As far as I’m concerned, chicken thighs are the best cut of meat on the chicken. They are nearly impossible to overcook and the meat is quite tender and flavorful. I braise them, stew them, grill and fry them. Most times I remove the skin as it’s not the healthiest for us but sometimes we want that super crispy skin without having to fry. I have been working on a simple recipe to keep the chicken skin crispy in the oven with no breading and I’ve finally figured it out! You need to bake the thighs in the upper third of the oven as it’s the hottest part. Also, air drying the chicken in the fridge for at least an hour helps as well. The skin renders out it’s fat and the skin turns into a crispy chicken “chip”, my daughter’s favorite thing.
Tools
- Roasting pan
- baster
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken thighs bone-in and skin on
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of dried herbs
Recipe
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. place in roasting pan and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to several hours. The skin will dry out a bit and that helps to crisp the skin later. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the fridge and let chicken return to room temperature. Put olive oil all over chicken and sprinkle the dry ingredients on top. Bake thighs for 50 minutes to an hour until Chicken reaches 165 degrees internal temperature. I baste the chicken twice with the oil and juices starting around the 35 minute mark. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
