Chicken Thigh Dinner
Oven-cooked chicken thighs at 400 degrees for 55 minutes. Slow cooker method also possible.
Oven-cooked chicken thighs at 400 degrees for 55 minutes. Slow cooker method also possible.
- Carbohydrate 2.46946510113337 g
- Cholesterol 47.88 mg
- Fat 8.89913015425726 g
- Fiber 0.797037679734081 g
- Protein 10.1642833284375 g
- Saturated Fat 2.59517027711474 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (75g)
- Sodium 122.708869294583 mg
- Sugar 1.67242742139929 g
- Trans Fat 0.583685353903867 g
- Calories 140 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat over to 400 degrees.
- Place frozen chicken thighs in casserole dish.
- Combine all other ingredients and pour over chicken.
- Cover with foil ad bake for 30 mins.
- Remove foil, turn chicken and bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked 160 degrees.
Working From Frozen
Starting with frozen meat requires precise thermal management to avoid safety hazards and poor texture. When solid blocks of protein go straight into a 400-degree oven, the exterior thaws rapidly while the interior stays cold. Covering the casserole dish with foil for the first 30 minutes traps escaping moisture, creating a steaming environment that thaws the dense muscle tissue evenly before browning begins. Removing that foil allows the ambient heat to evaporate surface water and concentrate the red wine and aromatics into a pan sauce. Dried sage and rosemary release their fat-soluble aromatic compounds directly into the rendering chicken fat during this dry-heat phase.
Texture and Moisture Control
Oven roasting frozen poultry introduces a specific structural risk. Pumping high heat into ice-laden meat causes muscle fibers to tighten aggressively and expel moisture too quickly, resulting in a rubbery chew. Foil trapping prevents steam from escaping entirely, which softens the protein strands during the initial thaw cycle. Turning the meat midway through the uncovered baking window ensures the upper surface experiences direct radiant heat for the final 25 minutes. Pulling the casserole when the internal thermometer reads 160 degrees prevents residual carryover heat from pushing the chicken past the dry threshold.
