This comforting plate brings together crispy, herb-seasoned chicken thighs, a silky pan gravy, creamy mashed potatoes, and sweet roasted carrots. It’s a complete dinner that feels special but stays simple enough for a weeknight.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s a full meal in one go: protein, starch, and vegetables all cooked on a single timeline.
Crispy skin and juicy meat: searing first builds flavor and texture before finishing in the oven.
The gravy uses the same pan, so you get deep, savory flavor with minimal extra work.
The sides are classic and crowd-pleasing, with easy ways to adjust richness and sweetness.
Perfect for two, but simple to scale up for more servings.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
For the Chicken & Gravy:
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 280–350 g total)
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp fine salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper (plus more to taste)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp heavy cream (optional)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For the Buttery Mashed Potatoes:
400 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2–3 cm cubes
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp milk or cream (plus 1 extra tbsp if needed for texture)
1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
For the Roasted Carrots:
200 g baby carrots
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp honey or brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp chopped parsley (for garnish)
Directions
Preheat the oven
Heat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
Roast the carrots
In a bowl, toss baby carrots with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp honey (or brown sugar), 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway through, until tender and caramelized at the edges.
Season and sear the chicken
Pat chicken thighs dry. Season both sides with 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, dried thyme, and garlic powder.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place thighs skin-side down and sear 5–6 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Flip and sear 4–5 minutes more.
Finish the chicken in the oven
Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast about 20 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F). Move chicken to a plate and loosely cover to rest while you make the gravy.
Boil and mash the potatoes
While the chicken roasts, place cubed potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by about 2–3 cm. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15–18 minutes until fork-tender.
Drain well, return potatoes to the pot, and mash. Stir in 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp milk or cream. Add the extra 1 tbsp milk/cream if you want them softer. Season to taste.
Make the pan gravy
Carefully pour off excess fat from the skillet, leaving about 1–2 tbsp drippings in the pan (keep the browned bits).
Set the skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp butter. Once melted, whisk in 1 tbsp flour and cook 1 minute until smooth and lightly toasted.
Gradually whisk in 3/4 cup chicken stock. Simmer 3–4 minutes, whisking, until thickened. Stir in heavy cream if using, then add 1 tbsp chopped parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
Assemble and serve
Spoon mashed potatoes onto plates, top each with a chicken thigh, and ladle gravy over the chicken and potatoes. Add roasted carrots on the side and finish with chopped parsley.
Servings and timing
Servings: 2
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: about 60 minutes
Calories per serving: approximately 720 kcal
Variations
Boneless chicken thighs: Use 2 boneless, skinless thighs (or skin-on if you can find them). Sear as written, then reduce oven time by about 5–7 minutes, cooking to 74°C (165°F).
Extra-herby flavor: Add 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or a pinch of oregano to the seasoning mix.
Lemon-garlic finish: Add 1 tsp lemon juice to the gravy at the end for brightness.
No-cream gravy: Skip the cream and add an extra 2–3 tbsp stock to keep it silky and pourable.
Different vegetables: Swap carrots for parsnips, zucchini, or green beans. Adjust roast time depending on thickness.
Sweeter carrots: Increase honey/brown sugar to 1 tsp if you like a more glazed finish.
Storage/Reheating
Refrigeration: Store chicken, gravy, potatoes, and carrots in separate airtight containers for best texture. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Freezing: Gravy and chicken freeze well up to 2 months. Mashed potatoes can freeze, but texture may become slightly grainy; add a splash of milk when reheating to smooth them out. Carrots are best fresh but can be frozen if needed.
Reheating chicken: Warm in a 180°C oven for 10–15 minutes, covered, until hot. For crispier skin, uncover for the last 3–5 minutes.
Reheating gravy: Warm in a small pot over low heat, whisking. Add a splash of stock or water if it thickens too much.
Reheating mashed potatoes: Microwave in short bursts, stirring between, with a splash of milk/cream and a small knob of butter.
Reheating carrots: Oven or air fryer reheats best to keep the edges caramelized.
FAQs
Can I make this recipe with chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes, but breasts cook faster and can dry out. Sear briefly, then finish in the oven until they reach 74°C (165°F). Start checking early.
Do I have to use an oven-safe skillet?
No. You can sear in any skillet, then transfer the chicken to a baking dish to finish roasting.
How do I know the chicken skin will get crispy?
Dry the skin well, don’t overcrowd the pan, and sear skin-side down long enough to render fat and brown deeply before roasting.
What if my gravy is too thick?
Whisk in a little more chicken stock (1 tbsp at a time) until it loosens to your liking.
What if my gravy is too thin?
Simmer it a bit longer to reduce. If it still needs help, mix 1 tsp flour with 1 tsp cold water and whisk it in, then simmer 1–2 minutes.
Can I make the gravy without flour?
Yes. Reduce the stock longer to thicken naturally, or use a cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water) and simmer until glossy.
Can I prep anything ahead of time?
You can peel and cube the potatoes (store submerged in cold water in the fridge up to 12 hours) and season the chicken a few hours ahead for deeper flavor.
What potatoes work best for mashing?
Starchy potatoes (like Russet) mash fluffy, while waxier potatoes (like Yukon Gold) mash creamier. Either works well here.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Use a larger baking sheet for carrots and either a bigger skillet or sear chicken in batches so it browns properly. Increase gravy ingredients proportionally.
What can I serve with this besides carrots?
A simple salad, roasted broccoli, sautéed spinach, or steamed green beans pair nicely and keep the meal balanced.
Conclusion
Herb chicken thighs with pan gravy, buttery mashed potatoes, and roasted carrots is the kind of dinner that feels cozy and complete without being complicated. With a few pantry spices and smart timing, you get crispy chicken, creamy mash, and caramelized veggies—all ready to plate in about an hour.
Herb Chicken Thighs with Gravy, Buttery Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Carrots is a cozy complete dinner featuring crispy, herb-seasoned chicken thighs finished in the oven, a silky pan gravy, creamy mashed potatoes, and sweet caramelized carrots.
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
Roast carrots: Toss carrots with olive oil, honey (or brown sugar), salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer and roast 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway, until tender and caramelized.
Season chicken: Pat thighs dry. Season both sides with salt, pepper, dried thyme, and garlic powder.
Sear chicken: Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear thighs skin-side down 5–6 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Flip and sear 4–5 minutes more.
Roast chicken: Transfer skillet to oven and roast about 20 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F). Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely cover to rest.
Boil potatoes: While chicken roasts, add potatoes to a pot and cover with cold water by 2–3 cm. Add salt, bring to a boil, then simmer 15–18 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well.
Mash: Return potatoes to the pot and mash. Stir in butter and milk/cream. Add extra milk/cream if needed for a softer texture. Season to taste.
Make gravy: Carefully pour off excess fat from the skillet, leaving about 1–2 tablespoons drippings and the browned bits. Set skillet over medium heat, add butter, then whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken stock and simmer 3–4 minutes until thickened. Stir in heavy cream (if using) and parsley. Adjust salt and pepper.
Serve: Spoon mashed potatoes onto plates, top with chicken, and ladle gravy over. Add roasted carrots on the side and garnish with parsley.
Notes
For crispier skin, dry the chicken well and don’t move it while it sears skin-side down.
No oven-safe skillet? Sear in any skillet, then transfer chicken to a baking dish to finish roasting.
If gravy is too thick, whisk in extra stock 1 tablespoon at a time. If too thin, simmer longer or whisk in a small slurry (1 tsp flour + 1 tsp cold water) and simmer 1–2 minutes.
Boneless thigh option: reduce oven time by about 5–7 minutes and cook to 74°C (165°F).
For brighter flavor, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to the gravy off heat.
Storage: keep chicken, gravy, potatoes, and carrots separate for best texture; refrigerate up to 3 days.
Freezing: chicken and gravy freeze well up to 2 months; mashed potatoes can freeze but may get slightly grainy (stir in a splash of milk when reheating). Carrots are best fresh.
Reheat: chicken in a 180°C oven 10–15 minutes covered (uncover last 3–5 minutes to re-crisp); gravy gently on stovetop; potatoes with a splash of milk; carrots best in oven/air fryer.
