Roasted Chicken Legs with Lemon, Thyme and Garlic

Crispy roasted chicken legs, using the cold pan method, which delivers incredibly juicy chicken, flavoured with garlic, lemon and thyme.

This recipe is nice and easy to cook, giving you plenty of time to prepare sides, and it will come together in around 1 hour.

Cold Pan Roasted Chicken Legs

I love cooking with chicken legs; they are often overlooked for chicken thighs or drumsticks.

But they are better value than both, and you get the best of both worlds, in terms of the best tasting meat on a chicken!

I've got recipes from all over the world that leverage the flaovur and the cost. Everything from Korean kimchi chicken legs, Palestinian chicken musakhan and Jamaican brown stew chicken demonstrate the versatility of this cut of meat.

My latest recipe is a little closer to home in influence, these lemon, thyme and garlic roasted chicken legs also feature a wonderful and new to me cooking technique.

I've been using the cold pan method to cook duck breast for years, but cold pan chicken is new to me. And if you want crispy skin and juicy chicken and you ain't slathering the chicken with sauce, this method superb!

You just put some seasoned chicken in a cold pan, add a little heat and leave it alone whilsty you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 15-20 minutes later, throw in the rest of the ingredients, then put it in the oven until the chicken is cooked.

It's simple, effective and outrageously tasty, and it's my new favourite way to cook a sauce free chicken leg!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken thighs?

Yup, the process and timing remain the same. I choose whole legs because they are better value for money (as I have mentioned above) and I love chicken drumsticks!

Can I use boneless chicken?

Yes, this works wonderfully with boneless chicken; it requires less cooking and can be done completely on the hob.

Cook the chicken as per my instructions, then when the chicken is ready to flip, turn up the heat to medium. Flip the chicken, add the flavours and cook until the chicken is done.

Can I use skinless chicken?

The whole point of this cooking technique is to render out some fat and get an incredibly crispy skin.

There are better methods for cooking skinless chicken.

Can I make this in advance?

Yes and no... The chicken will sit fine in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container, and the skin will still taste incredible.

However, it will not be as crispy when reheated, so as the centrepiece of a meal, it isn't as good. But as a piece of chicken for a sandwich or salad, or even in a soup, it is incredible.

Serving Suggestions

These lemon, garlic and thyme crispy chicken legs just beg to sit at the heart of a classic "meat and two veg" dinner.

Kicking off, you gotta consider spuds; in these pictures, my chicken legs are served with my pesto and brown butter baby potatoes.

You could go with everything from my parmetier potatoes, to mashed potatoes or some herby boiled potatoes.

But spuds ain't the only veg, roasted parsnips, swede and carrot mash, or roasted celeriac would be fine options.

Then you'll need some greens. I've opted for roasted tenderstem broccoli here, but my green beans amandine, some regular peas or runner beans would be fantastic!

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• 25cm or 10" oven-proof frying pan.
• Kitchen tongs.
• Kitchen knife.
• Citrus zester.
• Chopping board.
• Measuring spoons.
• A quick-read meat thermometer (optional).