Super Easy Baked Chicken
I’m all about easy recipes in the summer time. Here is another super easy recipe, similar to this recipe to add great flavour to baked chicken. It’s quick to make and have for dinner hot or to make ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a cold lunch or to cut up to add onto a crisp salad. It’s a great picnic take-along! If you want to keep your kitchen cool, pop these on the BBQ to cook!
The flavour with the mix of spices I recommend in the recipe is subtle. If you want more heat, add a pinch more cayenne, ¼ teaspoon chili powder or a generous dash of hot sauce when coating the chicken before baking. Want more Mediterranean, add more oregano and serve with some feta and fresh pitted olives. More Italian, add more basil and add some grape tomatoes to the baking pan about halfway through and serve sprinkled with parmesan or Vegan Parm or Nut Free Vegan Parm! Make this into a one sheet dinner by adding cut up veggies and diced sweet potatoes or halved baby potatoes tossed in some olive or grape seed oil to the baking pan.
Chicken is a great alternative to red meat, chicken is a lean protein and a good source of amino acids to build and maintain muscle tissue and to support bone density. The tryptophan in chicken (like in turkey) is a mood booster as it helps to increase the serotonin levels in our brain. Chicken contains Vit12, iron, copper, choline and zinc.
Spices are natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powerhouses. There are easily absorbed into the blood stream. They are heart healthy, ease arthritic pain, and support brain health.
As always, when you make this recipe, I would love to see your creation so please post a photo of your Super Easy Baked Chicken goodness and tag my IG account #RenataCollective or leave a comment with your thoughts!
Prep Time: 5 minutes / Cook Time: 45 minutes / Makes: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
Chicken Drumsticks, Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs or Boneless Chicken Breasts (Used 9 drumsticks and 8 small thighs in the photos. If using breasts, butterfly them so they are thinner or cut them into strips.)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ teaspoon Ground Rosemary
¼ teaspoon Dried Thyme
¼ teaspoon Ground Sage
¼ teaspoon Cayenne
A pinch of Herbed Seasoned Sea Salt
Grinds of Fresh Black Pepper
How It’s Made
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Line a rimmed baking pan or cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper. Spray with some olive oil, or pour a bit of oil on the pan and brush it all over.
Prep the chicken by cutting off the skin on the drumsticks if you prefer no skin and by cutting of any excess fat from the thighs.
Mix the oil with the spices in a large bowl.
Add the chicken and with a large spoon or spatula, or get your (washed) hands in there and toss to make sure that each chicken piece is covered in some seasoning.
Place the chicken pieces on the lined baking pan.
Place the pan in your preheated oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through – check at 45 minutes with a meat thermometer – the chicken should register 165°F. No meat thermometer? Cut into the largest piece of chicken to make sure it’s not pink inside. If it needs more time to cook, as each oven holds different heat, check in 5-minute increments, as you don’t want the chicken to over cook.
Enjoy!
Variations
As in the intro:
If you want to keep your kitchen cool, pop these on a hot BBQ, turning them over half way through, and check for doneness after 30 minutes.
Want more heat, add a pinch more cayenne, ¼ teaspoon chili powder or a generous dash of hot sauce when coating the chicken before baking.
Want more Mediterranean, add more oregano and serve with some feta and fresh pitted olives.
More Italian, add more basil and add some grape tomatoes to the baking pan about halfway through and serve sprinkled with parmesan or Vegan Parm or Nut Free Vegan Parm!
Make this into a one sheet dinner by adding cut up veggies and diced sweet potatoes or halved baby potatoes tossed in some olive or grape seed oil and season with a pinch of herbed seasoned sea salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper, to the baking pan.
