Try serving this with fresh Tomato Salad with Herb Vinaigrette for a complete meal! After spending two weeks in Spain this August, you didn’t think I wouldn’t share at least one recipe inspired by that wonderful country’s flavours. These baked chicken thighs with potatoes and peppers come as a result of eating and enjoying too much Spanish paprika, gorging on fresh-from-the-market vegetables and generally loving the life. This recipe for baked chicken thighs with potatoes is very straightforward and uses everyday ingredients. The flavours that come out of that pan, however, will blow your mind. Are you ready?
Tips for juicy and flavourful baked chicken thighs
Some people believe, myself included, that bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs remain the juiciest through the cooking process. Sure you have to work around the bone when you eat them but that’s a small price to pay for delicious chicken. I often recommend marinating chicken in order to get the most flavour. This recipe, however comes out very flavourful without the marinade. All due to bold flavours of Spanish paprika, lemon zest and juice, oregano, garlic, etc. Using fresh herbs will enhance flavours even further. Do if you grow your own like me or have easy access to them, swap out the dried ones for the fresh variety. I always cut the juiced lemon into wedges and tuck them in the pan while the chicken thighs are baking. They infuse the entire dish with tantalising aroma. To make sure your baked chicken thighs come out juicy yet crispy-skinned, simply put your oven into broil/grill mode for UK for 2-5 minutes at the end of cooking time. Skip that step if the skins are already crispy enough.
Substitutions and variations
The question I get asked the most is how to modify the recipe if using boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts. As much as I love bone-in meat, I realise it’s not everyone’s preference, my family included. You can easily use boneless chicken thighs or breasts but I would recommend reducing the cooking time by a half and lower the temperature to 350F/180C. You will also have to pre-boil the potatoes since 25 minutes are not long enough for them to get fully cooked in the oven.
