Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe - Savory Nothings (2024)

FAQs

How do you get seasoning to stick to chicken thighs? ›

Don't forget to season under the skin.

First loosen the chicken skin — this can be done by carefully sliding a paring knife underneath the skin, or by hand — and then thoroughly incorporate both your seasoning and a layer of fat under the skin. Next coat the chicken generously with salt, pepper, spices, or a dry rub.

The key is to cook the chicken thighs in a 400 degree F oven for 50 minutes. This will allow for the skin to get crispy and the meat to be juicy. If you are not sure the chicken is ready, just poke it wit a knife. If the juices run clear it's done.

The best oven baked chicken thighs start with seasoning! A blend of garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt and fresh cracked pepper brightens up plain old chicken thighs and adds wow-worthy flavor. But I know you are wondering– should you cover chicken thighs when they are baking? The simple answer is, no.

It adds great flavor and helps give a nice golden crust on the outside. But if you'd rather use olive oil (or another favorite cooking oil), feel free. Brush the breasts liberally on both sides to prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan, and also to help the seasonings stick.

Combine garlic salt, onion salt, oregano, thyme, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl; mix until well combined. Sprinkle spice mixture liberally over chicken thighs. Bake chicken in the preheated oven until skin is crispy, thighs are no longer pink at the bone, and the juices run clear, about 1 hour.

Seasoning skinless chicken is as straightforward as with any other cut of meat. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the chicken to act as a binder, sprinkle your seasoning on top, then gently press it in and let your chicken dry-marinate for about 45 minutes.

I recommend baking the chicken thighs at 400 degrees for less time to ensure the chicken thighs stay nice and juicy, vs baking for longer at 350 degrees and running the risk of drying them out.

Chicken thighs are right at home on the grill; they retain their moistness throughout this high heat cooking method. Set up your grill with two zones — one for direct heat where you can sear and char and crisp up the exterior and the other zone for indirect (medium to medium-low) heat to allow thighs to finish cooking.

Because chicken isn't a very fatty cut of meat, you'll want to add some fat to keep the meat hydrated. Most recipes use butter or oil for cooking chicken, but mayo is the better fat option when it comes to producing juicy chicken.

If you started in a warm / hot pan, the fat won't completely render out of the skin. Only flip once the skin is dark golden brown. The skin will naturally release from the pan once it is ready to be flipped, don't force it. Cook the thighs to 175*F MINIMUM.

Do you wash chicken thighs before baking? ›

"We didn't mean to get you all hot about not washing your chicken!" the CDC wrote in a follow-up tweet. "But it's true: kill germs by cooking chicken thoroughly, not washing it. You shouldn't wash any poultry, meat, or eggs before cooking. They can all spread germs around your kitchen.

Let them to sit out for 15 minutes, so they can come up to room temperature. This step allows them to cook evenly. Bake: Remove the sheet pan from the hot oven, spray with non stick spray and carefully lay the chicken thighs, skin side down.

Larger cuts, such as whole chickens or bone-in pieces, often benefit from covered baking to ensure thorough and even cooking. Smaller cuts, like chicken breasts or tenders, can be baked uncovered for quick results. Lastly, think about the desired texture and flavor you're trying to achieve.

Can you cook chicken with butter instead of oil? You have to cook chicken at a lower temperature if you bake or pan-fry chicken using butter instead of oil. This is because butter has a lower scorching temperature. Your chicken will cook more slowly, but it's also likely to be juicier and full of more flavor.

Lard is a great choice for frying chicken because it gives your chicken an excellent flavor and unparalleled crispy crust.

Drizzle a light layer of olive oil onto the chicken if you want the rub to stick better. Olive oil helps the dry rub adhere to the meat so it's less likely to fall off while you're cooking it. Put a coin-sized amount of olive oil on the chicken and spread it evenly across the sides of the chicken.

Rub the Spices into the Chicken

Before adding a dry rub, the chicken should be fully defrosted. Place the protein in a baking pan to avoid the spread of bacteria and blot it with paper towels to absorb excess juices. Once dry, drizzle olive oil on the chicken to help the spices stick.

Quick, high-heat cooking + olive oil + a tent.

(If you don't have an instant digital thermometer yet... buy one!) Lack of fat is one of the main reasons chicken breasts dry out. But by drizzling them with some olive oil, you add some much needed moisture AND give the spice rub something to stick to.