These chicken thighs are juicy, deeply seasoned, and extra crispy thanks to a little baking powder and a wire rack that lets hot air circulate around the chicken.
I’ve served them with a salad, sautéed veggies, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes… you can take it an several directions! Risotto is next on my list.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1–2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon hot honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pan Sauce (optional)
1 shallot, finely diced
1 cup mushrooms (beech, shitaake, oyster, or chanterelle)
a splash of chicken broth
chicken drippings from the pan
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
chives (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set a wire rack over a parchment or foil covered sheet pan (for easier clean up).
Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels, especially the skin.
Add the chicken to a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning, herbes de Provence, Dijon, hot honey, and soy sauce. Toss until evenly coated.
Sprinkle in the baking powder and toss again until evenly distributed.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before baking. This gives the seasoning time to settle in and gives the baking powder a head start on drying the surface for crispier skin.
Arrange the chicken on the wire rack skin-side up, leaving a little space between each piece.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the chicken is cooked through. Chicken thighs are safe at 165°F, but they’re often even more tender around 175–185°F.
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
If Using Bone-In Thighs
Use the same method, but plan on a slightly longer cook time — usually around 40–45 minutes at 400°F, depending on size. Check the thickest part of the thigh with an instant-read thermometer, avoiding the bone.
To take it a step further… lets make a pan sauce!
There will be some juicy drippings in the pan underneath the chicken. Pour that into a small bowl on the side.
Finely dice a small shallot and cut the mushrooms into small pieces (depending on your preference). Add a tablespoon of butter to a small sauce pan or skillet then sauté the shallot and mushroom over medium low heat. Once the onion is translucent and the mushrooms have softened, stir in the chicken drippings and a heavy splash of chicken broth or white wine. Add more broth/ wine as needed. Turn the heat to low, stir in the heavy cream. Turn the heat off and stir in the cold butter.
Pour over the chicken and enjoy!