CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS | gluten-free, paleo, keto recipe
- When I was a kid, I loved KFC.
But my favorite part was the crispy skin
that was full of herbs and flavor.
And if I'm being honest,
I probably ate a lot moreskin than I did actual meat.
Well, I no longer eat KFCfor very obvious reasons.
But I still love juicy, tender chicken
and crispy, flavorful skin.
And that's where today's recipe
for my baked chicken thighs comes in.
With a drizzle of avocado oil
and a generous amount of herbs and spices,
you can create crispy baked chicken
that the whole family will love.
And you can feel better knowing
that it's a much healthier option.
So let me show you how to make it.
Start by taking your chickenthighs out of the fridge
about 20 minutes beforeyou plan to cook them.
This helps bring them to room temperature,
and room-temperature chickenwill cook more evenly
and it will stay juicierthan cold chicken.
So I'm just gonna transfermy organic chicken thighs
to a bowl and set that aside.
There's also a misconception
that you need to rinse chicken
once you bring it home from the store.
But as the USDA says,
it would be impossible forwater to remove all bacteria,
and rinsing the chickenonly cross-contaminates
your kitchen and anything nearby.
Such as your sink, faucet, and countertop.
So rest assured the heat from cooking
will kill any bacteria present,
and you don't need to rinse the chicken.
On the topic of washing,
it should go without saying that
I wash my hands numerous timeswhen I'm handling chicken.
But I won't bore you andshow you every single time,
so just know that I do.
Alright, preheat your ovento 425 degrees Fahrenheit,
and then get all of your spices out.
We're using a good amountof spices in this recipe,
which makes the chickenenormously flavorful,
and helps to add thatcrunch factor to the skin.
In a small bowl,
add two teaspoons of garlic powder,
two teaspoons of onion powder,
1 1/2 teaspoons of paprika,
one teaspoon of oregano,
one teaspoon of thyme,
one teaspoon of salt,
and a half a teaspoon of black pepper.
You can also use Italian seasoning
in place of the oreganoand thyme if you have that.
Then give the spices a stir to combine.
You can see that the chickenhas beads of moisture on it
as it comes to room temperature,
and we want to make surethat it's completely dry,
as dry skin equals crispy skin.
So just use a paper towel ortwo to blot the chicken dry.
Add two tablespoons ofavocado oil to the chicken,
and give the chicken a stir
to make sure that it's well-coated.
I always prefer avocadooil when I'm baking,
but you could use olive oil as well.
Then add about 2/3 of thespices to the chicken.
I tend to add 1/3 of thespices, then give it a stir,
and add another 1/3 of thespices and give it a stir.
Just to make sure all ofthe thighs are well-coated.
And don't forget to get under the skin
and add some spices there as well.
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To ensure the chicken thighs
stay nice and crispy while baking,
add a rack on top of your baking sheet.
This will allow the juices to drip down
and the air to circulateall around the chicken.
I also recommend a heavy-duty baking sheet
if you don't already have one,
as it won't warp and twist while baking.
And I'll link one in thedescription box below.
So just add your chickenthighs to the rack,
and try to keep your skinnice and smooth on top.
Then sprinkle theremaining 1/3 of the spices
on top of the chicken thighs,
and use your fingers toreally pat it in good.
This is gonna help give usthat golden crispy skin,
and it is so packed with flavor.
Bake the chicken inthe middle of your oven
for 35 to 40 minutes.
It should be beautifuland golden when it's done,
but you can always turn on the top broiler
as well for a minute or two.
The biggest mistake peoplemake when cooking chicken
is that they overcook it.
Chicken is done at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
But chicken continues to cook
once it's removed from the oven.
So I always try to take my chicken out
at 160 degrees Fahrenheit,
although it's 162 today.
Knowing that the temperature will always
raise that extra five degrees.
Now the hardest part of this entire recipe
is waiting a couple of minutesfor the chicken to cool.
It will smell absolutely amazing,
and you'll wanna dive right in.
But do wait,
as the juices will redistributeinside the chicken,
and this makes it extra juicy.
If you're serving this upfor a party or gathering,
you can transfer the chicken to a plate
and garnish with a little fresh thyme.
I'm excited to dig into this recipe,
as it's one of myfavorite weeknight meals.
And if you're looking for side dishes,
you could make my baked sweet potatoes,
my mashed cauliflower,
or my garlic sauteed Swiss chard.
And all of those recipesare on my website.
The outside of the chickenis nice and crispy,
and as you can see theinside is tender and juicy.
But the reality is,
no one is gonna use a knifeand fork to eat this chicken.
They're gonna pick it up anddig right in as I usually do.
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I hope you enjoyed today's video,
and if you did,
make sure to give it a thumbs-up
and hit that subscribe button below
so you don't miss next week's video.
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Baked chicken thighs that are crispy and juicy! It's a favorite chicken recipe that's incredibly easy to make, packed with flavor and much healthier than traditional fried chicken - you'll love it. Just a drizzle of avocado oil and a generous amount of herbs and spices makes this a healthy recipe that's gluten-free, paleo, Whole30 and keto friendly. Make sure to check out my website for more easy and delicious chicken recipes for dinner! Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe: https://bit.ly/2VuFclx SIDE DISH IDEAS Baked Sweet Potato: https://bit.ly/2DdA3bb Mashed Cauliflower: https://bit.ly/2y2jWdV Garlic Sautéed Swiss Chard: https://bit.ly/2tKqiLO PRODUCTS MENTIONED: Heavy Duty Baking Sheet: https://amzn.to/2H7QFTW Baking Rack: https://amzn.to/2tK140q Avocado Oil: https://amzn.to/2EkZCXa ALWAYS IN MY KITCHEN: Counter Stools: http://bit.ly/2tUNvZG Vitamix Blender: https://amzn.to/2NjFp75 Spiralizer: https://amzn.to/2N37WRy Tea Kettle: http://amzn.to/2uuNSMp Utensil Holder: http://bit.ly/2tVfGaH Flour Jars: http://bit.ly/2tV6C5y Knife Set: http://bit.ly/2tUGzMa Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/2Vskgv9 Glass Mixing Bowls: https://amzn.to/2L2hx6O For everything else I use in my videos, check out the SHOP page on my website: https://downshiftology.com/shop The music I use: https://bit.ly/2Ms5nF2 - Great music for YouTubers! WHAT I'M WEARING: Long Sleeve Tee: http://bit.ly/2T6xoK1 AG Jeans: http://bit.ly/2EiNg1N Linen Apron: http://bit.ly/2twA32E WEBSITE: https://www.downshiftology.com INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/downshiftology FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/downshiftology PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/downshiftology Disclaimer: product links may include affiliate links. #chickenrecipe #healthyrecipes #dinnerrecipes