Best 2 Crunchy Baked Pesto Chicken Thighs Recipes

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Indulge in a culinary adventure with our tantalizing baked pesto chicken thighs recipe, a symphony of flavors that will delight your palate. This delectable dish features succulent chicken thighs smothered in a vibrant pesto sauce, resulting in a crispy exterior and a moist, tender interior. The aromatic blend of basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese in the pesto adds a burst of freshness and herbaceousness to each bite. Accompanying this main course are three equally enticing recipes: a refreshing and tangy lemon garlic broccoli, a medley of roasted vegetables seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices, and a hearty quinoa salad packed with colorful vegetables and a zesty dressing. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with this symphony of flavors and textures.

**Recipes Included:**

1. **Crunchy Baked Pesto Chicken Thighs:**
- Succulent chicken thighs coated in a flavorful pesto sauce and baked to perfection, resulting in a crispy exterior and moist, tender meat.

2. **Lemon Garlic Broccoli:**
- Delight in the vibrant flavors of sautéed broccoli tossed in a zesty lemon garlic sauce, offering a refreshing and tangy complement to the chicken.

3. **Roasted Vegetables:**
- Experience a medley of roasted vegetables, including carrots, bell peppers, and potatoes, seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices, delivering a delightful array of colors and flavors.

4. **Quinoa Salad:**
- Savor a wholesome quinoa salad, packed with colorful vegetables, a zesty dressing, and a sprinkling of feta cheese, offering a satisfying and nutritious side dish.

Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!

BAKED PESTO CHICKEN THIGHS AND POTATOES



Baked Pesto Chicken Thighs and Potatoes image

Prepared pesto is all you need to turn plain chicken and potatoes into a flavorful dinner. Serve with a side salad for a complete meal.

Provided by France C

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Chicken Thigh Recipes

Time 40m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 pound mini red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup prepared pesto, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Mix potatoes with 2 tablespoons pesto in a bowl. Transfer potatoes into a large 11x13-inch baking dish. Unfold chicken thighs in the same bowl; rub remaining pesto on all sides. Fold thighs back up into original shape and place into the baking dish next to the potatoes.
  • Bake in the preheated oven, stirring potatoes occasionally, until potatoes are soft when pieced with a fork, 28 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 263.8 calories, Carbohydrate 19.1 g, Cholesterol 43.6 mg, Fat 14 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 15.6 g, SaturatedFat 3.8 g, Sodium 197.2 mg, Sugar 1.1 g

CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN



Crispy Baked Chicken image

For pull-apart tender chicken with crisp, deeply spiced skin, rub it with a spicy-sweet mix and roast it low and slow while you're doing something else. Because this chicken is cooked at a moderately low temperature, the spices will bloom but not burn, and the chicken fat will render slowly and completely (which means you don't need any oil). The smoky rub in this recipe will turn the chicken skin into what tastes like a barbecue potato chip, but you can use other spice blends, too, like garam masala or Montreal steak seasoning. Just be sure your mix includes sugar for browning and salt for accentuating flavors. Whole chicken legs (with the thigh and drumstick attached) provide a more generous portion of juicy meat and skin that shatters, but a mix of drumsticks and bone-in thighs work, too.

Provided by Ali Slagle

Categories     dinner, lunch, poultry, main course

Time 1h20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

4 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
A heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
4 chicken leg quarters (about 2 ½ to 3 pounds), patted dry

Steps:

  • Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper and cayenne with a fork or your fingers. Rub the spice mix all over the chicken. (You can do this step 1 to 12 hours ahead. Refrigerate uncovered, then bring to room temperature before cooking.)
  • Place the chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet, skin side up. Bake, without flipping, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Eat the chicken with pan drippings spooned over top.

Tips:

  • Use a good quality pesto. A homemade pesto will always be best, but if you're short on time, a store-bought pesto can work just as well.
  • Don't overcrowd the baking sheet. Make sure there is enough space between the chicken thighs so that they can cook evenly.
  • Cook the chicken thighs until they are cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Let the chicken thighs rest before serving. This will help the juices redistribute throughout the meat, making it more tender and flavorful.
  • Serve the chicken thighs with your favorite sides. Roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a simple salad are all great options.

Conclusion:

Crunchy baked pesto chicken thighs are a quick and easy weeknight meal that is sure to please the whole family. The chicken thighs are juicy and flavorful, with a crispy, golden-brown skin. The pesto adds a delicious depth of flavor, and the Parmesan cheese gives the chicken a nice cheesy crust. This dish is perfect served with roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a simple salad.

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