I’m usually a pretty organized meal prepper, but every so often the weekend gets away from me. Suddenly, it’s Monday, the fridge is empty, and I’m eating grilled cheese for dinner two nights in a row. That’s when I defrost chicken from the freezer (stashed away for just these kinds of emergencies) for my go-to dinner: Jamie Oliver’s roasted chicken—a recipe I know by heart.
While the original recipe calls for a whole bird (Costco sells them in a three-pack—perfect for this), I’ve been swapping in skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs instead. Using thighs (or breasts, or a mix of both!) gives you the best of both worlds: all the cozy comfort of a roast chicken dinner without the hassle of carving. Plus, dinner is on the table so much faster.
Unlike the oven-roasted chicken of my university days (which was overcooked and tragically underseasoned), all it takes is a generous glug of oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a handful of fresh herbs to turn chicken thighs from the meal of a gym bro into a truly crave-able weeknight dinner.
How to Make Jamie Oliver’s Roast Chicken
Jamie starts the recipe by getting the oven rip-roaring and hot at 475°F (don’t worry, we won’t be cooking the chicken at this temperature the whole time). The high initial temperature helps jumpstart the browning process, ensuring the skin gets extra crispy.
Take 2 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about six pieces) and place them skin-side up in a baking dish. (If you have the patience, let them come to room temperature before putting them in the oven, at least half an hour before). Drizzle generously with olive oil—about two tablespoons should do the trick—then season with salt and black pepper.
Zest a lemon and scatter it over the thighs. Then, cut the lemon into large chunks and place them around the dish. Keep the pieces on the larger side, as smaller ones tend to burn. Next, tear up some fresh herbs and sprinkle them over the top. Sage is an excellent choice, as it crisps in the rendered fat, but thyme or rosemary also works.
Once the chicken is in the oven, immediately reduce the temperature to 425°F. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until the skin is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165°F. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving to lock in the juices.
Simply Recipes / Alexandra Emanuelli
How I Serve This Dish
For an easy, almost-roast chicken dinner, I grab whichever vegetables are lingering in my crisper drawer and roast them at the same time. Just chop them up, toss them in a baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and let the oven do the work. Limp carrots, that last lonely potato, a whole bulb of garlic, some celery, or even broccoli or cabbage caramelize into a no-fuss side dish.
To round out the meal, I love to tear off a hunk of crusty baguette to soak up all the delicious pan juices. Or maybe I’ll make a crispy side salad with rocket and romaine and a citrusy vinaigrette to use up the lemon’s stray end. It’s a simple dish that makes dinner a little more special.
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