Baked Chicken Thighs

These Baked Chicken thighs are so simple to make at home. If you’re looking for a dish that perfectly balances the juicy tenderness of chicken thighs while infusing the bright and bold flavour of Cajun Seasoning, this is the recipe for you.

Best of all, this dish requires minimal effort and three ingredients. That’s right, three ingredients! So, let’s get into the kitchen and craft a simple dish big on flavour.

Ingredients for the Baked Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs (Skin-on), Cooking oil, Cajun Seasoning.

Creating easy recipes that use minimal ingredients is high on my agenda. Eating healthy with a busy lifestyle requires a level of convenience. This recipe uses store-bought Cajun seasoning, Chicken thighs, and cooking oil. That’s it. Cajun Seasoning contains various spices, such as paprika powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

This seasoning covers all the bases for a perfect spice condiment, including salt. You don’t have to overthink all the spices; simply sprinkle the seasoning and bake. The best part about this seasoning is that it works well with poultry dishes so that the flavours will be incredible.

Instruction

Prepare the ingredients: Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Drying the remaining water will ensure that the spices stick to the Chicken. Lay the chicken thighs in the baking tray with the skin facing upward. 

Add the cooking oil: Drizzle the cooking oil on the Chicken. Coat both sides of the Chicken with the oil so the bottom does not stick to the baking tray. This step also prevents the Chicken from burning. Generously sprinkle the Cajun spice on the chicken thighs. Salt is not needed, as the Cajun spice already contains salt.

Bake the Cajun chicken thighs: Preheat the oven to 200ºC or 400ºF. Place the casserole in the oven and bake the Chicken for fifty minutes. After baking for forty minutes, check if the chicken thighs are undercooked and adjust the temperature accordingly. If the Chicken cooks faster than expected, you can always reduce the temperature.

Serve immediately: Serve the baked Cajun chicken thighs with your favorite side dishes.

Should you cover the Baked Chicken thighs with a Foil?

No, to ensure that the skin has a perfect crisp, it is unnecessary to do so.

What if the Baked Chicken thighs are still pink after baking?

Under-baked Chicken is possible, depending on the size of the chicken thighs and the heat distribution in the oven. If this occurs, add the chicken thighs to a pan with olive oil and heat the pink parts until fully cooked.

Baking Chicken in the oven can be tricky. For example, if the Chicken is frozen and placed in the baking tray, it will take longer to bake than usual, which might result in overcooked Chicken.

How long does it take to defrost Chicken?

If you place a tray of frozen Chicken in the fridge, it will take eight to twelve hours to thaw thoroughly. However, if you put frozen Chicken in cold water, it should thaw in one to two hours.

Please resist the urge to thaw Chicken in warm water, as this could encourage the growth of bacteria.

Also, defrosting Chicken in the microwave is not advisable; it will result in an intense chicken flavor that doesn’t appeal to the palate.

What to Serve with Baked Chicken Thighs?

One of the best ways to enjoy baked chicken thighs is with potatoes. Any potato dish, whether French fries, mashed potatoes, or Roasted potatoes, is good. Sweet potato fries are also a great choice to balance the flavour of the Cajun spice.

Incorporating vegetables into the Baked chicken thighs perfectly harmonizes the overall taste of the Chicken. It can be roasted vegetables, like bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, or broccoli.

Coleslaw will add a cool and crunchy contrast to the Cajun spice. Cucumber salad or tomato salsa will also add a refreshing balance to the baked Cajun chicken. 

The Baked Chicken thighs are so versatile that they can be enjoyed with many side dishes, such as rice, bread, dips, or sauces. They are also super simple to make, so try them out with many different side dishes.

How do you store and reheat baked Cajun chicken?

Let the baked chicken thigh cool to room temperature before storing it in the fridge. Keep the Chicken in an airtight container, which will last up to four days in the refrigerator and up to two months frozen in the freezer. 

To reheat the baked Chicken, use a stovetop, which is simpler than the oven and achieves a crispy texture. Preheat the skillet on medium-low heat. Add one tablespoon of cooking oil, and then add the chicken thighs.

Reheat for about 5 minutes on each side or 8 minutes on each side of the frozen Chicken. The easiest way to reheat the baked chicken thighs is to put them in the microwave and heat them for 2 minutes on the highest setting or thaw the frozen Chicken before reheating it. However, the Chicken will not be crispy like the other reheating methods.