it depends on how you define “one-pot”). Everything happens in a single pan, though you’ll need to remove the chicken at one point before returning it later. It uses just a handful of simple ingredients, all easily accessible, yet delivers a spectacular result. Serve it as is (a perfect protein + carb combo win) or round it out with a few of my suggestions below. The flavors are universally liked, and the dish overall is relatively easy to pull together.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR CREAMY ROSEMARY CHICKEN

• Chicken Thighs -I’m keeping it easy for this dish, grab a pack of good old bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. If you still believe chicken breasts are better, you probably haven’t spent much time on my site. Chicken thighs are incredibly forgiving (even when slightly overcooked, they stay juicy), and they’re also a budget-friendly cut for anyone looking to keep things affordable (aren’t we all these days).
• Baby Potatoes – Buy baby potatoes that are preferably smaller than 1 inch. We’ll be cutting them in half, but to keep the cook time consistent, the smaller the better. Player’s choice on color: go all red, all yellow, or mix it up with tri-colored potatoes (which are what you see in the photos).
• Fresh Rosemary -My biggest pet peeve is clamshell herbs, they’re never quite as fragrant or flavorful as fresh, out-of-the-box herbs, but unfortunately, that’s what most supermarkets carry. You’ll need about one small clamshell’s worth (approx. 0.6 oz), or if you’re using fresh-out-of-the-box herbs, about 6-7 stems.
• Heavy Cream – In order to ensure the sauce comes together and does not curdle it must be heavy cream, not half and half or milk.
• Chicken Broth – Pick a good, flavorful chicken broth. My go-to is always Better Than Bouillon because it lets you easily adjust the intensity (I always make mine slightly more concentrated).
• Garlic – Fresh only!
• Shallots
• Flour – All-purpose flour to make a roux.

TOOLS NEEDED

• Deep Skillet – Use a stainless steel pan if possible. It’s your best bet for getting super crispy skin with minimal sticking. If you have a Le Creuset braiser, it might be tempting to reach for it (trust me, I always do), but here’s a little forewarning: ceramic-coated cast iron loves to hold onto chicken skin. Even if you do everything right, proper preheating, heat, and oil, it still happens. If that’s the only pan you have, don’t worry, it’s totally doable—just be prepared for a bit of elbow grease when it’s time to flip.

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY ROSEMARY CHICKEN

Prep + Sear the Chicken – Using a sharp pair of kitchen shears, trim away any excess skin. You know those flaps that extend far beyond the thigh, but be careful not to remove too much, as the skin will shrink once the fat renders. Also, trim any excess fat from the sides and bottom of the thighs. Depending on how fatty your chicken is, you may not trim at all, or will be hacking fat away.

Place the thighs on a sheet tray or large plate and pat them completely dry with paper towels. They should be bone dry by the end. The drier the thigh, the less splatter you’ll have when cooking. Season both sides generously with salt and a few cracks of black pepper.

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot (but not smoking), place the chicken thighs in the pan, skin side down. Sear undisturbed for 6–7 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Carefully flip the chicken and sear the other side for about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, it’s okay if it’s not fully cooked, it will finish in the sauce later.

Make the Sauce – If there’s more than a tablespoon of oil in the pan, remove the excess. Either by spooning it out or carefully dabbing with a paper towel (technical, I know). Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until it’s soft and fragrant but not brown (if it browns, lower the heat). Add the flour and stir to combine, and cook for about a minute. Pour in the chicken broth and whisk vigorously to blend. Let it simmer for 1–2 minutes, until it begins to thicken, then stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn off the heat.

INSTRUCTIONS CONT…

Combine and Roast – Add the shallot chunks, rosemary, baby potatoes, and chicken, skin side up, to the pan. It’s fine if some of the chicken rests on top of the potatoes, but make sure the skin is exposed and the flesh is nestled in the sauce. DO NOT put any of the chicken juices in that pools on the plate, it will dilute the sauce. Roast for 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (the internal temperature of the chicken should be 165F) and the potatoes are tender. Check on it midway and if exposed potatoes are getting brown, feel free to toss them into the sauce.

If done properly, the cream sauce will not break. This can happen if there’s too much fat in the pan. If there is a bit of separation, feel free to skim off the fat on the top.

FAQS

Can I make this with chicken breasts? No. Chicken breasts cook much differently than thighs, and because they’re a leaner cut, the dish will miss out on some of the rich fat that thighs provide.

HOW TO SERVE

This creamy roasted chicken can be eaten as is, or you can round out the meal with some fresh sides. My Maroulosalata Salad and Kale Caesar can both be prepared in the time it takes the chicken to roast, and they use minimal ingredients while adding a pop of green to an otherwise brown dish. Want vegetables? Try my Za’atar Roasted Carrots. Or keep it simple with a crusty baguette to soak up the rosemary sauce.

STORING/REHEATING

Serve Creamy Rosemary Chicken the same day, it’s not a dish that shines when made ahead. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. When ready to reheat, you can either remove and discard the chicken skin and microwave in 30-second intervals, or place the chicken in a 400°F oven to crisp up and warm through, while microwaving the potatoes back to life.