Oven Roasted Black Pepper Chicken

These juicy and peppery chicken thighs are ideal for your weeknight dinner rotation!

Chicken thighs are a staple meat in my fridge. Not only do they have a deeper flavor than breast meat…they are juicier, cost-effective and super versatile to whip into a quick dinner. One of my all time favorite way to prepare dark meat chicken is this black pepper chicken marinated chicken that you simply oven roast. It has become a staple in my family since my aunt Flavy first made it for us over 12 years ago at her house.

The recipe is so simple that I’ve never actually written it down before today and I’ve always just eye-balled the ingredients. But, the flavors have never failed to disappoint and it turns out delicious…no matter what…so I finally decided to write out just to to share with you. It’s a fool-proof recipe really!

In the recipe, I do use ginger-garlic paste which is a staple in Indian cooking and it’s available in specialty Indian stores here in the U.S. However, you can just use freshly grated garlic and ginger instead; or use separate garlic paste and ginger paste (easily available at most stores like Wal-Mart); or you can make your own paste by pounding equal amounts of fresh ginger and garlic in a pestle and mortar.

Another thing to note for all you breast lover’s out there, while you can substitute the bone-in, skin on chicken thighs with breast meat for this recipe…I strongly urge you to re-think that! This marinade on skinless breast meat just doesn’t do it justice…trust me! If you’re icky about eating chicken off the bone…try boneless chicken thighs with the skin instead. If you’re icky about the skin too… well then I’m sorry, move on there’s nothing for you here… we can’t be friends  .

Oven Roasted Black Pepper Chicken

These juicy and peppery chicken thighs are ideal for your weeknight dinner rotation!

Ingredients

1. 6 Chicken thighs (bone-in)
2. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste (or 1/2 tbsp grated garlic + 1/2 tbsp grated fresh ginger)
3. 3 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
4. 1 tsp Salt (or according to taste)
5. 1 tbsp fresh ground pepper (I like it a little coarsely ground)
6. Juice of 1/2 lime
7. 1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Rinse and trim any excess fat off your chicken thighs, then make three slits in the meat to the bone. (This helps the marinade flavor just the skin of the chicken but the inner meat too)
2. Mix together the garlic- ginger paste , Worcestershire sauce, salt, freshly ground black pepper and squeeze in the juice of half a lime.
3. Spoon over the mixed marinade over the chicken thighs (you can do it in a zip lock bag if touching chicken makes you squeamish) and massage it into the chicken to coat both sides well. Cover and let the chicken marinade in the fridge for anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight.
4. Pre-heat your oven to 400F and arrange your chicken in an oven proof skillet or casserole dish and roast the chicken for 40 minutes (or more depending on the size of your chicken...but keep in mind the slits will help cook the chicken faster than if you didn't score them) until the skin turns a lovely golden and the juices run clear when you poke it with a knife.
5. Garnish with some freshly chopped cilantro (parsley works too) and serve hot with fresh veggies, rice or mashed potatoes.

Notes

1. - You can adjust the quantities according to your taste...but don't skimp the black pepper as it is called "Black Pepper" Roasted Chicken
2. - If you don't have ginger-garlic paste ~ you can just use freshly grated garlic and ginger instead; or use separate garlic paste and ginger paste (easily available at most stores like Wal-Mart); or you can make your own paste by pounding equal amounts of fresh ginger and garlic in a pestle and mortar.

By Noreen (PictureTheRecipe.com)

Adapted from Aunty Flavy

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