Roasted Chicken Thighs with Herb Butter

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One of the most simple cooking methods is roasting.

Roasting means to oven cook food, whether meats or vegetables, in a shallow uncovered pan.

This method usually produces a well-browned exterior and moist interior.

Temperatures for roasting are generally higher than for baking, and the pan must be uncovered so the food does not stew in its own juices.

Another criterion for roasting is that it requires fat, either as part of the food like duck or added, like butter to potatoes.

Cuts of meat or poultry for roasting must be reasonably tender.

Tougher pieces are better prepared with moist cooking methods such as braising.

What happens in roasting?

An oven transfers heat, from a gas flame or electric element to the food mainly by convection, as hot air circulates in the oven.

Direct infrared radiation from the oven’s hot walls also heats the food.

As the food browns, it generates new flavors and aromas.

Sugars in food lose water when heated, producing flavor.

I like thighs in this recipe because a chicken’s dark meat {the wings, thighs, and drumsticks} has a stronger and more complex flavor as compared to white meat.

Dark meat cuts come from muscles that use more oxygen and have more iron.

The iron is held in a protein called myoglobin, which gives it a darker color.

White meat cuts come from muscles that metabolize energy with less oxygen, so they have less myoglobin and are lighter in color.

Simple roasted chicken thighs

It is usually a very easy dinner and with the fresh herbs in this recipe, it is very refreshing and the chicken skin is so crispy.

This technique makes for easy cleanup.

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES     COOK TIME: 50 MINUTES

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

2 garlic cloves minced

3 Tablespoons FRESH oregano, chopped

3 Tablespoons FRESH flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 Tablespoons FRESH chives, chopped

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon loosely packed lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 425º.  Prepare a jelly roll baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil and a wire rack, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, placed in the foil-lined pan.

In a small bowl, combine together the first 8 ingredients.  Make sure the butter has picked up all the herbs.

Loosen skin from each chicken thigh without totally detaching skin; spread butter mixture under the skin (I used my hands).  Replace skin;  brush thighs with the 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with desired salt and pepper.

Place thighs on the wire rack (sitting in jelly roll pan) with skin side up.

Bake at 425º for 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the chicken registers 165º.

LET CHICKEN STAND FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING. This allows all those delicious juices to reabsorb back into the meat.

Goes great with mashed potatoes.