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Have you got chicken thighs and some basic herbs and spices in the pantry? If so, add a couple of simple sides and you’ve got an easy but very delicious dinner. Bake in either your oven or air fryer!
Skinless boneless chicken thighs are a staple supermarket purchase for me.
They’re just so versatile. Sometimes I throw them in a baking dish with veggies and other goodies to make a tray bake. Like in this sheet pan chicken tikka, or this amazingly delicious Greek chicken and potatoes.
But on days when I’m wanting something REALLY simple, to go with random veggies and sides that I happen to have in the fridge, I make THESE easy baked chicken thighs.
The best recipe for simple baked chicken thighs
I love this recipe-that’s-hardly-a-recipe for a few simple reasons:
- It takes only around 5 minutes to get the chicken into the oven.
- After that your meal can be quite hands-off. Prepare a couple of sides (random vegetables and/or potatoes or flavoured rice work particularly well), then put your feet up for half an hour.
- Although it’s easy, the herbs and spices make the chicken super tasty.
- You can either bake the chicken in your oven for 35 to 45 minutes. OR you can bake it in your air fryer for around 15 to 17 minutes.
Ingredients you need
- a pack of skinless boneless chicken thighs
- olive oil
- a few basic herbs and spices: paprika, mixed Italian herbs (or whatever dried herbs you have), onion and/or garlic powder, salt and pepper
Adapting the recipe
One of the great things about this ‘recipe’ though is that you can adapt it a little according to what you like or what you have.
For instance, if you like, you can also add:
- lemon zest
- a pinch of fennel seeds
- lemon pepper seasoning
- cumin
- chili flakes
Use what you have. Throw any flavours together that you like and you’ll end up with a super tasty and easy dinner!
How to prepare the chicken
This is all you do:
- Line a baking tray.
- Mix the herbs and spices on a medium sized dish or plate.
- Rub the thighs with olive oil.
- Roll in the herb and spice mixture.
- Place the chicken on the baking tray.
Then bake!
Oven or air fryer
If you happen to have an air fryer, you’ll be happy to know that this recipe is perfect for it.
Simply prepare the chicken the same way, then place it into your air fryer basket. The great thing is that you’ll only have to cook your chicken for around 15 to 17 minutes.
What to serve with the chicken thighs
Most often, I serve this with
- some kind of potato side, such as homemade potato wedges or sweet potato wedges (see recipe notes section if you’d like to know exactly how I make them) OR
- some kind of flavoured rice or a simple risotto OR
- a simple salad and olive oil toasts.
AND (if you like) some kind of vegetable – either simple roasted vegetables (see recipe notes!) or simple pan fried or boiled fresh or frozen veggies. Unless you’re making a salad instead!
More very simple meal ideas
If you’ve got:
EGGS + MILK + CHEESE + A BIT OF FLOUR + RANDOM BITS OF COOKED MEAT AND/OR VEGETABLES (FOR AN INCREDIBLE CRUSTLESS QUICHE): https://scrummylane.com/the-best-crustless-quiche/
VEGETABLES LIKE PEPPERS/CAPSICUM, ONIONS, ZUCCHINI/COURGETTE, SWEET POTATO + CHERRY TOMATOES + SAUSAGES + PAPRIKA (FOR A SAUSAGE & ROASTED VEGGIE TRAYBAKE WITH OR WITHOUT GNOCCHI): https://scrummylane.com/easy-baked-gnocchi-with-sausage-peppers-and-tomatoes-30-minute-recipe/
CHICKEN THIGHS + GARLIC + CHORIZO + LOTS OF CHERRY TOMATOES + FRESH BASIL (FOR A RIDICULOUSLY EASY SPANISH STYLE CHICKEN TRAYBAKE): https://scrummylane.com/one-pan-baked-chicken-with-chorizo-and-tomatoes/
Or take a look at all my easy meals here.
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Our favourite easy baked chicken thighs (oven or air fryer)
Ingredients
- 4 large chicken thighs (or more smaller ones – about 17 ounces or 500 grams)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cumin (optional)
- 2½ teaspoons mixed Italian herbs e.g. basil, oregano, thyme (or whichever dried herbs you have)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (approximately)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 355F/180C and prepare a baking tray by lining it with foil or baking paper.
- Mix all the herbs and spices together on a small plate or bowl.
- Rub each chicken thigh all over with olive oil, then roll in the herbs/spices until well covered.
- Place the chicken on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear or internal temperature is 165F or 75C.
- Serve 1 to 2 thighs per person with your choice of sides (potatoes or fries, sweet potato wedges, salad and bread, flavoured rice or risotto, vegetables).
Ann says
As soon as I can score some thighs (as scarce as hens teeth!) they’ll be in my oven, sounds good.
Helen says
There were quite a lot of thighs in stock at about 10am this morning at Coles, Ann. Last week we couldn’t get any though. What’s hard to get seems to vary from day to day! Hope you manage to find some!