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All right y’all this is literally the simplest recipe on the planet.
I almost feel bad for calling it a recipe but it’s one of my go to meals whenever anybody is coming over that I want to impress. Usually my in-laws, sometimes my mom.
My sister came to visit and we had this baked chicken for dinner. Afterwards she raved about how good it was. She’s not really a cook and so when I told her that I’d teach her to make it, she just laughed.
The next time she came though, I had her help me make it. Her exact words were
“Really? That’s all? I thought this was going to be hard!”
Here’s the thing though as simple and as easy as this recipe is, it is so good. A huge part of that is that I use skin-on, bone-in chicken legs and thighs.
There are three reasons that we’re going to use skin-on, bone-in chicken leg quarters.
1. Flavor
The first reason is that skin-on chicken stays incredibly moist and has amazing flavor when you bake it in the oven. If you try to bake a boneless, skinless chicken breast like this it’s going to dry out really easily.
2. Cost
The second reason is because chicken leg quarters are the most inexpensive meat protein that you are going to find in the grocery store. I can buy chicken leg quarters for $0.60 per pound at Walmart.
That is insane.
Ground beef at the moment is somewhere between $3.50 and $4 per pound, for comparison. That means I can get nearly 5 times more chicken than hamburger for the same price.
If you want more information on how you can save money on your groceries and cook at home easily, go check out this post.
3. It’s healthy!
Not only is baked chicken easy, inexpensive, and delicious, but it’s healthy too! I usually serve this with a vegetable like broccoli, peas, or carrots, and a healthy carbohydrate like rice.
This is one of those healthy, inexpensive meals that doesn’t leave you feeling like you had a cheap meal. It feels like a really nice meal because it is!
I’ve said it before, but there is no reason that eating on a budget has to feel like eating on a budget. There are so many delicious, healthy, amazing meals that you can make on a super tight budget. Baked chicken, to me, is the poster child for an inexpensive meal that isn’t “cheap food”.
To start with you’re going to pre-heat your oven to 400°. The high temperature is what’s going to get the skin to go nice and crispy. If you want it to go even crispier you can brush the skin with olive oil lightly, but it’s totally optional.
Then you’re going to take the leg quarters and season both sides liberally with paprika, garlic salt, and pepper.
It doesn't have to be complicated...
This is a super simple spice mix. There’s nothing complicated and nothing you shouldn’t already have in your pantry but the flavor is amazing.
Sometimes, people think that in order to get really great flavor you have to use really ‘complicated’ spices or a lot of spices. That’s not the case.
Basic spices can be combined to create a really, really great flavor. To season chicken, I think that paprika, garlic salt, and pepper go really well. For a Sunday roast I really like to use rosemary, parsley, thyme, garlic, and onion.
Neither is very complicated. It’s very simple, basic spices that go together really, really well and complement the item you’re seasoning that makes the flavor amazing.
Then you’re going to put the leg quarters on a foil lined cookie sheet, skin side up, and bake them for between 35 and 45 minutes.
They’re done when you can stab a knife into the thickest part of the thigh, by the leg joint, and the juices run clear.
If you prefer to use a meat thermometer, chicken is done at 165°.
And that’s all there is to it! Seriously, it’s so simple. Serve it with a vegetable and mashed potatoes and gravy for a Sunday dinner that will make your grandma proud and impress your in-laws!
I’d love to hear about your delicious secretly simple meals? Comment below!
Baked Chicken Legs and Thighs
Ingredients
· 4 Chicken Leg Quarters
· Garlic Salt
· Paprika
· Pepper
· Olive Oil (optional
1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Season both sides of the chicken liberally with paprika, garlic salt, and pepper.
3. Bake at 400° for 35-45 minutes. Chicken is done when juices run clear or internal temperature is 165°
