These baked boneless chicken thighs roast in a shallow metal pan, then finish with Savory Dust and their cooking juices. Choose similarly sized skinless thighs and check each piece with a thermometer.
Make it with Savory Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
Heat the oven. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly oil a shallow metal roasting pan with 1 teaspoon of the measured oil. Use a pan large enough to leave a little space around each thigh.
Prepare the thighs. Do not rinse the chicken. Pat dry with paper towels, trim any loose excess fat and unfold the thighs to an even thickness. Rub with another teaspoon oil and arrange in a single layer.
Start roasting. Roast for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix Savory Dust with the remaining teaspoon oil, water and lemon juice. Keep this finishing mixture separate from raw-poultry utensils until you use it.
Brush and finish. Brush the partly cooked thighs with the mixture, then roast another 7–15 minutes, until the thickest part of every piece reaches 165°F (74°C). Thickness and oven performance change timing. Discard any unused mixture touched by the brush after it contacts undercooked chicken.
Rest and serve. Move the cooked thighs to a clean plate and rest 5 minutes. Spoon over a little of the hot pan juices. Cut across the grain if serving sliced, and keep the remaining juices for moistening leftovers.
Cooking timing: 22–30 mins + 5 mins resting.
The Dust In This Recipe
Savory Desert Dust
$12.99
Make it with Savory Desert Dust. Start with the amount listed, then taste before adding more.
✦Aromatic & SavoryA layered Latin-inspired profile with warm spice and real depth.
✦Dates Do MoreOrganic Coachella Valley dates round out the spices with earthy sweetness.
Bone-in thighs need different timing and may have skin that cooks differently. This recipe is written specifically for boneless skinless thighs; use a method designed for bone-in pieces rather than following this clock time.
WHY ADD THE SEASONING PARTWAY THROUGH?
Savory Dust contains dates. Adding the mixture after the initial roast limits its exposure to the hottest, driest part of cooking and helps it combine with the pan juices.
SHOULD I UNFOLD THE THIGHS?
Yes. Open each boneless thigh so the thick folds do not hide an undercooked center. Keep the pieces a similar thickness and check more than one spot in the largest pieces.
CAN I USE A GLASS BAKING DISH?
A metal pan is specified here because it tolerates the hot oven and browns differently. If using glass, follow its manufacturer's temperature and thermal-shock guidance and expect timing and browning to change.
HOW DO I STOP THE CHICKEN DRYING OUT?
Start with similarly sized thighs, leave modest space between them and check temperature toward the early end of the finish range. Once each piece reaches 165°F (74°C), avoid leaving it in the oven just to match a darker photo.
CAN I DOUBLE THE RECIPE?
Use two pans with space around the thighs and rotate their positions if your oven heats unevenly. Crowding all the chicken into one deep dish causes more steaming and changes the timing.
HOW SHOULD I STORE AND REHEAT LEFTOVERS?
Refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 90°F (32°C), in shallow covered containers at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Use within 3–4 days and reheat with a little liquid to 165°F (74°C).
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