Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe - Savory Nothings (2024)

FAQs

Should you cover chicken thighs when baking? ›

It really depends on the end result you want. I leave the skin on my chicken, and I like it crispy. Crispy skin is a result of dry cooking, like roasting/baking, grilling, or frying. Covering a chicken with foil will turn dry cooking into moist cooking - you're not really baking, anymore, you're braising.

All three types of chicken thighs cook well in an oven. Boneless chicken thighs are the quickest-cooking option, and roasting skin-on thighs in an oven can yield a crispy surface even without the chicken skin. Thanks to the even heat of an oven, the bone-in variety can also cook evenly. 1.

You can roast or bake anywhere between 325 and 450 degrees F. When roasting a whole chicken, a nice rule of them is to start at 400 to 425 degrees F and then turn the oven down to 350 after 15 minutes and cook until the internal temp of the chicken is 165 – 175 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.

A: Yes, you can marinate the chicken breasts with extra virgin olive oil and herbs for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator before baking to enhance the flavor.

Chicken thighs are a perfect go-to for a hot grill (or grill pan!). Try a rub or marinade, or simply season with salt and pepper. Brush grill grates or grill pan with oil. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Put simply, if you wash raw chicken, you are cross-contaminating your kitchen. Yes, fresh fruit and vegetables should be washed with cold water before preparation, but raw poultry should not. Don't worry: Properly cooking chicken will destroy any pathogens. In fact, it is the only way to destroy those pathogens.

Unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs and drumsticks actually become more tender the longer they cook. That's because of their makeup. Dark meat has an abundant amount of connective tissue, which dissolves into gelatin as the meat cooks, rendering it juicy and tender.

Since they have a higher fat content and retain moisture during cooking, it's more difficult to overcook chicken thighs than it is to overcook chicken breasts. Particularly if you buy bone-in chicken thighs, they mostly just fall off of the bone if you leave them in the oven too long!

How long and at what temperature should you bake the thighs? You'll want to bake these at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes without moving or turning them during the process. This temperature and time ensure that crispy outside and juicy inside we're looking for.

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.

Is it better to cover chicken when baking? ›

It delivers mouth-watering results: By using foil to bake chicken, you seal in its juices as it steams. This keeps your chicken moist and wonderfully flavorful. It gives you a complete meal in a packet: While you can bake your chicken alone, using foil allows you to build a delicious, all-in-one meal.

Baking Temperature and Timing

While chicken thighs only need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees as read by a meat thermometer, I recommend you bake them until they reach 180 – 190 degrees. This takes 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees.

Aside from classics like salt, pepper, basil and garlic, you could try using chilli powder, ginger, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme.

Butter or olive oil: Your pick! I like the extra flavor that butter adds, but olive oil will also work well. Kosher Salt: An essential ingredient in our brine, and we will also use salt to season the chicken before baking.

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.

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.

You never have to worry about covering chicken while baking, as it's OK to bake it uncovered. Once your chicken is in the oven, it's hands-free until you need to check the temperature. Then, you can whip up a no-cook appetizer, vegetable or potato side dish, or dessert if you're feeling ambitious.

You never have to worry about covering chicken while baking, as it's fine to bake it uncovered, and once your chicken is in the oven, it's hands-free until you need to check the temperature. So you can whip up a no-cook appetizer, side dish, or dessert if you're feeling ambitious.