I have been making these baked, boneless chicken thighs for years. These satisfy our family’s fried chicken cravings, even though they are oven baked (which somehow seems healthier). They always turn out crispy on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside. I always make plenty because they make great leftovers. My father-in-law loved them so much he frequently asked me to make that “Canadian Chicken”, and the name has stuck in our household. I guess he thought that because I am Canadian, this was some secret, coveted Canadian recipe, when in fact it really was just something I came up with after trying various recipes. But I love that he loved them so much that he named them after me!
TIPS: These turn out crispier if you can cook them elevated on a wire rack placed inside your baking sheet, because air can circulate underneath them. You can bread these ahead of time, place on the baking sheet, cover them in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 4-6 hours. Doing them ahead of time and refrigerating them actually helps the breading adhere better, and helps you to save some time later!
Oven Fried Chicken Thighs (also known as “Canadian Chicken”)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs (about 8)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 3-4 Tbs water
- 1 C dried breadcrumbs
- 3/4 C grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- Olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees (or 400 convection bake). Place a wire rack inside a large baking sheet and spray with cooking spray (or line the bottom of a baking sheet with tinfoil sprayed with cooking spray, or parchment paper, if you do not have a wire rack).
- Whisk together dijon mustard and water in a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, mix together bread crumbs, parmesan, thyme, paprika, red pepper flakes (if using) and salt and pepper.
- Dip the chicken thighs in the dijon-water mixture to wet both sides, then dip into the bread crumb mixture. Coat both sides of the chicken in the crumbs, pressing firmly on each side to adhere, and ensuring all parts are covered with crumbs. Gently lay the breaded thigh on the baking sheet rack, smooth side up, and repeat with all the thighs. If there is leftover crumbs, press a bit more on the tops of any thighs that are not completely covered. (If you are preparing ahead of time, cover and refrigerate at this point, up to 4 hours ahead of time).
- Sprinkle the thighs with a bit more salt and pepper, and drizzle each thigh with olive oil. Put the chicken in the center of the oven, uncovered, and bake 20-30 minutes, until the thighs are browned and crispy on the outside, and the insides on the thickest parts have reached at least 175 degrees. Cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Enjoy!