We had a quiet, at-home Memorial Day at the beginning of this week, but we sure made it fun - and delicious! There was board games and puzzles and reading, Legos and building projects, bike rides and homemade ice cream, Mario Kart playing, and a dinner feast on the porch with bacon cheeseburgers, corn on the cob, coleslaw, oven fries and watermelon. This coming weekend we will celebrate my sweet chocolate lab Dixie, who is turning 11. She’s pretty much the best dog in the world (no, I’m not biased, why do you ask?) and we just adore her. ❤️ Anyway, let’s move on to the food! Today’s recipe for these easy baked chicken thighs are one of my go-to chicken dinners. Although, I must admit, I wasn’t always a big fan of chicken thighs. I didn’t get what all the fuss was about and thought the people who said they are so much more flavorful than chicken breasts were just loony. I don’t even know what happened, if my taste buds changed after my second pregnancy, if I finally made them in a delicious way, not sure. But I’m a total convert. And these easy baked chicken thighs will make a convert of you too. They are crazy simple - just two seasonings plus some olive oil, salt and pepper - but they make for the most juicy, tender, flavorful chicken. (Check out Air Fryer chicken thighs for a different twist. And oven chicken shawarma is one of my absolute faves!) Plus, they are super versatile! You can pair then with any side dish (I’ve got a few ideas below) and you can use them for wraps, grain bowls, or any recipe where you need some cooked chicken. (You can also check out these baked split chicken breasts, which are another affordable, easy recipe to make ahead.) That is, if you don’t just devour them all as soon as they’re ready. Cause you’re gonna want to. Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make baked chicken thighs. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Recipe Notes:
The recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. If you are using bone-in, you’ll need to increase the baking time to ensure they cook through all the way through. The serving size is about 2 chicken thighs per person, so try and get a pack of 8. You can adjust the seasonings, if needed, depending on how many you make. Poultry seasoning is a great mix of herbs that adds a TON of flavor. You can buy it in the spice aisle and it typically contains thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper and nutmeg. Or, if you don’t have any or want to buy any, use a blend of sage, thyme and rosemary. Lining the baking sheet with aluminum foil makes clean-up a breeze.
Pro tip: Drizzle any accumulated juices from the baking pan over the chicken when serving. It makes me drool a little just thinking about it… We love these chicken thighs served just on their own, but you could of course add a sauce or serve them with some dipping sauces. BBQ sauce, pesto, honey mustard, even Ranch dressing for the Ranch fanatics would all work with these. Or get creative and use your favorite sauce or dressing. OK, let’s round out this meal and get ready to eat!
Serving Ideas:
You can serve this chicken with baked or mashed potatoes, steamed rice or creamy polenta. Pasta would work too, especially a pasta salad. Or a farro or grain based salad. For a vegetable, do a simple steamed broccoli or asparagus. Or add a second baking sheet to the oven and roast some veggies while the chicken is cooking. You could also do a side salad or store-bought bagged salad to keep things simple. Feel free to add some rolls or crusty bread to go alongside your meal.
Looking for some more exciting sides to go with this chicken for your dinner? Try easy stovetop mac and cheese, which you can prep while the chicken is roasting. Or Caprese pasta salad, confetti brown rice, mashed cauliflower casserole, cheesy zucchini brown rice, or Mediterranean quinoa salad. The beauty of a simple main dish like this is you can pair it with just about anything! And because it’s so hands-off, you can focus that time on your other sides. Or you can just pour a glass of wine and enjoy a few (hopefully quiet) minutes in the kitchen. Finally, a couple notes about any leftovers you might be lucky enough to have. Leftover baked chicken thighs will keep, once cooled, in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Slice the chicken, reheat if desired, and use for sandwiches, wraps, grain bowls and more. I hope you give this a try for a simple, but seriously flavorful, easy chicken dinner soon. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn The recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. If you are using bone-in, you’ll need to increase the baking time to ensure they cook through all the way. The serving size is about 2 chicken thighs per person, so try and get a pack of 8. You can adjust the seasonings, if needed, depending on how many you make. Poultry seasoning is a great mix of herbs that adds a TON of flavor. You can buy it in the spice aisle and it typically contains thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper and nutmeg. Or, if you don’t have any or want to buy any, use a blend of sage, thyme and rosemary. Lining the baking sheet with aluminum foil makes clean-up a breeze. (Parchment paper works OK, but the juices from the chicken can get underneath it and then you’re cleaning the pan anyway.) Pro tip: Drizzle any accumulated juices from the baking pan over the chicken when serving. Yum! These are delicious on their own, but you could serve them with a dipping sauce if you’d like. BBQ sauce, honey mustard, a pesto sauce or Ranch would all be good. Leftover baked chicken thighs will keep, once cooled, in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Slice them, reheat if desired, and use for sandwiches, wraps, grain bowls and more later in the week.
