These Crispy Baked Parmesan Chicken Thighs are shatteringly crunchy without the frying or fussy egg-flour dipping. Flavourful, with insanely tender meat, you won't believe how easy and simple they are to make. Without a doubt, this will become your family's all-time favourite chicken dinner. As always, before you start cooking, I highly recommend you read through the notes section below for all the tips to make the crispiest, oven-baked chciken.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time55 minutesmins
Servings: 4to 6
Ingredients
2cupspanko or fresh breadcrumbs
1/2cupgrated Parmesan cheese
2teaspoons sweet paprika
1teaspoon garlic powder
1/2teaspoon cayenne pepperor more or less to taste (can omit if you don't want any spice)
Kosher salt and black pepper
1Tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
1/2cupDijon mustard
1egg white
8skin-on, bone-in chicken thighstrimmed of fat and some skin (*see "tips" below)
lemon wedges, for serving optional
Instructions
Place a rack in highest position in oven; preheat to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (optional for easy cleanup).
In a medium, shallow bowl mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and use your hands to thoroughly coat the mixture.
In another medium, shallow bowl whisk the mustard with the egg white until well combined. If too thick, add a teaspoon (or two) of water, wine, or chicken broth to loosen.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Dip one chicken piece, top side only, in the mustard mixture then place the coated side only in the crumb mixture, pressing firmly to make the crumbs adhere. Place on the prepared sheet pan, crumb-side up. Repeat until all chicken is done. Tip: After dipping a few pieces, use your fingers to fluff up the breadcrumb mixture. A packed down mixture does not stick as well.
Bake the chicken for 40 minutes, or until nicely browned and internal temperature reads 170ºF. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Jenny Rosenstratch, via Bon Appetit.TIPS:Don't overcrowd the pan: The chicken pieces need plenty of space to get crispy and brown evenly all around.Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking: In fact, this applies to any meat. Room temperature meat will cook through in the centre a lot more evenly, and faster, than if cooked cold from the fridge.Remove excess chicken fat and skin: Most skin-on chicken thighs come with a lot of excessive fat and skin. You don't have to cut it off but I prefer my chicken a little leaner and it does not compromise any flavour or crispiness. In fact, I cut off most of the skin leaving only a small piece on top. Kitchen shears, as opposed to a knife, make this job a lot easier.Pat the chicken dry: This ensures the mustard/egg mixture will adhere better to the meat. Add a little water to the mustard/egg white mixture: If the mixture seems a little thick, loosen it by adding a few teaspoons at a time of water, chicken broth, or white wine. Just be cautious to add the liquid a teaspoon at a time because you don't want the mixture too loose.To MAKE AHEAD AND REHEAT:This crispy baked Parmesan chicken tastes just as good served at room temperature as it does when served piping hot from the oven.Make ahead: I don't recommend breading and chilling the chicken ahead of time before cooking it. Breadcrumbs tend to lose their crispiness when chilled. You can make a few hours ahead by cooking the chicken (slightly undercooking it), then reheating when ready to serve.To reheat: To regain crispiness, simply place chicken pieces on a baking sheet and bake in a 400ºF preheated oven until warmed though, about 15 to 20 minutes. ⠀⠀