I paused before sharing this recipe with you. Why did I pause? It's a wonderfully delicious dish. It does take about an hour to bake, but the hands on prep time is about five minutes … maybe less. My concern in sharing it was that it might be too simple to rate inclusion here.
And then I thought about it. That's just silly. It's a recipe with just two ingredients, about five minutes of prep time, and it's fantastic. Why wouldn't I share it? This space is about sharing recipes and kitchen ideas that will make your lives more delicious, less stressed, and better. How does a recipe like this not fit the bill? So here's my go-to recipe for dinner on a lazy day:
Baked Chicken Thighs
- 4 chicken thighs -- bone in, skin on
- Your favorite seasoning blend
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse the chicken thighs in water and pat dry with paper towels, as needed. Cover the bottom of a baking sheet or roasting pan with a nonstick baking mat or coat the pan with nonstick spray. Generously sprinkle both sides of the chicken pieces with your chosen seasoning blend. Arrange the pieces skin-side up in the baking or roasting pan.
Bake for 30 minutes at 400°F. Then lower the heat to 350°F and cook for another 30 minutes more until the juices run clear (not pink) when poked with a sharp knife or the internal temperature of the chicken is 170°.
Remove the baking or roasting pan from the oven. Place the chicken thighs on a serving plate. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- Yields: 3-4 servings
- Preparation Time: 5 minutes plus 1 hour baking
I like to use several different seasoning blends from Penzeys. My favorites include: Northwoods, Ruth Ann's Muskego Ave Chicken and Fish Seasoning, and their Cajun seasoning. Try your own favorite seasoning salts and blends.
I also tend to pour the accumulated drippings off into a container for making gravy or seasoning rice or pasta another night. That is, if I'm not already using them to make gravy or a side dish for the chicken dinner! You'll love how lovely your home smells after you've been baking chicken for an hour and the time it takes to make it is more than enough time to toss together a salad, chill some wine, and maybe make some lightly seasoned rice. Enjoy.