Allow me to introduce you to one of the easiest, tastiest chicken dinners you can make. These chicken thighs take about 5 minutes to get in the oven. The juices are absolutely drool-worthy so we recommend serving with tortillas to soak up all that flavor. Alternatively, you can serve these thighs plain-old steamed rice And let those juices do all the flavoring.
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Why our recipe?
- One of the easiest dinners you can make. Just add spices and butter and bake.
- Juicy flavored chicken you can serve with tortillas or rice.
Thighs are one of my favorite chicken parts to cook with. They are always soft and moist, and as a bonus, they are always cheap. Chicken thighs are one of my go-to nightly dinners when I don't know what else to make. If you've ever dreaded cooking with skin-on-the-bone chicken, now's the time to give it a try and enjoy that moist meat and crispy skin.
Material notes
- Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are perfect for this recipe. You can use boneless skin, but you won't get that delicious crispy skin.
- Lemon Syrup: Freshly squeezed works best. You will need about 2 limes to get 1/4 cup of juice.
- Cumin: That gives Tex-Mex flavor.
- Chilli Powder: Experiment with different types of chili powder as they all have slightly different flavors.
- Pepper: Adds some spicy heat to the dish. Feel free to reduce or omit if you're keeping things light.
- Garlic Powder: Because garlic makes things so beautiful!
- Ground cloves: Adding a little warm spice balances things out.
- Butter: Helps to make chicken skin fair. Divide it into 8 pieces so that each thigh gets its own little pat of butter.
Make it a meal
Warm Tortillas: Serve chicken thighs with warm tortillas on the side. Tortillas are perfect for soaking up the delicious juices from the chicken. You can make tacos by shredding the chicken. Corn or flour tortillas both work well, so use your favorite!
Steamed Rice: A simple aspect steamed rice A great way to enjoy the flavorful juices from the chicken. The rice absorbs all the delicious drops. You can use plain white rice, brown rice or even cilantro-lime rice for extra flavor.
Vegetables: Keep it simple with us Chop frozen veggies. The whole point of this dinner is to keep things simple!
Crispy skins
Chicken thighs have a fair amount of meat and die for a nice crispy chicken skin. The trick to getting crispy skin is making sure it doesn't sit in any moisture and has direct heat to crisp it up. With chicken thighs, the dark meat is juicy while the skin is tender, so your meat will take longer to dry. The bone also helps bring out the flavor of the chicken while keeping it moist.
To get perfectly crispy chicken skin, pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture before seasoning and cooking. Arrange the thighs in a single layer in your baking dish, making sure they are not touching so the heat circulates evenly. A small pat of butter on each thigh adds flavor and helps the skin crisp up.
Storage and reheating instructions
Keep in fridge Any leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container. They will be good for up to 3 days.
Reheat in microwave Place one chicken thigh on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a microwave-safe lid or another plate. Heat on medium heat for 1 minute then check the chicken. Microwave in additional 30-second increments until heated through. This method is quick but may not keep the skin as crisp.
Reheat in an air fryer Place chicken thighs in a single layer in air fryer basket at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes or until heated through and skin is crisp.
