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This recipe for baked chicken thighs with potatoes delivers exciting flavours of Spain without an expensive plane ticket! With a lovely mix of herbs and spices, you can easily add a bit of excitement to a classic chicken and potatoes dinner. Plus it’s all cooked in one pan, making it easy to serve and even easier to clean up afterwards!
Want to start your meal with a traditional Spanish appetizer? You need to try Padron Peppers, perfect on their own or part of a delicious spread.
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 This is an affiliate link.Spanish paprika, gorging on fresh-from-the-market vegetables and generally loving the life.
This recipe for baked chicken thighs with potatoes is very straightforward and uses everyday ingredients. The flavours that come out of that pan, however, will blow your mind. Are you ready?
Tips for 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 know that chicken breasts are eternally popular, and I do love them in the right recipe. But bone-in chicken thighs are dark meat instead of white, meaning they remain moist even after cooking. They also benefit from the bone, which adds extra flavour to the meat as it cooks.
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 oven-baked chicken thighs come out juicy yet crispy-skinned, simply put your oven into broil (grill mode for the UK) for 2-5 minutes at the end of cooking time. Skip that step if the skins are already crispy enough.
Substitutions and variations
The question I get asked the most is how to modify the recipe if using boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts. 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.
Remember that it’s hard to get the same juicy, flavourful results if you change swap to a different cut of chicken!
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.
It’s also possible to change the vegetables used in this dish, although the ones used here are perfect with Spanish flavours. Others such as broccoli or sweet potatoes could work, but it would make for a very different dish.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I’ve made this recipe with bone-in chicken thighs in mind because it’ll give you the most tender, flavourful final dish. If you want to choose something different, take a look at the section above.
- Adding lemon slices to the pan may seem like an option extra, but they really do make a difference. The infusion of citrus flavours and aroma cuts through everything else to elevate this dish in extraordinary ways!
- All paprika is not created equal! Some paprika, including This is an affiliate link.Spanish paprika, is wonderfully flavourful and really shines in a dish like this. Don’t accept substitutes! And like many other spices, paprika can lose its punch over time, so store in a cool, dry place and use it frequently so it doesn’t sit too long.
Serving suggestions
Couldn’t be easier! This is a one-pan meal, so everything you need for a full and balanced meal is right there in the same dish.
I’m rarely in the mood to make this more complicated by adding a side dish to a meal that really doesn’t need one. But I do love a few slices of fresh bread to soak up the incredibly flavourful juices that come from this chicken recipe.
If you do want to serve something fresh and zesty next to this savoury dish, try fresh Tomato Salad with Herb Vinaigrette for a complete meal!
If you want to add a little garnish for colour and taste, I’d recommend a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.
Storage and leftovers
When it comes to leftovers, there is only good news here. The chicken, vegetables and potatoes can be refrigerated in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container for 3-4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
A microwave may be a quick and easy option, but the best way to reheat leftovers is in the oven. Place the chicken and potatoes in a baking dish in an oven warmed up to 200C/400F.
It should take approximately 15 minutes, but it’s best to check with a This is an affiliate link.meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 74C/165F.
More chicken thigh recipes
Spanish Style Baked Chicken Thighs with Potatoes
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Roasting pan
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 1 tbsp dried oregano, plus 2 sprigs of fresh if available
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, optional
- 2 tsp Spanish paprika, dulce
- 3 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 2lb / 1kg chicken thighs
- 4 red and yellow peppers, small or one large one, sliced
- 1 red onion, cut into thick wedges
- 1lb / ½kg 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 and season with salt all over. 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Amazing recipe Julia
I Marinated the chicken thighs and the potatoes in the fridge for a couple of hours with a sprinkle of turmeric then added the red peppers, onion, lemon wedges and thyme to the pan.
Outstanding 5 star recipe
Rob
So glad you enjoyed this dish, Rob!
This was delicious, but missing one thing: I forgot to add the salt! There’s no amount stated in the ingredients list and it’s not mentioned in the directions. What would be a good amount (as a starting point) of salt in the spice mix for 2# of thighs? Thanks!
Hi Joe, I usually instruct with “salt to taste” because people’s preferences range widely. If you are unsure, I usually start with a literal pinch of salt and then add as needed.
Hi Julia,
This dish looks amazing and seems easy to make. I will have to try it…
I see you visited Spain. Can you do a post on Spain especially traveling with teenagers. We’re hoping to go this next coming year and looking for ideas on places to visit. Thank you!
Angela
A post on Spain is in the pipeline! Planning to get it out very soon. Spain really is a great place to visit, and our teenagers have loved every visit. – Brad