Rethinking Chicken

I have to confess that I am not a "boneless skinless" chicken breast sort of person. Sure they are great for some things, but I always feel like I have to put them in something or have a sauce with them (not cream of chicken soup), sometimes I just really want to have chicken, a starch, a veggie, and a fruit for dinner- not a combination casserole- I dont like my food to be mixed. Maybe I think this way because when I was growing up my mom would take a whole chicken, cut it up, salt it, grill it, and serve with a starch, a veggie or three, and fruit. When we got married Brian was partial to the boneless skinless version or chicken, and he rarely ate the "dark" meat. In my family the dark meat was usually left over unless one of us was unusually hungry or my grandparents were there for dinner. So when we got married we had to meld the two chicken preferences. We compromised with boneless skinless chicken thighs (so much tastier), but lately have transitioned to the bone in variety, and I think it has been great (not sure if Bri would agree). First off, bone-in chicken thighs- WAY cheaper than the boneless variety, and WAY WAY (yes "way way") cheaper than boneless skinless chicken breasts- I bought some yesterday (not on sale) for $1.19 a pound, a couple of months ago I got some for $.69 a pound a Sprouts... yeah way cheaper. Second, they don't need a sauce, they are great on their own, oh and did I mention they arent dry and actually taste like chicken not like well... nothing. Anyway, since summer is over and we are using the oven now rather than the BBQ we have been using this recipe... trust me, it is fast, easy, and delicious- totally worth giving chicken thighs a chance.

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Enough chicken to feed your group- generally 2 smallish thighs or 1 large one per person is appropriate.

salt

pepper

cooking spray (yes)

Directions:

1. Poke the skin side of each of the thighs 6-10 times (this will help drain the fat out).

2. Heat oven to 450 degrees

3. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken thighs.

4. Spray skin side with cooking spray.

5. Place spiced thighs skin side down in aluminum foil lined oven safe dish.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160.

7. Remove from oven and preheat broiler

8. Adjust oven rack to lower middle shelf.

9. Flip thighs over (should be skin side up now), broil until skin reaches desired "crispiness" and internal temperature reaches 175 (about 10 minutes on low broil).

10. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving (or not).