Baked Chicken Thighs

This recipe is easy and quick. A tip learned elsewhere is to "overcook" chicken thighs to about 180-185 deg F. They don't dry out, but are more tender than cooking to 165 deg. The recipe below omits quantities, spices are "by guess and by gosh" or "to taste."

• * Chicken Thighs
• * Smoked Picante Paprika
• * Cayenne Pepper
• * Salt

1) Trim the excess skin off of bone-in, skin on chicken thighs. You can take it off altogether if you like, but I like crispy skin. You just don't want flaps of skin hanging from the thighs.

2) Dry the surface with paper towels.

3) Sprinkle Smoked Picante Paprika, a little salt and a few grains of Cayenne Pepper on the inside of the thighs.

4) Pre-heat an oven to 350 deg F.

4) Heat some fat in a cast iron skillet. I use butter for flavor, but oil works fine.

5) Brown the skin side. This should take 5-7 minutes depending on the fat temperature.

6) Flip the thighs so they're skin side up and add a bit more Smoked Picante Paprika, salt and Cayenne Pepper.

7) Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes depending on the size of the thighs. Or using an instead read thermometer, cook to 180 degF.