These bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are easy to prepare and relatively inexpensive. They also come out of the oven tender, moist, and full of incredible flavor. The thighs are lightly seasoned with cumin, oregano, and garlic powder, and they get a pop of slightly sour/salty flavor from preserved lemons. Golden raisins provide a sweet contrast to the preserved lemons and complement the savoriness of the thicken thighs. Where do you get preserved lemons? You can make them, but I generally buy them from a larger grocery store or from Asian or Middle Eastern grocery stores. You can get them from Amazon, but the jars are about double the price of those at local grocery stores. The chicken thighs bake in 45-50 minutes, and leftovers reheat well in the microwave. We like the chicken thighs with a whole grain--like farro, bulgur or whole-wheat orzo--a green vegetable, and a salad for a nice Sunday dinner that's a little different from the usual. Enjoy!
Savory, Sour, and Sweet Baked Chicken Thighs (Diabetic Friendly) -- Serves 4
4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt (use only 1/4 teaspoon of salt if your watching your sodium intake)
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 preserved lemon, chopped and seeds removed
1/4 cup of raisins (I use golden)
1/3 cup of chicken broth
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spritz a baking pan or dish with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside. Trim the excess fat from the chicken thighs. Turn the chicken so that the skin is on the bottom and the underside of the thigh is exposed. With a sharp knife, make a cut along each side of the thigh bone about 1/4-1/2-inch deep (it's not critical, but it will help the chicken cook better). Turn the chicken over and, with your fingers and/or a sharp knife, loosen the skin on top of the chicken and, though leaving the skin still attached, pull it away to expose the meat. In a small bowl or cup combine the cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle a third of the mixture on top of the exposed chicken meat, then pull the skin back over the top of the chicken to seal in the seasoning. Turn the chicken over and sprinkle the another third of the spice mixture on the underside of the chicken thighs. Place the chicken in the prepared pan/dish, skin-side up. Sprinkle on and around the chicken the preserved lemon pieces and the raisins. Pour the broth over and around the chicken. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning mixture over the top of the thighs. Spritz or drizzle the tops of the chicken thighs with a little olive oil. Bake the chicken thighs for 45-50 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of at least 175 degrees. Let the chicken cool a little before serving it.
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