Wishing tonight’s dinner was simple, cheap, and fairly tough to mess up? Bonus factors if it’s wholesome? Time to make Baked Rooster Thighs!
Whereas boneless skinless hen breast may occupy the default setting in your grocery buying strategy (folks hardly ever complain about juicy Grilled Rooster Breast), it’s nicely price selecting up a pack of bone-in, skin-on hen thighs every so often as a substitute.
Why I Love Rooster Thighs
- Darkish hen thigh meat is juicier and much much less liable to drying out than white breast meat.
- Whereas many suppose chicken is more healthy, that is hardly the case. Rooster thighs are full of diet. In comparison with chicken, darkish meat has extra iron, zinc, vitamin B-12, thiamine, and different vitamins too. Carry on the hen thigh recipes!
- Sure, darkish meat has extra fats than white, however it’s nonetheless a really lean, wholesome protein.
- Bone-in hen has extra taste and is juicier than boneless hen as a result of the bone flavors the meat from the within and helps retain moisture (it’s why you’ll be able to skip brining when making Baked Bone-In Rooster Breast, however it’s vital for juicy boneless Grilled Rooster Breast or Air Fryer Rooster Breast).
- It’s a cut price! Per pound, darkish meat is inexpensive than chicken, and bone-in hen is inexpensive than boneless.
5 Star Overview
“Adopted to a tee and it was completely scrumptious!!! Served some mashed candy potatoes on the facet!! Love your recipes!!”
— Kara —
Quaint baked hen thighs are equally as make-ahead pleasant as they’re last-minute wholesome dinner materials. (Although for the quickest methodology for getting ready hen, attempt Pan Fried Rooster Breast.)
- I like to recommend 60 minutes of marinade time, however you’ll be able to scale back it to half-hour should you want a shortcut.
- On the alternative facet of the timeline, you’ll be able to fully prep them the evening earlier than and pop them into the oven when it’s supper time.
At the moment, I’m supplying you with my finest 5-star baked hen thighs recipe with dried Italian herbs (be happy to swap for contemporary herbs when you have them), garlic, and lemon.
That is one tasty (and wholesome) baked hen thighs recipe you’ll be able to serve with pleasure.
Methods to Make the BEST Baked Rooster Thighs
I discover it finest to bake hen thigh recipes like this one at a excessive temperature—425 levels F.
Since hen thighs are lean, they don’t profit from low, gradual cooking the best way more durable, extra marbled cuts like Gradual Cooker Pulled Pork do.
A shorter cook dinner time with excessive warmth is the transfer.
TIP!
If wanted, you’ll be able to alter the oven temperature all the way down to as little as 400 levels F to accommodate different dishes—say you might be cooking the hen thighs within the oven concurrently a pan of Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Butternut Squash. Merely prolong the cooking time by a couple of minutes (or go for 415 levels F—proper in between).
Or, you can also make a sheet pan Rosemary Rooster Thighs, which embrace veggies on the identical pan.
The Substances
- Rooster Thighs. Flavorful and succulent, hen thighs are a unbelievable, wholesome ingredient (attempt them in Rooster Cacciatore). I used bone-in, skin-on hen thighs, that are wholesome, inexpensive, and practically unimaginable to mess up.
- Italian Marinade. A combination of olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning (which incorporates oregano, basil, marjoram, and extra), dried rosemary, salt, pepper, and lemon. It imparts gentle and vivid Italian taste onto the hen and helps make it additional juicy.
- Onion. My particular trick for this recipe is to thinly slice an onion and scatter it across the hen thighs as they bake. As soon as roasted, the onions turn into deliciously caramelized and candy.
- Vinegar. A small however impactful addition that makes the flavour of the onions pop. Both sherry vinegar or pink wine vinegar will work right here.
- Recent Herbs. Recent parsley, tarragon, or thyme is the proper crowning glory.
The Instructions
- Marinate hen thighs for at the least half-hour or refrigerate for as much as 12 hours.
- Place the onions in a dish and season them.
TIP!
A shallow 9×13 baking dish is finest for baking hen thighs so it can save you the entire yummy pan drippings for serving. A daily baking sheet works too.
- Nestle the hen thighs into the onions pores and skin facet up.
- Bake the hen thighs at 425 levels F for 25 to 35 minutes, tossing the onions partway via.
TIP!
Some baked hen thigh recipes require overlaying with foil. This isn’t certainly one of them. When baking hen thighs with the pores and skin on, you’re attempting to attain crispy baked hen thighs. Subsequently, leaving them uncovered ensures a crispy pores and skin that turns completely golden. YUM!
- Take away the hen to a plate, cowl, and let relaxation. Proceed baking the onions.
- If desired, for additional crispy oven baked hen thighs return the hen to the pan and broil on the higher third rack for a number of minutes (don’t stroll away!) till crisp. ENJOY!
Methods to Inform Your Rooster Thighs are Performed
Overcooking is the enemy of juicy, tender baked hen thighs.
One of the best (and I’d say solely true) approach to inform in case your hen is cooked correctly is to make use of an instant-read meat thermometer inserted on the thickest half.
Rooster needs to be cooked to 165 levels F, however its temperature will rise after it’s faraway from the warmth. I take away my hen 5 to 10 levels early (155 to 160 levels F) and let it relaxation.
- Resting permits the meat to return to a protected temperature.
- Resting is critical in order that the juices have time to reincorporate into the hen.
Extra Methods to Season Baked Rooster Thighs
Beneath you’ll discover my go-to Italian baked hen thighs recipe variation, however this recipe is flexible. Be happy to differ the seasonings in line with your craving.
- BBQ Baked Rooster Thighs. Season the thighs along with your favourite BBQ spice mix. Bake per the time and temperature urged within the recipe (with or with out the onions). Serve with Barbecue Sauce.
- Previous Common Rooster Thighs. Preserve it easy with salt, pepper, and paprika. Serve with Simple Drop Biscuits and your favourite gravy.
- Southern Baked Rooster Thighs. Season the hen with a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, seasoned salt, a bit of cayenne, and dried rosemary.
- Curry Baked Rooster Thighs. Season the thighs with curry powder, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and salt. (This variation could be delicious with Turmeric Rice.)
Storage Ideas
- To Retailer. Place hen thighs in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
- To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish within the oven at 350 levels F or within the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze hen thighs in an hermetic, freezer-safe storage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
As much as 12 hours prematurely, dry and marinate the hen thighs as directed in Step 1. Refrigerate till you’re able to bake.
Leftover Concepts
De-bone and cube your hen thighs, then toss them into your favourite pasta (this Pasta al Limone could be tasty) or reheat on the bone with Selfmade Fried Rice for a tasty baked hen thighs with rice dish. Leftovers additionally make a unbelievable addition to a salad.
What to Serve with Baked Rooster Thighs
This versatile protein pairs nicely with nearly any facet dish!
Extra Aspect Dish Concepts
Really useful Instruments to Make this Recipe
- Baking Dish. This baking dish is right for making baked hen thighs.
- Measuring Spoons. These double-sided magnetic spoons are extremely simple to retailer.
- Citrus Juicer. My go-to instrument for juicing lemons and limes.
The Finest Baking Dish
A high-quality baking dish is a must have in each kitchen. This Staub ceramic dish is dishwasher-safe and can be utilized within the microwave or oven.
I hope this recipe is simply the serving to hand (er, thigh) for a lot of of your weeknight hen recipes to return.
Incessantly Requested Questions
Not essentially. Rooster meat, particularly darkish meat, can look pink even when it’s cooked via. Once more, the best possible, most secure approach to know in case your hen is cooked to temperature is to make use of an instant-read thermometer.
In case your hen thighs are dry, it’s as a result of they’re overcooked. When you can’t return, you’ll be able to cowl your mistake by serving baked hen thighs in sauce. Attempt the honey Dijon mustard sauce from my Pecan Crusted Rooster.
Should you choose lean chicken hen breasts over baked hen thighs, right here is my recipe for the BEST Baked Rooster Breast. You should utilize the marinade from this recipe should you like.
Baked hen thigh recipes get robust when both baked too lengthy or after they’re not correctly marinaded earlier than cooking. To keep away from robust hen thighs, make sure that to drag them after they attain the suitable inner temperature (see the field above for suggestions) and ensure to marinate for at the least half-hour (or longer). Marinading hen helps break down the muscle fibers, so the hen is tender as soon as baked.
Certain! See my Air Fryer Rooster Thighs for suggestions (the onions you’ll be able to roast individually or saute on the range should you like).
- 2 1/4 kilos bone-in, skin-on hen thighs about 4
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon floor black pepper divided
- 2 small or 1 additional massive onion
- 1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar or pink wine vinegar
- Chopped contemporary parsley or tarragon or thyme, plus extra for serving
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Pat the hen dry and place in a big bowl or massive ziptop bag. Add the garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, Italian seasoning, rosemary, lemon zest and juice (zest the lemon proper over the bag or bowl), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss the hen (or seal the bag and switch to coat). Let sit at room temperature for at the least half-hour and as much as 1 hour or cowl and refrigerate for as much as 12 hours.
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When able to bake, preheat the oven to 425 levels F. Thinly slice the onions and place in a 9×13 or equally sized roasting pan or casserole dish.
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Drizzle the onions with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat.
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Take away the hen from the marinade and shake off any extra. Clear some areas within the onions for the hen, then nestle it in.
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Bake the hen thighs for quarter-hour. Take away the pan and toss the onions to advertise even cooking (I exploit a fork to stir them round a bit). Return to the oven and bake for 10 to twenty extra minutes (that’s 25 to 35 minutes complete), till the inner temperature of the hen reaches 155 to 160 levels F (hen is taken into account cooked at 165 levels F, however its temperature will proceed to rise because it rests). Should you’d wish to brown the hen pores and skin additional, on the finish of the cooking time, place the pan below the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes (watch carefully!).
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Take away the hen to a serving plate. Cowl and let relaxation 10 minutes. Stir the onions within the pan, unfold them into an excellent layer, then return them to the oven to roast additional whereas the hen rests. The onions will turn into jammy and some may look a bit of crispy.
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Take away the onions from the oven, then stir the vinegar into them. If desired, return the hen to the pan and place below the broiler for crispy pores and skin.
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Serve the hen thighs heat, with onions spooned excessive. Sprinkle with contemporary herbs.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate hen thighs in an hermetic storage container for as much as 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish within the oven at 350 levels F or within the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze hen thighs in an hermetic, freezer-safe storage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.
Serving: 1(of 4)Energy: 605kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 36gFats: 47gSaturated Fats: 11gPolyunsaturated Fats: 9gMonounsaturated Fats: 23gTrans Fats: 1gLdl cholesterol: 213mgPotassium: 588mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 196IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg
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Extra Wholesome Rooster Recipes
Listed here are extra of my very favourite simple oven baked hen recipes to attempt subsequent:
