Casual Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Thyme and Rosemary

Rikki Snyder for The New York Times

adapted from “Mozza at Home”

submitted by Jeanne Milligan

preparation time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

serves 6 to 8

12 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on

1 medium onion, peeled, quartered vertically and sliced ¼"-inch thick vertically

1 cup peeled garlic cloves (about 40)

1 lemon cut in ¼-inch-thick slices, seeded

15 fresh thyme sprigs

4 (3-inch) rosemary sprigs

½ cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons kosher salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground pepper

Pat chicken thighs dry and dry brine with salt for several hours in refrigerator. Place chicken, skin side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in refrigerator, uncovered, for 8 hours or overnight to dry skin. Remove chicken from refrigerator at least 45 minutes before serving

Heat oven to 500 degrees F. Spread onion slices and garlic cloves in a baking dish that can hold the chicken snugly in a single layer. Scatter lemon on the onion-garlic mixture and stew with thyme and rosemary springs.

Remove chicken from baking sheet and place on several layers of paper towels, skin side down. Sprinkle with half the salt, pepper and lemon juice. Turn thighs over and season with remaining salt, pepper and lemon juice. Transfer to the baking dish skin side up. Use your hand to arrange the bed of onions and garlic so they’re completely under the chicken.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife point. If skin is not a deep golden brown and crispy, turn on broiler and broil chicken close to heat a few minutes to crisp and brown it.

To serve, move chicken off the bed of onions, garlic, lemon and herbs. Discard lemon and herbs and spoon the rest of ingredients, along with pan juices, onto a serving platter. Place chicken on top and serve.