Easy Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are delicious, simple, and pretty quick to make. Serve with just about any favorite side dish like potatoes, salad or rice.
Third time’s a charm with this delicious chicken. It was so good the first time I made it, but I didn’t write down which seasonings I used or take photos. Bad food blogger, bad!
The next time I made it, I wrote down what I did but didn’t have time to take photos. I have a two year old and one year old and I married an electrician who sometimes gets called out on emergencies. My life doesn’t always accommodate blogging, what can I say?
So the third time, I planned this chicken for an evening when I knew I’d be able to capture what I needed. I just couldn’t wait to share this recipe with all of you.
Everyone loves a simple and yummy chicken dish. For some reason, when I was a kid, I didn’t like dark meat. I have no idea why but at some point in life, it grew on me. It has so much more flavor than white meat. It’s easier to cook without drying it out, too. There’s just so much to love about it.
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Ingredients:
Chicken Thighs
Look for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. A 1 pound package (give or take a few ounces) will have around 4 chicken thighs in it. That’s perfect. They’re fairly small when cooked, so plan on 1 per person or 2 for the extra hungry ones in your family.
Seasoning
If you’re a fairly proficient cook, you probably don’t even need to measure the spices for this recipe. Just eyeball it and shake each one right onto the chicken. It’s nearly impossible to mess this up!
Just make sure you’re using garlic powder and not garlic salt. Big difference!
How to Cook the Chicken
Make sure the pan is good and hot before adding the chicken. Medium heat for a cast iron skillet will do, but for anything else, you might need to go a bit hotter.
This ensures the chicken browns fairly quickly without cooking too much. We want the chicken to cook mostly in the oven. It cooks a little slower that way and retains the moisture.
I just want to mention the pan I’m using here. This is the Le Creuset 3.5qt Braiser. I really love this pan because it’s enameled cast iron. It’s sturdy and holds an even heat. It has a nice heavy lid and functions the same as a dutch oven, but it’s flat and has a wider surface area so it’s better for certain things.
Cook the chicken on medium heat for 5 or 6 minutes on each side just until it’s nicely browned. Then put the pan in the oven, uncovered, and bake.
There are a few different options for cookware you can use on the stove and in the oven. I have a few pieces and this is one that gets used a ton in my kitchen. Cast iron is just so sturdy and versatile, but there are lots of other options as well.
Your chicken should come out of the oven looking beautifully golden, juicy and mouthwatering. I really do hope you make this, because it’s just so easy and delicious. I served mine on a bed of mashed cinnamon sweet potatoes and this Tropical Fruit Salad with Pistachios and Honey Lemon Dressing.
Such a light, fresh meal. Everyone loved it and we even finished the leftovers. That’s always the biggest indicator of a successful recipe! Not only that, but as a mom, I love having an extra meal that’s ready to go. 2 for 1 is always good when it comes to feeding my family.
Easy Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Oven safe skillet, dutch oven or braiser
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs - approximately 1 pound
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- dash black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F
- Add all seasonings to a small prep bowl and mix together.
- Arrange chicken on a plate and sprinkle half the seasoning on one side of chicken thighs.
- Flip over chicken thighs and sprinkle on remaining seasoning.
- Heat olive oil in an oven safe skillet, dutch oven or braiser.
- Add chicken to the pan and cook 4-6 minutes until well browned, then flip.
- Cook another 4-6 minutes until second side is brown.
- Place pan of chicken in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 28-32 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165° F.
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