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Recipe16 May 2026

Roasted chicken thighs

Bone-in, skin-on thighs in a hot oven for thirty minutes. The cheapest protein-per-dollar that still satisfies. The carnivore weeknight default.

By Aaron McHugh · Founder & Editor

Variant
strict
Prep
5 min
Cook
30 min
Serves
3

Ingredients

  • 016 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
  • 02Salt, generously

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C. Pat the thighs dry with paper towel — wet skin will not crisp.

Salt the skin side heavily. Salt under the skin if you can (just lift and sprinkle). Salt the underside more lightly.

Place the thighs skin-side-up on a wire rack over a baking tray. The rack lets the fat drip away from the meat — bottoms stay crisp instead of soggy.

Roast for 25-30 minutes. The skin should be deeply golden and the juices should run clear when pierced at the thickest part. Internal temperature 75C.

Rest for 5 minutes before serving. The skin should be crackly enough to break with a knife edge.

Save the drippings from the tray. Chicken fat (schmaltz) is excellent for cooking eggs the next morning.

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