No Main Course, Just The Family-style Portion Of The Meal Recipe

Prep and Season

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Rub the chicken all over with 2 tablespoons olive oil, then season evenly with the spice mixture. Quarter the onion, cut carrots into 2-inch batons, halve any large baby potatoes so pieces are roughly uniform; leave smaller potatoes whole. Mince the garlic cloves, strip rosemary and thyme leaves from stems and reserve a few sprigs whole for the pan.

Brown Chicken

Heat a large ovenproof skillet or roasting pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter. When butter foams, place chicken thighs skin-side down in a single layer (work in two batches if needed). Sear until skin is deep golden brown and releases easily, about 5–6 minutes. Flip and sear the underside 2 minutes. Transfer seared chicken to a plate.

Sauté Vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add the quartered onion, carrots, and potatoes to the same pan (add a touch more oil if the pan is dry). Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until edges begin to caramelize. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Nestle the chicken thighs back on top of the vegetables, skin-side up.

Deglaze and Build Sauce

Pour the dry white wine (if using) into the hot pan to deglaze, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon, and cook 1–2 minutes to reduce slightly. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice (from half the lemon) and the honey. Tuck the rosemary and thyme sprigs among the pieces. Bring the liquid to a simmer on the stovetop.

Roast in Oven

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast until vegetables are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F (74°C), about 25–30 minutes depending on oven and thickness. Every 10–12 minutes, carefully baste the chicken with pan juices to keep skin glossy and flavorful.

Finish Sauce

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chicken and vegetables to a warm serving platter, arranging family-style. Place the skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Taste the pan juices and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Mix the cornstarch with the cold water to make a slurry and whisk into the simmering pan juices to thicken slightly, cooking 1–2 minutes until glossy. Squeeze in the remaining lemon half if you want brighter acidity.

Serve

Spoon the finished sauce over the chicken and vegetables on the platter. Sprinkle chopped parsley over everything and garnish with any reserved rosemary sprigs. Serve family-style hot with extra lemon wedges on the side.