Description
Baked chicken thighs are easy to make and delicious to eat. They make a good and quick weeknight dinner for the family because of the juicy meat and the crispy skin. Make some roasted veggies and a green tossed salad and you have a very healthy meal.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs (approx 7 oz per thigh)
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Preparing & Seasoning the Chicken:
- Lay the chicken out on a plate or tray. Take some paper towels and pat the chicken legs until it’s completely dry.
- Mix up the spices together. Get a small bowl and spoon, then add all of the spices and blend them together thoroughly.
- Rub olive oil, or melted butter if you prefer, all over the chicken thighs.
- Take the spices and spoon them all over the chicken thighs on all sides until well covered.
Baking in the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 400-425 degrees.
- Line a baking tray with a piece of foil or parchment paper which will make for an easier clean up as the oil and grease from the baked chicken thighs drip off during the baking process.
- Next, place a wire rack about the same size as the tray, on top of the foil.
- Layout your prepared pieces of chicken one at a time on the rack, spacing them apart so that they are not touching one another, because you need the air to circulate totally around them so that they will crisp up.
- Place them in the middle of the oven for a more even airflow around the tray to also help the chicken pieces to crisp up.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Make sure that the chicken legs reach 165 degrees. The only true way to know how long to bake the chicken thighs is to use a thermometer.
- When the chicken thighs are done baking, let them rest for 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the rack and serve them on a platter or plate.
Notes
Make sure to dry the moisture off your chicken thighs well before seasoning them. This is an important step to ensure that you will end up with crispy chicken.
Line the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for an easy clean up afterwards. But one word of caution, if you plan to broil the chicken thighs for a couple minutes after baking them for an extra crispiness, don’t do it with the parchment paper underneath because it will burn. Instead use foil.
Lift the chicken skin to also season underneath it.
For juicy chicken be sure not to bake your chicken thighs past 165 degrees or else they will begin to dry out.
Storing: Leftover chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if you keep it in an airtight container.
Reheating: Heat the leftover chicken in the oven in a covered baking dish for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. In the microwave for 1-2 minutes in a microwave safe dish covered with a paper towel.
Freezing: Raw chicken thighs can be frozen by wrapping them tightly in freezer paper and then put into a plastic bag. Cooked chicken thighs can also be frozen by putting them in an airtight plastic container and then put the container into a plastic bag for added protection.
1.1 NET CARBS Per Serving
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Courses
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American