Pernil-Style Roasted Chicken Thighs Recipe (2024)

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Michelle

Lovely and easy recipe. Added a little lime and orange zest to the Cilantro and it really made the flavor pop out.

cannedyou

I followed recipe quantities but using only 4 thighs and found it to be the right amount of seasoning and liquid in the pan; so for 8 thighs, I would use more juice, etc than suggested. I also used more onion and they were delicious with rice. Took other suggestion of adding orange and lime zest to the cilantro, great suggestion.

tnwilli

Tasty. Made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked for 15-20 minutes; marinated the chicken with onions for a couple of hours in oil mixture; will double the juices, garlic, and onions and marinate longer next time; served with brown rice and black beans

Leslie

I reduced the oil in half and poured the oil mixture over the chicken and onions in a bowl to marinate for an hour. Terrific.

Richard

As you said, the photo shows the chicken on a sheet pan. It does not imply that is how you serve it. I don't think a photo of shredded chicken would reveal as much about the dish as this photo does.And of course you don't have to debone and shred the chicken if you don't want to.

Afi

It's Puerto Rican as well.

Molly

Muy sabroso. Served alongside pink rice & beans with capers & green olives, avocado and a healthy dose of Hector Lavoe. Just right for a Wisconsin snowstorm when you're dreaming of PR.

cathy

Double the sauce for 4 thighs..

Jeff

Loved this! I think next time I'd debone the chicken before cooking. The meat near the bones was still too hot to touch after 10 minutes. Working quickly to avoid getting burned (and get dinner on the table) I wound up leaving a few bits of cartilage in the chopped chicken mixture. I'm sure there's some flavor drawn out of the bones during cooking but it wasn't worth the hassle.

corynne

I let the chicken marinade for 1-2 hours. I added sliced garlic and a sliced jalapeño to the oil and citrus. I also pat the chicken very dry and seasoned with Goya adobo as well as salt and pepper then placed in bag w marinade. It turned out very delish with a 35 minute roast at 450!

Jon Bernardo

Double the onions and the sauce components. For oregano, use 1TBSP dried.

elizabeth

Added zest as well and cooked atop steamed sushi rice for an added sticky rice twist. SO good!!

Keith

The recipe calls for cilantro besides what you need for garnish but never says where it belongs (I assumed in the oil). We served it over rice and some lime and sauzon seasoning amped up the flavor quite a bit. It took it from good to very good.

RCook2009

I cooked exactly according to recipe and it was very tasty. Next time I will double the marinade for 8 thighs but still was tasty. I served with rice, beans and a chopped salad. Family ate every bit!

Maria S.

Off the charts delicious! I had to omit the cilantro and substitute parsley. I used smaller amount of dried oregano instead of fresh. Threw some cubed potatoes onto the sheet pan to soak up the juices alongside the onion. Served with salad and bread. This will go into regular rotation.

Ruas

This recipe is perfection! Easy, quick, delicious!

Peter

This was tasty, but way overcooked and there was no sauce left. Next time, I'll use more juice and cook for less time.

Cibele

I made it exactly like the recipe suggests and it turned out scrumptious! My husband, who is hard to please, had one comment: "Did you keep this recipe?"

Harry

So the skin gets tossed with the bones?

Cibele

No! Please, do not toss the skin with the bones. The skin becomes crunchy and is delicious...

helen

This dish was blander than expected - the chicken didn’t soak up the sauce and the cook time should definitely be more like 35 mins. Adding capers tied it together but I probably wouldn’t make it again

Amanda Beresford

Juicy chicken and a nice if somewhat elusive flavour, but the recipe quantities don't give enough juice since it mainly burned onto the pan. 40 minutes wasn't long enough to crisp the chicken and cook it through, hence the burned juices. Next time, I will try more citrus, onion, and adding zest as some readers suggest. I agree that marinating for an hour or so beforehand would help to intensify the flavour.

Genie

Not as wonderful as all that. Just ok. Too sweet and dry with amounts in the recipe. I’d add some red pepper (as I did) to jazz it up. I think it also needs more juice and oil to keep it moist.

Phein64

Chicken was excellent. I threw in a pair of B/S breasts for the spouse, who won't eat thighs. Next time, I would probably cook at 375 or 400 for the 40 minutes. At 425, it was at 175 degrees in 30 minutes, which is great for the thighs, not so great for the breasts.

Frankie

Would this recipe work as well if you left the thighs whole rather than chopping the chicken?

Sherrypi

This is a spectacular recipe. I’ve made it several times and it’s always delicious. The only changes I have made is substituting boneless skinless thighs, Meyer lemon for the orange juice, and I marinate it several hours or overnight. Goes with everything.

ken

Is cilantro used i the marinade or just as a garnish? To me recipe was not precise

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Pernil-Style Roasted Chicken Thighs Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook chicken thighs so they don't dry out? ›

Keeping the skin on protects your chicken thighs from drying out while they cook, plus it allows for the additional textural treat of crispy, perfectly seasoned skin. Bone-in can be tricky to cut, but the bones help prevent the chicken from drying out.

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400? ›

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400? It is recommended to bake chicken thighs at 400ºF. This medium-high heat ensures the juiciest results! Chicken thighs should be roasted in the oven at 400ºF for 40-45 minutes, then broiled for 2 more minutes to get juicy meat and crispy skin!

At what temp are chicken thighs most tender? ›

For the ultimate juicy and tender chicken thigh experience, aim for an internal temp between 175 and 185 F. Any temperature higher than that can dry out or burn your meat, but the perfect 175° to 185° range will get you well above the minimum safe temperature and maximize the poultry's flavor potential.

What cooking method is best for chicken thighs? ›

The cooking methods that are ideal for boneless skinless thighs are grilling, roasting, and slow cooking.

Is it better to cook chicken thighs fast or slow? ›

The key is to cook them slowly.

Gentle techniques—such as braising at a relatively low heat and grilling over an indirect fire—work best. The goal is to keep the meat at an internal temp between 140 and 195 degrees—the collagen-breakdown sweet spot—for as long as possible.

What's the difference between roasting and baking chicken thighs? ›

One cook will say they baked a chicken; another will use the same temperature and technique but say they roasted a chicken. A good guideline is that baking savory foods typically involves a lower temperature—375 degrees and below. Roasting them refers to dishes cooked at 400 degrees and above.

Should I cover my chicken thighs when baking? ›

We don't cover our skin-on chicken thighs because we want that skin to get nice and crispy! To achieve this just follow these 4 simple steps! Place your chicken on top of a metal rack set inside a large rimmed baking sheet.

Should I flip chicken thighs when baking? ›

There is no need to rotate the pan or flip the chicken thighs at any point during the baking process. Let the chicken thighs rest in the baking pan for at least 10 minutes then serve 'em on up!

Why are my baked chicken thighs tough? ›

Finish the Thighs in the Oven

By finishing the process in the oven, you ensure that the meat cooks evenly. Use a thermometer to check for doneness because overcooked chicken will have a rubbery texture.

Should chicken thighs be room temperature before baking? ›

Allow the chicken thighs to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Cold meat in a hot oven or hot pan will cook unevenly and be tough. Make sure to pat the skin dry with paper towels, moisture will prevent the skin from getting crispy.

Can you overcook chicken thighs in the oven? ›

Since they have a higher fat content and retain moisture during cooking, it's more difficult to overcook chicken thighs than it is to overcook chicken breasts. Particularly if you buy bone-in chicken thighs, they mostly just fall off of the bone if you leave them in the oven too long!

How do chefs get chicken so tender? ›

It is very important to marinate chicken whenever you plan to cook with high, direct heat such as grilling or pan searing, as these techniques tend to dry out the meat as it cooks. A marinade is an acidic solution that gets a head start on breaking down the structure of a protein before it is cooked.

How long to cook chicken thighs on 400? ›

How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs
  1. Chicken Thighs at 350°F – 50-55 minutes.
  2. Chicken Thighs at 375°F – 45-50 minutes.
  3. Chicken Thighs at 400°F – 40-45 minutes.
  4. Chicken Thighs at 425°F – 35-40 minutes (preferred method)
Jan 10, 2024

Is it better to cook chicken thighs in the oven or on the stove? ›

All three types of chicken thighs cook well in an oven. Boneless chicken thighs are the quickest-cooking option, and roasting skin-on thighs in an oven can yield a crispy surface even without the chicken skin. Thanks to the even heat of an oven, the bone-in variety can also cook evenly. 1.

How do I make sure my chicken stays moist? ›

Brine the chicken: Soaking the chicken in a brine solution (water and salt) for a few hours before baking can help to keep it moist and tender. Add a liquid: Adding a bit of liquid, such as chicken broth, white wine, or even water to the baking dish can help to keep the chicken moist and tender.

How do you cook chicken to retain moisture? ›

To start, brine your chicken in a mixture of water and a few tablespoons of salt for about 20 to 30 minutes. This will boost the natural flavor and moisture of the chicken breasts and will leave you with a super tender piece of meat. This is the one step that will really ensure your chicken won't be dry or tough.

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