Enjoy this classic paprika chicken bake any night of the week. Quick, easy and delicious, this recipe ticks all the boxes.
Paprika is the perfect spice for most palettes. Even though the spice is made from red peppers, paprika tends to have a milder flavour that everyone can enjoy.
Why use bone-in chicken thighs?
Crackling skin on top and juicy, tender meat in the middle. This is how we would describe the perfect chicken bake. If you would like to experience this delicious sensation, we recommend using bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe. The bone brings more flavour to the chicken thanks to the bone marrow. As the chicken cooks, the bone marrow seeps through into the meat, adding to its flavour. Cooking chicken on the bone also helps to keep the meat tender, while the skin helps to seal in that moisture and juiciness.
How to get that crispy skin
As mentioned above, the skin seals the moisture so that you are left with juicy meat. Now the question is, how do we make sure that we don’t lose any moisture? The most important step to getting that desired crispy skin on your chicken thigh is to pat your chicken dry before cooking it. Any moisture on the outside of the chicken will create steam once it is introduced to heat, which will prevent the skin from getting crispy.
Once your chicken thighs are completely dry, they are ready to be seasoned with your ground black pepper and salt mixture. Thereafter, the butter and smoked paprika is added to the chicken thighs. The butter-under-the-skin-trick adds to the moisture and flavour of the chicken. And, of course, the paprika brings that smoky flavour that blends so well together with the potatoes once everything is in the oven.
Not in the mood for veggies? Try adding a Crispy and Crunchy Brocolli salad as a side instead!
Classic Paprika Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- smoked paprika
- 8-12 bone-in chicken thighs with skin, optional
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- potatoes, peeled and halved
- knobs of butter
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 Celsius (C) / 392 Fahrenheit (F)
- Combine the salt, and freshly ground black pepper then pat the chicken dry and rub the mixture all over
- In a prepared oven dish, arrange the chicken thighs so that you can add the potatoes and onions later
- Add small knobs of butter under each skin, sprinkle generously with the smoked paprika then the olive oil, this will make the skin super crispy
- Transfer the chicken to the preheated oven and let them brown, remove from the oven, add the broth, organize the potatoes and onion slices between chicken thighs
- Reduce the oven’s temperature to 170 Celsius (C) / 338 Fahrenheit (F), transfer the chicken back in the oven and let it bake until chicken is cooked through and almost falling apart.
- Serve with vegetables and salad of your choice