Fresh Basil Baked Chicken Thighs – Easy Weeknight Meal

Chicken thighs don’t always get a good break these days. It’s usually all about the chicken breast…… boneless skinless chicken breasts. But, baked chicken thighs are also juicy and delicious and they should not get a bad rap.  They are less expensive in the grocery store so I’ve made different versions of baked chicken thighs lately with hubby out of work. This meal was no exception.

Did you know that a 3-ounce serving of roasted chicken thigh contains 21 grams of protein? Roasted chicken breasts are slightly higher with 25 grams of protein for 3-ounces. Not much of a difference there. Neither have carbohydrates.  As for fat in those 3-ounce servings, roasted chicken breast contains 7 grams of total fat and chicken thighs have 13 grams of total fat. Removing the skin off both will cut down on that.  A 3-ounce serving of breasts contains 170 calories, while a 3-ounce thigh contains 210 calories.  For some (like my sister) that’s a deal breaker, however I’m willing to take on the extra 50 calories, I’ll just make sure my sides are low cal like steamed veggies or a side salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil as dressing. And skip the croutons.

This recipe uses fresh basil, onion, garlic and powdered mustard to create a delicious dinner that doesn’t take long to make and pairs perfect with that salad or other veggies. A nice glass of white wine is a nice touch as well.

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Baked Basil Chicken Thighs

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Serves	4
Prep time	10 minutes
Cook time	45 minutes
Total time	55 minutes
Meal type	Main Dish

The crispy chicken skin adds flavor and keeps the chicken moist while baking.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
• 4 Medium roasted garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon butter (softened)
• 4 fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Grinder Seasoning
• 1/4 medium yellow onion (sliced thin)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chardonnay wine
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Colman's Mustard Powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Note

Add crushed red pepper to the butter and garlic paste for some extra kick.

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425. Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry.

Step 2

In a small bowl, mash the garlic cloves and butter together into a paste. Peel the skin back on the chicken thighs to form a pocket. Add to each 1/4 of the garlic butter, a basil leaf, 1/4 of the McCormick's and a sliver or two of the onion. Spread on the chicken evenly then cover with the skin.

Step 3

In a baking dish, add the oil, wine, chopped garlic and the remaining onions. Place the chicken in the dish, skin side up. Sprinkled the tops of the chicken with the powdered mustard, salt and pepper.

Step 4

Bake uncovered in the oven for 40-45 minutes. The skin on top will be brown and crispy when done.

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For nutrition information and points, click the magic button

Finger lickin’ good! Well, I didn’t use my fingers, but boy were these good. The fresh basil really adds a lot to the chicken and cooking it in the wine kicks the flavor up a notch.  And of course, you can never go wrong with garlic.  Since there are two of us and I cooked four thighs, I had leftovers for lunch the next day. Another great thing about thighs, they re-heat well in the microwave without drying out.

So next time you’re in the mood for chicken, give these basil baked chicken thighs a try. How would you prepare yours?

For more delicious chicken recipes, hop on over to my Chicken & Turkey Pinterest Board and take a look around.

Follow Lori’s Culinary’s board Chicken & Turkey Recipes on Pinterest.