Chicken wings are delightful, but these baked Buffalo chicken thighs improve the meat to bone ratio dramatically. If you want a meal, try using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for a hearty, spicy main dish. If you serve them with carrot and celery strips on Romaine leaves, you’ll sneak in a salad, before your family will know it.
Preparation Details
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- olive oil spray
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup hot sauce , such as Frank’s® RedHot® Original
- 1/2 teaspoon W orcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- Romaine lettuce leaves
- 1 1/2 cups carrot sticks
- 1 1/2 cups celery sticks
- 1 cup ranch dressing, or as needed
- fresh parsley sprigs for garnish (optional)
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Trim excess skin and fat from thighs and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken thighs in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag.
- Stir together salt, pepper, and baking powder in a small bowl until well blended. Add seasonings to the bag. Seal the bag; shake and move chicken around to evenly coat with seasonings.
- Place seasoned chicken thighs on the prepared pan, skin side up, and spray with olive oil spray.
- Bake in the preheated oven until chicken skin is brown and crispy, chicken is no longer pink at the center and juices run clear, 40 to 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the center of chicken should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and cayenne. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- Remove chicken from the oven; brush thighs evenly with hot sauce mixture.
- Serve on a bed of Romaine leaves, with fresh carrot and celery sticks, and ranch dressing for dipping. Garnish with fresh parsley.
