Baked Hen Thighs – WellPlated.com

Wishing tonight’s dinner was straightforward, cheap, and fairly tough to mess up? Bonus factors if it’s wholesome? Time to make Baked Hen Thighs! These oven baked hen thighs have crispy pores and skin, juicy meat, and loads of taste.

Why You’ll Love This Baked Hen Thighs Recipe

• Crispy Pores and skin. As a result of that’s top-of-the-line issues about baked hen! (Crispy pores and skin lovers, don’t miss Air Fryer Hen Thighs and Crispy Baked Hen Wings.)
• By no means Dry or Rubbery. Darkish hen thigh meat is juicier and much much less susceptible to drying out than baked boneless skinless hen breast, which suggests cooking these crispy baked hen thighs is stress-free!
• Packed With Vitamins. Whereas many suppose chicken is more healthy, that is hardly the case. Hen thighs are filled with diet. In comparison with chicken, darkish meat has extra iron, zinc, vitamin B-12, thiamine, and different vitamins too. (Sure, darkish meat has extra fats than white, but it surely’s nonetheless a really lean, wholesome protein.) Deliver on the hen thigh recipes!
• Tremendous Flavorful. Baked bone-in hen thighs (and Baked Hen Legs) have extra taste and are juicier than boneless skinless hen thighs as a result of the bone flavors the meat from the within and helps retain moisture (it’s why you may skip brining when making Baked Bone-In Hen Breast, but it surely’s vital for juicy boneless Grilled Hen Breast or Air Fryer Hen Breast).
• Funds-Pleasant. Making oven-baked hen thighs for dinner is a cut price! Per pound, darkish meat is inexpensive than chicken, and bone-in hen is inexpensive than boneless.

Extra About These Straightforward Baked Hen Thighs

At the moment, I’m providing you with my greatest 5-star, juicy hen thighs within the oven recipe with dried Italian herbs (be happy to swap for contemporary herbs when you’ve got them), garlic, and lemon.

Old style baked crispy hen thighs within the oven are equally as make-ahead pleasant as they’re last-minute wholesome dinner materials. (Although for the quickest methodology for making ready hen, attempt Pan Fried Hen Breast.)

• I like to recommend 60 minutes of marinade time, however you may cut back it to half-hour should you want a shortcut.
• On the alternative aspect of the timeline, you may fully prep them the night time earlier than and pop them into the oven when it’s time for supper.

That is one tasty (and wholesome) baked hen thighs within the oven recipe you may serve with satisfaction.

The way to Make Hen Thighs within the Oven

The Components

• Hen Thighs. Flavorful and succulent, hen thighs are a improbable, wholesome ingredient (attempt them in Hen Cacciatore). I used bone-in, skin-on hen thighs, that are wholesome, reasonably priced, and almost inconceivable to mess up.

• Italian Marinade. A combination of olive oil, paprika, garlic, Italian seasoning (which comprises oregano, basil, marjoram, and extra), salt, pepper, and lemon. It imparts gentle and shiny Italian taste onto the hen and helps make it additional juicy. This shiny Hen Marinade is one other marinade you should use for hen within the oven.
• Onion. My particular trick for this recipe is to thinly slice an onion and scatter it across the hen thighs as they bake within the oven. As soon as roasted, the onions change into deliciously caramelized and candy.
• Contemporary Herbs. Contemporary parsley, tarragon, or thyme is the right completion.

The Instructions

1. Marinate. Mix the marinade elements and marinate hen thighs for not less than half-hour or for as much as 12 hours within the fridge.

2. Season the Onions. The onions are non-compulsory however so delish.

3. Organize. Nestle the hen thighs into the onions pores and skin aspect up.

4. Prepare dinner. Bake hen thighs for 25 to 35 minutes or till the interior temperature of the hen reaches 165 levels F (stir the onions partway via). Let relaxation on the pan for five minutes.
5. End. Stir the onions and broil 1 to 2 minutes to crisp the hen pores and skin. Garnish with herbs, then serve scorching and ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• BBQ Hen Thighs within the Oven. Season the thighs together with your favourite BBQ spice mix (comparable to smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic and onion powder). Serve with Barbecue Sauce.
• Outdated Original Hen Thighs within the Oven. Hold the style pure and easy with salt, pepper, and paprika. Serve with Straightforward Drop Biscuits and your favourite gravy (we love Sausage Gravy).
• Southern Hen Thighs within the Oven. Season the hen with a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, seasoned salt, just a little cayenne, and dried rosemary.
• Curry Hen Thighs within the Oven. Season the thighs with curry powder, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and salt. (This variation could be delicious with Turmeric Rice.)

Storage Suggestions

• To Retailer. Place baked hen thighs in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
• To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish within the oven at 350 levels F or within the microwave.
• To Freeze. Freeze hen thighs in an hermetic, freezer-safe storage container for as much as 3 months. Let thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.

What to Serve with Baked Hen Thighs

Recipe Suggestions and Tips

• Don’t Cowl the Hen. Some hen thighs within the oven recipes require protecting with aluminum foil. This isn’t one in every of them. When baking hen thighs with the pores and skin on, you’re making an attempt to attain crispy hen thighs within the oven. Due to this fact, leaving them uncovered ensures a crispy pores and skin that turns completely golden. YUM!
• Stick With Excessive and Quick. AKA the alternative of low and gradual. I discover it greatest to bake bone-in hen thigh recipes like this one at a excessive temperature—425 levels F. Since hen thighs are lean, they don’t profit from low, gradual cooking the way in which more durable, extra marbled cuts like Sluggish Cooker Pulled Pork do.
• Or Modify the Temperature As Wanted. If wanted, you may modify the oven temperature all the way down to as little as 400 levels F to accommodate different dishes—say you’re cooking the hen thighs within the oven concurrently a pan of Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Butternut Squash. Merely lengthen the cooking time by a couple of minutes (or go for 415 levels F—proper in between). Or, you may make a sheet pan Rosemary Hen Thighs, which embody veggies on the identical pan.
• Know When Baked Hen Thighs Are Carried out. The very best (and I’d say solely true) method to inform in case your hen is cooked correctly is to make use of an instant-read meat thermometer inserted on the thickest half. Hen ought to be cooked to 165 levels F, however its temperature will rise after it’s faraway from the warmth. Hen thighs are forgiving, so you may go as much as 170 levels F.
• Don’t Neglect the Relaxation. Resting permits the meat to come back to a secure temperature. Resting is important in order that the juices have time to reincorporate into the baked hen thighs.