How To Bake Boneless Chicken Thighs?

If you’re interested in learning how to bake boneless chicken thighs, this article will help you. This meat is juicy and flavorful, and relatively easy to make at home. These thighs are similar in weight to breast meat, so purchasing a close-weight pair is essential. You can also bring them for fifteen minutes in salty water before cooking. After bringing, dry them well.

Baked chicken thighs

To bake chicken thighs, you should brush them with neutral vegetable oil and high smoke points. Then, rub the thighs with different seasonings to add additional flavor. You can also make your spice mixtures. You can use a thermometer to check the temperature of the meat, but make sure it does not touch the bone. It would help to rest the thighs after baking to retain moisture.

Chicken Thighs Nutrition Facts

Chicken thighs nutrition facts

What Are Exactly Chicken Thighs?

The top section of the chicken leg attached to the body is the thigh (instead of the drumstick, which is the bottom half). Chicken thighs are juicy and tender because they have dark meat. Because of their somewhat larger fat content, they have all of the advantages of chicken breasts, such as convenience and speed of cooking, without the risk of becoming tasteless and dry.

They’re fantastic for roasting and braising with the bones and skin on. More supermarkets now carry boneless, skinless thighs, which cook rapidly and are ideal for grilling or sautéing. Thighs from mass-produced chickens are typically larger than free-range birds, so check the package weight to ensure you get the proper amount; you may need more of the smaller thighs.

How to Bake Boneless Chicken Thighs?

Chicken has a lousy reputation for drying out in the oven, but we’re not going to let that happen here. You don’t have to be concerned about chicken thighs, even if they’re skinless and boneless. These boneless chicken thighs are first marinated in a simple honey mustard-like marinade, giving them a juicy and tasty texture. By baking the thighs at a high temperature, you’ll spend less time in the oven and get even more outstanding results. These thighs pair well with a large salad or roasted potatoes.

The longer you marinate your chicken, the better it will be. If you have 30 minutes to marinate the chicken, leave it out at room temperature. If you’re marinating for more than an hour, put it in the fridge. If needed, marinate your chicken overnight in the refrigerator; any longer, and the acid and sodium in the marinade can cause your chicken to break down too much.

Ingredients

  • Eight boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 c. dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp.honey
  • 2 tbsp. packed brown sugar
  • Two cloves garlic, minced 
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Combine oil, soy sauce, dijon, honey, brown sugar, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken thighs and toss to combine. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and set it on a large foil-lined baking sheet. Remove and discard any leftover marinade. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°.
  3. Switch the oven to broil and cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce on the chicken begins to thicken somewhat.
You can choose to cook the boneless chicken thighs in two ways. You can roast them in a pan by frying them for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. If you want to roast the chicken in the oven, you can use the oven to roast the thighs. The chicken thighs are best cooked when they reach 165 degrees. If you don’t like the skin, you can remove it and add more spice. You can even grill them if they’re already cooked. To bake boneless chicken thighs, prepare them by rubbing them with oil. Then, season them with spices. To prepare the chicken for baking, you can brush the thigh skins with the remaining spice mixture. After seasoning, place the thigh in a single layer on a baking sheet. The oven should be preheated to 425 degrees. Then, place the chicken thighs on the middle rack of the oven.

Points To Remember While Baking Boneless Chicken Thighs

Here are some essential points that should be remembered:

  • The first step in baking boneless chicken thighs is to prepare the ingredients. Brush the thighs with olive oil and season with the spices. Make sure the seasoning well adheres to the skin. Remove the skin before you bake the thighs. The skin contains fat, which will flavor the meat as it cooks.
  •  Be sure to place the thighs on a greased baking sheet. Put the thighs on the middle rack of a preheated oven. Roast the thigh pieces for 30 minutes to 45 minutes, depending on the size and shape of the thigh.
  • After brushing the thighs with the spice mixture, you should put them in a single layer on a baking tray. You can also bake the chicken thighs in the oven with the smaller thighs in between. You should check the internal temperature of the thigh with an instant-read thermometer.
  •  The meat should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. After the oven has been removed, remove the thighs from the baking dish and let them rest for about five minutes. Once fully cooked, they can be paired with vegetables and a salad.
  • Once the thighs are baked, you can brush them with the spice mixture. After this, they should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to cook the chicken in a single layer, you can bake a smaller thigh on top of the larger one. If you want to bake the chicken pieces in two layers, you should brush the pieces with the spice mixture in between each.

How Healthy Are Chicken Thighs?

Baked chicken thighs

Many people find it challenging to consume nutrient-dense and cost-effective foods. While chicken thighs contain more fat and cholesterol than chicken breast meat (3 grams total fat and 0.7 grams saturated fat per 3-ounce meal), both can easily fall under the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ fat intake guidelines. This varies from 20% to 35% of total calories from fat, with saturated fat accounting for 10% or less of total calories.

Furthermore, chicken thighs are frequently a more cost-effective option than other meat or fish products, making them an excellent source of protein for those on a tight budget. Protein-rich foods can help you achieve your weight-loss objectives and maintain your bone health, among other things.

Finally, if prepared correctly, chicken thighs can be a nutritious complement to your diet. Try grilling, baking, or stir-frying chicken thighs instead of frying them if you’re attempting to cut down on your fat intake. Also, pay attention to the amount of sodium you use when cooking. Herbs and spices are a terrific method to add flavor to a recipe without salt. To balance out the nutrition and give your meal more lasting power, serve chicken thighs with nutritious grains and vegetables.

Chicken Breasts v/s Chicken Thighs

Chicken breasts and chicken thighs have different nutritional profiles, and the fat content is the only significant difference between the two. Chicken thighs have higher fat content and are moister than chicken breasts. However, while both the thighs and the breasts have a similar iron, salt, and good cholesterol level role, calories, fat, and saturated fats vary. On average, a 3-ounce skinless chicken breast contains 140 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 1 gram of saturated fat.

On the other hand, the same amount of chicken thighs contain three times the fat and 177 calories. Chicken thighs are a definite winner when it comes to flavor! Because chicken thighs are dark flesh, they have a strong flavor. When chicken breasts’ boneless and skinless white meat is cooked, it can become dry and chewy. It may use other herbs and oils to enhance the flavors nutritional value of chicken breast and thighs differs. When comparing the nutritional value of both chicken portions, chicken breasts come out on top. They’re low in calories, high in protein, low in saturated fats, and high in healthy cholesterol. The protein, combined with the low fat and calorie content, will give you the energy you need to get through the day and post-workout. Finally, you can have both, but chicken breasts are the healthier option.

Conclusion

Feel free to indulge if you’re a dark meat fan who prefers the flavor of succulent chicken thighs over that of leaner chicken breast. Chicken thighs are an excellent addition to a balanced diet because of their protein content and abundance of nutrients. Focus on healthily preparing the thighs and serving them with veggies and whole grains for added endurance. You may enjoy a nutrient-packed meal that is both simple and satisfying with recipes like our Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Broccoli or Skillet Lemon Chicken with Potatoes and Kale.