Baked Chicken Thighs With Butter and Onions
This baked chicken recipe is the perfect hands-off main course for busy households. Toss chicken thighs in a simple and flavorful spice rub, top with diced onions and a few pats of butter, and slip into a hot oven until done. Pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to get the chicken skin nicely browned and then you’re ready to eat. This would be great served with a side of white rice to mix with the baking juices and buttery onions. The chicken can be seasoned and refrigerated up to 1 day in advance.
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (31⁄2 to 4 pounds total) 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika 1 small yellow onion (about 5 ounces), diced 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Pat the chicken dry with a tea towel or paper towels and transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or similarly sized casserole.
In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, cumin and paprika until evenly combined. Evenly season both sides of the chicken with the spice mixture, finishing with them skin-side up.
Scatter the onion over the baking dish and top each piece of chicken with a pat of butter. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is golden on top and reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
If the chicken was browned to your liking after baking, you can skip this step. Otherwise, set the oven to broil. Carefully raise the rack to 5 or 6 inches from the broiler and return the baking dish to the oven and broil for 2 minutes, or until nicely browned. (If your broiler is on the bottom, transfer the baking dish to the broiler drawer.)
Let cool slightly before serving, making sure to spoon some of the pan juices over top.
Storage note: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Per serving (based on 8 servings): 246 calories, 12 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 145 mg cholesterol, 556 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 1 g sugar, 31 g protein