Baked Mediterranean Chicken Thighs

 Watch step-by-step recipe video

If you’re looking for this recipe’s video and many other great recipe ideas, why not check out our Spanish Radish YouTube Channel? We’ve got everything from quick and easy tapas recipes, delicious main meals, and incredible Spanish dessert options too.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Budget-friendly
• Easy to make (5 mins prep)
• Full flavors of the Mediterranean
• Smoky paprika flavor
• Healthy and nutritious
• High in protein
• Low in fat
• Ideal for batch cooking or meal prepping

How to make baked Mediterranean chicken thighs

Step 1 – Make marinade 

• Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F
• Grate the tomato directly into the baking dish, and add the lemon juice, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, onion powder, and white pepper. Mix well, add the olive oil and crushed garlic, and mix until the marinade has an even consistency.

Step 2 – Add chicken and bake 

• Add skinless chicken thighs to the marinade. Add sliced onion between chicken pieces. Season with salt to taste and sprinkle a few sprigs of fresh rosemary on top. 
• Bake for 40 minutes.

Step 3 – Serve 

• Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
• Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and some chopped parsley or coriander.

Meal pairing suggestions

Chicken thighs are a great source of protein but should be paired with some leafy greens or vegetables plus some grains for a balanced meal. Consider serving with some steamed or baked rice, couscous, salad, chickpeas, or another grain source. 

Here are a few meal-pairing suggestions:

• Poor man’s potatoes (Vegan and Gluten-free)
• Steamed or baked rice 
• Spanish garlic zucchini
• Mediterranean eggplant casserole (vegan)
• Pipirrana salad (vegan)
• Seasonal roasted veggies (vegan)

How long to marinate the chicken?

For this recipe, there is no need to marinade the chicken for a lengthy period of time. In fact, we simply coated each chicken thigh with the marinate, then we popped them straight in the oven.

The cooking process at temperature gives plenty of time for the juices to soak into the chicken thigh and add flavor. 

If you prefer to leave your chicken thighs to marinate before cooking, 1-2 hours is plenty. Simply cover the thighs with sauce in the baking tray, cover, and refrigerate. 

Chicken thigh or chicken breast: Which is healthier?

Chicken breast meat is leaner than chicken thigh meat and the breast meat also has less cholesterol compared to thigh meat, however, both are considered healthy options when prepared in a healthy way. 

For this recipe, we prefer the flavor of chicken thigh meat and it marinates better than chicken breast meat. 

Chicken thigh nutrition

According to the USDA, a 100g (3.5 oz.) serving of skinless chicken thigh contains the following;

• 164 calories
• 9 grams fat 
• 2.4 g saturated fat
• 0 g carbohydrates
• 20 g protein

While for the same size serving, chicken breast meat contains 3 grams of total fat and 0.7 grams of saturated fat.

Healthy preparation of chicken thigh meat

• Avoid using too much oil during preparation, and if you do use oil, use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for its nutritional benefits. 
• Avoid adding too much salt. Also, avoid using processed flavoring such as tomato paste. 
• Use fresh or dried herbs and spices to season and flavor your chicken thigh. 
• Baking your chicken thighs is healthier than frying.

Affordable protein source

Chicken thighs are a great protein source when you’re on a budget. They’re often cheaper than chicken breast meat and other high protein sources such as fish or red meat. 

A 100g / 3.5oz serving of chicken thigh (skinless) contains around 20g of protein, and cage-free chicken thighs cost around $2.84/lb making them an excellent affordable protein source.

Quick and easy meal prep

This recipe takes just 5 minutes to prepare and requires no special cooking skills or equipment. The result is a delicious, juicy, and full-flavored chicken thigh that’s healthy and nutritious. 

Batch cooking

If you are looking to prepare a bulk batch for midweek meal prepping, this recipe is ideal and can easily be scaled to suit meal prepping. Cooked chicken thighs can be reheated in the oven or with a microwave. When reheating chicken thighs in the microwave, be sure to use a microwave-safe dish with a lid or splash guard. 

Storage 

Baked Mediterranean chicken thighs will last up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When frozen, they will last up to 3 months.

Nutrition facts

How long does this baked Mediterranean chicken thigh recipe take to make?

• Prep time; 5 minutes
• Cook time: 40 minutes
• Total time: 45 minutes

Is chicken thigh healthy?

A 100g (3.5oz.) serving of skinless chicken thigh contains the following nutritional information: 

• 164 calories
• 9 grams fat
• 2.4 g saturated fat
• 0 g carbohydrates
• 20 g protein
• 20 micrograms selenium
• 223 milligrams potassium
• 1.7 mg zinc
• 0.4 mcg vitamin B12
• 0.9 mg iron

Is chicken breast or chicken thigh healthier?

Both are considered healthy options when prepared in a healthy way. Chicken breast has less fat and lower cholesterol per serving. 

Can I use chicken breast to make this recipe? 

Yes, simply cut the chicken breasts in half and give the chicken meat some extra cooking time when using breast meat. 

Is chicken thigh dark meat?

Yes, chicken thigh is considered dark meat. The white meat of a chicken is the wings, breast, and breast tenders.