Jill Can Cook: Baked Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs

I'm going to complain about this recipe a little bit before I get going.  I had some leftover, uncooked chicken thighs and checked around on Pinterest for a new way to season them, since we ran out of our favorite chicken seasoning and I'm looking for some good recipes to replace it.  That's when I came across this recipe on someone else's blog.

I read through the blog and it really seems like the blogger has her act together and knows how to create a recipe from scratch. Well, that's how it comes across when you read it anyway. So, blah, blah, blah... I make my chicken using this recipe. Then I get to the end of it and realize, she adapted it from some other blog which I hoped was the orginal.

I wanted to link to the original blog so I searched around and realized that the recipe was all over the web, submitted to websites and shared all over the place and the credit was always given to the blog I first found and not the actual original blogger. 

I don't know why, but that makes me feel crappy. I guess I just don't like the idea that the original author isn't getting the credit. Anyway, original lady, here's your credit right here: I've adapted this recipe from: Domestic Fits

Baked Brown Sugar Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp dried minced garlic
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbs olive oil
• chicken legs, wings, thighs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. In a bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and rub to coat. Sprinkle  dry rub on chicken and pat to coat. Can also be done by mixing dry rub in a bag and adding chicken to bag in order to coat chicken. 
3. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45-55 minutes for chicken thighs and drumsticks. Wings can be cooked for 30 minutes, and flipped over once during baking.

So, I know that I probably don't have the cooking skills to eyeball my ingredients instead of measuring and re-measuring, but c'mon, this is a dry rub I'm putting together, I'm not building a rocket ship.

Anyway, I eyeballed the ingredients. We were busy all morning and I started lunch late. I knew the chicken would take a long time to cook and I just couldn't be bothered to find all the measuring spoons. You'd be surprised at how I didn't screw this up at all (first time that phrase has ever been on this blog!)

My dry rub ingredients before mixing.

My dry rub ingredients all mixed together.

As usual, I rubbed the seasoning directly on the chicken, plus on the skin.

Ok. That's it for prep! When you're rushed like I was rushed the day I made this, I was elated that the prep time was less than 10 minutes, including taking all the pictures and washing my hands a million times.

Off to the oven they went. And then...

They almost didn't last long enough to take a photo. 

They were so awesome! 

My eyeballing of the ingredients didn't lessen the deliciousness of thic chicken at all! In fact, it probably enhanced it. For once I can say that my laziness benefited my tummy.

I cant wait to make these again!

The flavors were on point. It was a good balance of sweet and spicy. I think I might use this exact recipe for when Joe and I make ribs and pulled pork. I can't talk this recipe up enough. It was fabulous... The only issue... You know how I've been complaining about not being able to find Joe's and my favorite Mediterranean chicken seasoning for several months? Well, we found some the day after I made this chicken. We ended up purchasing 4 bottles of it! We never want to run out of it again. Lucky for you guys though, because I'll calm down on the chicken thigh recipes for a bit. Woo hoo!

Oh and one more thing. For the first time in my life, I actually cooked noodles with pesto sauce. Don't get me wrong, I've eaten noodles with pesto sauce. I've even made other recipes with pesto sauce. But for some reason, I've never put the two together in my own kitchen. I decided that would be the perfect accompaniment to my supah fly chicken and I was right, like I always am! (I'm not but don't tell my husband. I think I have him convinced I'm always right!!)

The kids love mini shells

People, eat this food! Eat it now! Eat it before you start dieting for the holidays! Eat it before other people realize how delicious it is and other people eat it all on you!

A+, A+, A+   I finally didn't ruin mealtime!