Meat & Seafood · American

Baked Chicken Thighs

Name: Baked Chicken Thighs
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 lb chicken (thighs, bone-in, skin-on); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 1 tsp paprika (smoked); 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp thyme (dried)

7 ingredients · 45 minutes · 2 servings

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932kcal109.4g protein52.3g fat2.4g carbs~$3.80/ serving*

No porkNo alcohol

Ingredients

Servings:

2 lb	chicken (thighs, bone-in, skin-on)
1 tbsp	olive oil
1 ½ tsp	salt
½ tsp	black pepper
1 tsp	paprika (smoked)
1 tsp	garlic powder
1 tsp	thyme (dried)
1 unit	lemon (wedges, at the table)optional

Method

prep5 min
skin bone-dry, seasoned under and over
thighs patted aggressively dry, then rubbed with oil and the mixed seasoning, some worked under the skin — surface water is the crisp-killer: the skin cannot brown until every drop has boiled off, and paper towels are cheaper than oven minutes
rest10 min
room temperature, skin up, while the oven heats
on the pan while the oven reaches temperature — the salt starts pulling moisture up through the skin and the chill comes off the meat, which is the difference between skin that crisps and skin that sweats
roast25 min
425°F, skin up, untouched
without flipping, ever — the pan cooks the underside by conduction while the oven's dry heat works the skin; flipping trades the crisp side into the drippings and gets nothing back
roast5 min
until 185°F at the bone
past the official 165°F on purpose — thigh collagen melts into silk in the 175–195°F range; a thigh pulled at 165°F is safe but rubbery, which is how thighs get a breast's reputation
rest5 min
skin up, uncovered
uncovered — tenting traps steam and un-crisps in two minutes what the oven spent thirty building; the juices redistribute just as well in open air