Best Baked Chicken Thighs
Want a simple and quick dinner? Give this juicy, tender, flavorful, perfectly baked chicken thigh recipe a try. The best thing is that this recipe is incredibly easy to make with just 4-step and it takes about 45 minutes to prepare. All you need for this delicious baked chicken is a little olive oil, a unique seasoning mix, and some secret tips.💁
Once you read my tips below and master this recipe, you'll have the best-baked chicken ever. Serve it as a main dish, top a salad with it, or use it as a sandwich filling. I’m sure that you will love it.
Moreover, you may easily customize this dish by adding your preferred sauces or seasonings. So, if you haven't tried it yet, let's bake some chicken together!
Baked Chicken Recipe Ingredients:
To make this baked chicken thighs recipe, you will need:
- Chicken: You can use any chicken pieces like cut-up whole chicken, drumsticks, chicken breasts, thighs, etc. I used chicken thighs in this recipe.
- Olive Oil: Using a little oil makes the seasonings stick better. I like olive oil because it is healthy. You can also use butter.
- Seasonings: I used Nora chicken flavor seasoning and Cajun crabby bags seasoning in this recipe below, which are super-accesible and goes with just about anything.However, you are welcome to substitute any other seasoning mix of your choice.
- Fresh Herbs: I used parsley, thyme, and rosemary.
- Garlic: You simply cann’t go wrong with some garlicky flavor.
- Cream Of Mushroom: This is the secret ingredient which adds a rich, savory flavor to the chicken and helps to keep the chicken moist during baking.
What's the Secret to Perfect Baked Chicken?
The key tip for baking chicken is to avoid overcooking. Use a cooking thermometer to check the internal temperature of your chicken to avoid it becoming dry and rubbery. It is a smart investment and a great way to ensure that your chicken is cooked to perfection — not overcooked or undercooked.
How To Bake Chicken?
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the detailed recipe with step by step instruction and exact ingredients measurement.
How To Serve/Use Baked Chicken?
There are countless ways to serve this tasty, juicy baked chicken. Of course, the simplest option is to serve these baked chicken thighs straight from the oven with your favorite sauce.
Want to serve this baked chicken with some sides? It goes well with whatever side dish you would like. You can’t go wrong with:
Any leftovers can be chopped and shredded for meal prep using chicken. You can use leftover chicken for so many different things—bowls, salads, tacos, and more!
Storage Instructions
After baking, the chicken can be kept in the fridge for up to three days in a sealed container. Perfect for enjoying throughout the week!
It can be kept frozen for up to three months.
When baked chicken is reheated in the following days, it can become dry. Here's a small tip: drizzle your chicken with a dash or so of water before reheating it in the microwave and cover it with a lid that can withstand microwave heat. It will slightly steam, which will help the chicken regain some of its moisture and refresh it!
Recipe Pro-Tips
Keep in mind these three key tips for juicy, tender chicken before you start baking.
- Use room-temperature chicken. Cooking cold, right out of the fridge chicken increases the possibility that it will cook unevenly, becoming overdone on the outside and underdone on the inside. let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature before cooking.
- Make sure to rub the seasoning in the chicken well, including under the skin if you’re using skin-on pieces.
- For deeper flavor, consider marinating the chicken for a few hours or overnight.
- Make sure the chicken pieces have some space between them on the baking sheet. Overcrowding can lead to steaming rather than baking.
- While broiling, keep a close eye on it to avoid burning.
FAQ’s
Are Baked Chicken Healthy?
Baked chicken makes an excellent weeknight dinner, especially for dieters. Baked chicken is high in essential nutrients and low in calories and fat.
Do I Cover Chicken When Baking?
Covering larger cuts—like whole chickens or bone-in pieces—helps to guarantee consistent and complete cooking. Chicken tenders, breasts, and other smaller cuts can be baked uncovered for quicker results. Finally, consider the texture and flavor that you want to achieve.
Why Does Baked Chicken Get Tough?
Once the chicken reaches the desired temperature, it is important to remove it from the oven, not even a few degrees later. The chicken becomes dry and hard if it is pulled at an excessively high temperature.
