Italian Chicken Thighs
I have often seen recipes for chicken using an Italian vinaigrette as a marinade so I decided to give it a try. I made a tangy vinaigrette using seasoned rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and seasonings. I marinated the chicken thighs for 8 hours then did a quick sear before cooking them off in the oven. They turned out moist, flavorful, and so delicious. I will definitely be making this chicken again! I served these chicken thighs with Garlic Rice with Sautéed Onions, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Toasted Pine Nuts and broccoli for a tasty and healthy meal.
How to Make Italian Chicken Thighs
Combine the olive oil, water, seasoned rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, together in a large zip lock bag, seal and shake the bag to mix well. Place the trimmed chicken thighs in the bag and squish them around to make sure they are evenly coated. Place into the refrigerator for 8 hours (or overnight). Remove the bag from the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to cooking the chicken.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat an OVEN PROOF pan over medium-high heat and coat it with cooking spray. Add the chicken thighs to the hot pan and cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown, flip the chicken over and place the pan into the oven. Roast the chicken for 15 minutes then remove it from the oven. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes prior to serving. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 boneless and skinless chicken thighs trimmed of any fat
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- Pinch of sugar
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, water, seasoned rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, together in a large zip lock bag, seal and shake the bag to mix well. Place the trimmed chicken thighs in the bag and squish them around to make sure they are evenly coated. Place into the refrigerator for 8 hours (or overnight). Remove the bag from the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to cooking the chicken.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat an OVEN PROOF skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and coat it with cooking spray. Add the chicken thighs to the hot pan and cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown, flip the chicken over and place the pan into the oven.
- Roast the chicken for 15 minutes then remove it from the oven. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes prior to serving. Enjoy.
Pam I love chicken thighs and thid sounds delicious!
Now that chicken is a looker! Love the idea of marinading this in a vinaigrette first. YUM!
These look so delicious! Going to have these for dinner soon!
Love this! I bet that marinade is to die for!
Good morning Pam.
Sounds like a tasty chicken recipe, really yummy!
These look so appetizing!!!!
These look really amazing, Pam. I have been a bit obsessed with letting meat marinate before cooking. It just adds so much more flavor and moisture. Will definitely be adding this to the line up!
A great and easy recipe, perfect for my Sunday dinner with my sister!
It looks tender and juicy!!! I love to use chicken thighs. To me, they have the most flavor!! Yum!!
xo Kris
I never think 8 hours ahead, but I do love a good Italian vinaigrette for seasoning. chicken thighs are my favorite part of the bird.
Chicken thighs are my favorite! These look awesome. Part of my weekly cooking is marinating chicken in salad dressing overnight then baking to have on hand for the week.
How about the oven temp? Is 350 enough? I’ve always been a big fan of zip-lock bags for marinating and overnight for chicken means you’re serious. (It’s way too common to say marinate beef for eight hours and chicken for one or less.)
Sorry I didn’t add that to the recipe! I have since corrected the recipe to include the 350 degree cooking temperature. Thanks for letting me know it was missing.
I love your easy weeknight chicken thighs recipes, Pam! These look delicious!
I love the marinate for this chicken. It sounds really yummy.
Good to know that using a homemade vinaigrette works out so well!! And that it’s so easy to throw together (WIN).
Looks so yum!
Great recipe, Pam! Simple and perfect!
This would also be wonderful on the BBQ!
I’m always looking for new recipes with chicken thighs..sounds perfect!
LOL when I was 18 or 19 and just learning to grill, my buddies and my go to chicken was to marinate a bunch of chicken thighs or leg quarters in Wishbone Italian dressing. Every time I do any kind of marinade for chicken now, I think that all I am really doing is the same thing that I did back then.
The marinade, along with the dark meat and cooking method was excellent! Everyone loved it, so I know I will be making this often.
My daughter made this recipe and it was the best chicken I ever ate. I will definitely be making this soon. Her husband cooked the chicken on the grill. It was delicious!