This is the no-fuss weeknight meal you have been looking for!
This baked chicken thighs and crispy kale recipe is a super-easy one-pan dish—perfect for a healthy and easy weeknight meal. It is also pretty economical—chicken thighs are usually pretty cheap and frequently on sale.
This healthy, satisfying dish can realistically be ready in less than 45 minutes, only requires washing a few dishes, and uses ingredients that can be purchased on the weekend and still be good mid to late the next week.
I also made some seasoned crispy baby potatoes to round out the dish (with a name like Ms Russet, I’ll take the opportunity to add potatoes to anything). This addition is quick and easy and uses the same spices.
Baked Chicken Thighs and Crispy Kale Recipe:
- 2-4 Chicken Thighs (either bone-in or boneless)
- 1 Bunch of Kale (or bag of prewashed, cut kale)
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt, Pepper, Garlic Salt, and other favorite seasonings (I like Mala Spice and Trader Joe’s Georgian Spice)
- 1 lb Baby Potatoes (optional if you’d also like to make potatoes)
Note on Seasoning: Adding the Mala Spice and Trader Joe’s Georgian Spice just adds a nice complexity and doesn’t actually make the dish really spicy IMO. If you like a lot of spice, then choose your own adventure and go wild there.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F Convection (or 425°F Bake)
- Clean and roughly chop kale (or buy a bag of pre-washed and cut kale for a fast dinner)
- Drizzle olive oil over kale and massage until it is tender and fully coated (about 3-5mins)
- Spread kale on a lined baking sheet, sprinkle with garlic salt, and place a cooling or grilling grate over it
- Dry chicken thighs with paper towels and season with salt, pepper, and any other desired spices
- Place chicken on the rack on top of kale
- Bake for 25-30 minutes (boneless) or 35-45 minutes (bone-in), or until chicken skin is crisp with an internal temperature of 165°F
Seasoned Crispy Baby Potatoes (Optional):
- Wash and cut your potatoes into 1-inch pieces
- Dry well, toss in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and spices of your choice (I used Trader Joe’s Georgian Spice)
- Place in a single layer on a baking sheet, bake at 425°F until crispy (about 15-20mins)
