This recipe for baked chicken thighs with potatoes delivers exciting flavours of Spain without an expensive plane ticket! Not to mention it’s all cooked in one pan!
After spending two weeks in Spain this August, you didn’t think I wouldn’t share at least one recipe inspired by that wonderful country’s flavours.
These baked chicken thighs with potatoes and peppers come as a result of eating and enjoying too much Spanish paprika, gorging on fresh from the market vegetables and generally loving the life.
In our two weeks there we only went out to dinner twice. We mostly cooked at home using freshly caught fish or mussels and beautiful vegetables from a local farmer’s market.
I am still getting over the fact that 2lbs of fresh mussels cost €2. I made sure I took advantage of that!
It’s so much fun to spend the time in a town where normal Spaniards live and shop in their supermarkets or farmer’s markets instead of spending a small fortune in busy touristy places with less authentic restaurant fare on offer.
After such a magical time I absolutely had to bring some of the Spanish goodness into our and your everyday life!
This recipe for baked chicken thighs with potatoes is very straightforward and uses everyday ingredients. The flavours however, that come out of that pan, will blow your mind. Are you ready?
Tips for making juicy and flavourful baked chicken thighs
Some people believe, myself included, that bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs remain the juiciest through the cooking process. Sure you have to work around the bone when you eat them but that’s a small price to pay for delicious chicken.
I often recommend marinating chicken in order to get the most flavour. This recipe, however comes out very flavourful without the marinade. All due to bold flavours of Spanish paprika, lemon zest and juice, oregano, garlic, etc.
Using fresh herbs will enhance flavours even further. Do if you grow your own like me or have easy access to them, swap out the dried ones for the fresh variety.
I always cut the juiced lemon into wedges and tuck them in the pan while the chicken thighs are baking. They infuse the entire dish with tantalising aroma.
To make sure your baked chicken thighs come out juicy yet crispy-skinned, simply put your oven into broil/grill mode for UK for 2-5 minutes at the end of cooking time. Skip that step if the skins are already crispy enough.
How do I modify the recipe if I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts instead?
That’s the question I get asked the most. As much as I love bone-in meat, I realise it’s not everyone’s preference, my family included.
You can easily use boneless chicken thighs or breasts but I would recommend reducing the cooking time by a half and lower the temperature to 350F/180C.
You will also have to pre-boil the potatoes since 25 minutes are not long enough for them to get fully cooked in the oven.
Now that you are a pro at cooking chicken thighs, here are more recipes to try:
Rosemary Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
Spanish Chicken in Bravas Sauce
One Pot Italian Rosemary Chicken and White Beans
and for boneless chicken thighs:
Indonesian Coconut Chicken and Rice with Green Beans
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs Stuffed with Mushroom and Goat Cheese
If you end up making any of these recipes, make sure to tag @vikalinka in your Instagram snaps, so I could see your creations!
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 1 tsbp dried oregano plus 2 sprigs of fresh if available
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme optional
- 2 tsp Spanish paprika dulce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs chicken thighs
- 4 red and yellow peppers small or one large one, sliced
- 1 red onion cut into thick wedges
- 1 lbs baby potatoes cut in half for large ones
- salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
- In a small bowl combine zest and juice of one lemon, minced garlic, dried oregano, paprika and olive oil. Stir with a fork to combine.
- In a large roasting pan arrange chicken thighs, potatoes, onion wedges and whole baby red and yellow peppers. Brush everything with the herb mixture above or drizzle it all over, then toss to coat everything evenly.
- Cut the juiced lemon into wedges and dot them around the pan. Do the same with fresh thyme and oregano sprigs if using.
- Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until the juices in chicken run clear when pierced and potatoes are tender. If the chicken is cooked but the skins are not crispy enough, cook them under broiler for 2-3 minutes until the desired colour is achieved.
