To cook chicken thighs, season them with salt and pepper or herbs, marinate them in lemon juice and tarragon, cook them skin side up at 400°F for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 350°F until the core temperature reaches 170°F.
The best tips for cooking chicken thighs are to season the thighs before cooking, marinate the meat before cooking, cook the thighs skin side up, and cook them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius) for 30 minutes before turning down the heat. The heat should be turned down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius) for the last 10 to 30 minutes of cooking. Most chicken cooking tips focus on making the meat as flavorful and tender as possible. Marinating the meat achieves both goals, but some chefs prefer to use just the seasoning.
Seasoning the meat before cooking the chicken legs is an important tip for the flavor of the finished dish. Most recipes simply suggest using salt and pepper to season the meat, which chefs should rub into both sides of the chicken. Other recipes use herbs like thyme and basil when cooking chicken thighs. Chefs may add other seasonings, but salt and pepper are usually enough to add flavor.
Marinating the meat before cooking the chicken legs is another tip that can add flavor to the dish. Moisture is added to meat when a marinade is used, and the acids in the marinade can also break down muscle fibers and make the meat tender. A marinade that can be used on chicken thighs includes the juice of two lemons and the zest of one, mixed with tarragon, salt, pepper and oil. The chef then adds raw chicken to this sauce and leaves it in the fridge for several hours. The flavor of the marinade soaks into the meat and the acids in the lemon keep it tender.
Chefs should always place the meat skin side up when cooking chicken thighs. The skin has a lot of fat underneath and helps make cooked meat juicier. Placing the skin on the bottom would allow this fat to escape during cooking. With the skin up, the melting fat oozes into the chicken and keeps the moisture in the thighs.
Cooking chicken thighs is best done in an oven set at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius) for the first 30 minutes. Cooking chicken properly is important, because undercooked chicken can contain salmonella. The oven temperature must be lowered to 350 Fahrenheit (176 Celsius) to finish cooking. The core temperature of the thighs should be 170 degrees Fahrenheit (76 degrees Celsius) when cooked. Chefs without a meat thermometer can check if the juices are flowing when the thighs are pierced.
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