baked chicken thighs – 3 ways!

Chicken thighs…marinated three ways to suit your fancy.  Up until a few weeks ago, I wasn’t even sure if I really cared for good ol’ thighs to be honest with you, as I had never really had them before.  This may be somewhat surprising, but I had previously just overlooked their goodness.  Who knows why?  Basically, the inaugural recipe of such began when I was at the butcher shop, unable to find some chicken breasts for dins one evening.  Sitting lonely, neighbouring the section which once sat the breasts, were some boneless, skinless chicken thighs.  Without much thought, I snagged them and was on my way.

With this new (to me) poultry part in my possession, I decided to get a wee bit creative and whip up some simple, yet flavourful marinades to soak these bad boys in.  I had 12 chicken pieces in total…and decided to separate them equally into three Ziplock bags, containing different marinades.  Funny enough, as it turned out, the night I intended on baking them, I got tied up and just turned to having leftovers that night.  Regardless, they were all ready to go (minus the actually cooking process), so the chicken thighs were fortunate to be able to sit, immerse in the liquid concoctions overnight in the fridge.

Fast forward through the magical world of the www.  Verdict…2 thumbs up!  They turned out super moist and tender, totally filled with an abundance of juicy flavour.  They def get additional bonus points, if you are on a budget, as chicken thighs are a very affordable option.  Similar to that of their white meat counterpart, they can either come with the bone-in or boneless…and also with skin-on or skinless.  The choice here is ultimately yours…personal preference I suppose.  I think I want to try boneless chicken thighs, with the skin-on next time!  Lastly, I must also mention that these delicious chunks of meat serve as terrific leftovers.  I found myself quickly grabbing a couple thighs in the morning for breakfast, as I was literally darting out the door for work.  A super sweet option for those who are often on the go!

Marination is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origins of the word allude to the use of brine (aqua marina) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flavor by immersion in liquid. The liquid in question, the ‘marinade’, can be acidic with ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, or wine or enzymatic (made with ingredients such as pineapple or papaya.)^[1] Along with these liquids, a marinade often contains oils, herbs, and spices to further flavor the food items.

It is commonly used to flavor foods and to tenderize tougher cuts of meat.^[2] The process may last seconds or days. Different marinades are used in different cuisines. For example, in Indian cuisine the marinade is usually prepared with a mixture of spices. (Source: Wikipedia)

Note:  I will try to be as accurate as possible, but not gonna lie – mostly eyeballed it, test-tested and hoped for the best when it came to the amounts of olive oil and balsamic that I put in!!!  I will make these again in the next week or two, and re-jig the recipe to include the exact measurements for y’all.

Marinades (12 chicken thighs total – each marinade was made for 4 chicken thigh pieces each.  You may want to adjust, depending on your quantity)

Balsamic

• coconut/olive oil – generous amount to coat
• balsamic vinegar (equal parts oil and vinegar)
• 3 shallots – finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves – crushed
• 2 tbsp grainy mustard – good quality
• coarse sea salt and ground pepper

Lemon

• coconut/olive oil – generous amount to coat
• 1.5 lemons – squeezed
• 3 tbsp Italian seasoned herb mix (dried basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, black pepper)
• 3 garlic cloves – crushed
• coarse sea salt and ground pepper

Smoky

• coconut/olive oil – generous amount to coat
• 2 limes – juice squeezed
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 shallots or small white onion- finely sliced
• handful of fresh cilantro – finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground chipotle
• 2.5 tsp of chili powder
• coarse sea salt and ground pepper

Prep

• for each individual marinade – measure and pour all ingredients into a large Ziploc bag
• add chicken thighs into the bag and zip closed
• use your hands to shake and ‘massage’ the marinade mixture into the chicken pieces
• allow to soak and absorb all the flavours for at least 2 + hours (I let marinade for 24 hours – the longer, the better)
• when ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees
• remove chicken thighs from bag, and place in a single layer, in an oven-proof dish (Corningware), covering with the liquid marinade
• bake for approx. 30-45 minutes, until juices run clear (watch them, as you don’t want to overcook/dry-out)
• broil for an additional 3-5 minutes if you want the outside crispy (optional)
• remove, set aside and serve
• enjoy!