Baking isn’t the only way to cook delicious chicken in the oven. With this broiled chicken thighs recipe, you can explore yet another easy way to create lavish dinners that require only minimum effort and simple ingredients.
This method gives you tender meat with a slightly crisp exterior and charred edges, much like what you would find in grilled food. Even better, since it exposes the food directly to the heat source, the dish will take only minutes to cook. You’ll be putting a few mouthwatering plates on the dining table in a blink of an eye.
Why We Love These Broiled Chicken Thighs
- They’re perfect for all occasions: With sophisticated flavors and simple cooking steps, these broiled chicken thighs are foolproof choices for all types of meals, from casual weeknight dinners and large get-togethers to special celebrations.
- They’re quick and easy: Cooking with the oven broiler requires proximity to the heat, significantly reducing the cooking time. In half an hour, you can have this dish ready to serve with barely any effort.
- They taste phenomenal: The meat carries extraordinary layers of mildly spicy and savory flavor. We paired the chicken with potato wedges and sautéed mushrooms, adding a few softly sweet and earthly notes. Not to mention the golden exterior, charred edges, and soft meat that guarantee an unforgettable first impression.
Ingredients You Will Need
Here is everything we used to make this dish:
- Chicken: We went with bone-in skinless chicken thighs. You can also use the skin-on variety to get that delectably crispy exterior.
- Vegetables: For a side to accompany the chicken, we air-fried some potato wedges, then gave them a quick stir on the stovetop with mushrooms and onions. Feel free to use anything else that you prefer.
- White wine: This adds a delicate yet complex undertone to the overall dish. If you don’t want alcohol in your dish, substitute it with chicken broth.
- Seasonings: We seasoned the chicken with Cajun seasoning, paprika, and garlic powder to give it an intense, smoky, and slightly spicy flavor.
- Other essentials: Salt, pepper, olive oil, and butter.
Flavor Variations to Try Out
Broiled chicken is versatile, so you can always branch out and experiment with other flavor combinations. Here are a few that we recommend:
- BBQ Sauce
Give your meal a full-blown summer feeling by coating the broiled chicken in a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. Combined with the subtle charred taste that broiling brings, the dish will taste like it’s come straight from those classic outdoor grills but with none of their usual hassles.
- Asian Sauces
Broiled works well with a lot of different Asian flavors, whether it’s a deep, umami Teriyaki sauce or a sweet-and-savory mixture of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and other Asian condiments.
- Caramelized Brown Sugar
In the mood for something simple and sweet? Caramelize brown sugar into a thick and glossy sauce to coat all over the broiled chicken. Toss in some minced garlic and other extra condiments; the dish will mesmerize everyone from the first bite.
FAQs
1. Are these broiled chicken thighs healthy?
They certainly are. Chicken is an excellent source of high-quality protein as well as other essential nutrients. They’re served alongside vegetables that provide the extra fiber to support the digestive system and lower cholesterol levels.
Moreover, we also developed this recipe following our nutrition guidelines. As a result, there are only around 459 calories, 7.3 g saturated fat, and 522 mg sodium in a serving.
2. Is it better to broil or bake chicken?
Both broiling and baking are considered relatively healthy since they don’t require a lot of fat and minimize the formation of certain toxins, especially compared to frying.
Between these two methods, the preference is entirely up to you. Baking takes longer than broiling and produces food with a succulent and tender texture. Broiling, on the other hand, takes only a short while and often has a similar result to grilling, in which the food’s exterior is slightly crispy and charred while the inside remains juicy.
3. Can I use other meat cuts for this recipe?
Yes, you can. Broiling works on almost any chicken cut, such as the breasts, drumsticks, or wings. You may, however, need to adjust the timing and ingredient portions accordingly.
You can also branch out and broil other types of meat. Give our Broiled Salmon a try to discover another easy and lavish dinner dish.
How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers
When kept in airtight containers in the fridge, these broiled chicken thighs can last for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it in freezer bags for around 3 months.
As for reheating, the quickest way is to reheat in the microwave until the meat is thoroughly warmed. A quick stir on the stovetop will also do the trick. It may be slightly drier upon reheating.
What to Serve With Broiled Chicken Thighs
This recipe already includes a side of vegetables, so you won’t need anything else that’s too elaborate. If you still want some more veggies to accompany the savory meat, we suggest this colorful and fresh Spring Salad to round out the meal. For something with a more filling quality, mashed potatoes or gnocchi potatoes are excellent choices. You can also give the meal a fine dining feel with a bowl of cream soup, any of these will do: Mushroom Soup, Tomato Basil Soup, and Potato Soup.
Broiled Chicken Thighs
With this broiled chicken thighs recipe, you can explore yet another classic way to create lavish dinners that require only minimum effort and simple ingredients.
- cook TIME 25 mins
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 30 mins
- COURSE Main dish
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 459 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 24 oz skinless chicken thighs
- 6 oz shiitake mushroom (sliced)
- 20 oz potato (sliced into wedges)
- 2 oz onion (sliced into strips)
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
- 1 fl oz white wine
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Slice the potato: Peel off the skin, lengthwise quarter the potato, then slice each quarter in half into wedges.
Slice the mushrooms: Wash, gently pat them dry with paper towels, then slice into desired sizes.
Slice the onion: Slice in half lengthwise, then remove the skin. Lay the half-flat side down, then make crosswise slices.
Mince the garlic: Separate the cloves, then thinly slice them. Rock the knife over the cut pieces until they are finely minced.
Chop the parsley: Remove the stems, then gather and thinly slice the leaves. Rock the knife over the sliced leaves a few times until they are finely chopped.
Cook
Season the chicken: Dry rub 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper all over 24 oz skinless chicken thighs.
Air-fry the potato wedges: Air-fry 20 oz potato wedges at 400 °F for around 15 minutes.
Broil the chicken: In the meantime, broil the seasoned chicken thighs in the top rack of the oven for around 10 - 15 minutes on each side until the exterior turns golden with brown edges or the internal temperature reaches 165 °F.
Sauté the mushrooms and onion: On a pan over medium heat, add 2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, wait for it to slightly melt then add 1 fl oz white wine, 6 oz shiitake mushroom, 1 tbsp garlic, and 2 oz onion and stir around for around 3 minutes.
Add the potato wedges: Add the air-fried potato wedges to the pan and continue stirring around for another few minutes or so.
Add the herbs: Turn off the heat then sprinkle 2 tbsp parsley all over the food.
Garnish and serve: Transfer the broiled chicken thighs and cooked potato wedges, mushrooms, and onion onto serving plates. Best enjoyed while hot.
NUTRITION
Luna Regina
Writer, Author