Add This One-Ingredient Base Before Baking Chicken Thighs For A Major Flavor Upgrade

Roast chicken is a classic with good reason — it's easy to make, satisfying, and delicious. Baking chicken thighs is a budget-conscious choice that delivers the same comfort and taste for a fraction of the price. There are many wonderful and easy chicken thigh recipes to make on any given weekday night, but if you want to elevate a simple tray of roast chicken thighs, add a base of sliced onions and place the chicken thighs on top before baking. 

This is an incredibly versatile way to cook chicken thighs and has multiple benefits — after all, the reason why onions are in almost every restaurant dish is because they're a flavor powerhouse. Cooking chicken on top of a layer of onion slices will keep the meat moist and flavorful, while allowing the skin to get crispy and golden as long as the meat is uncovered. The onions release moisture as they cook, so they will slowly start softening. The heat will also release their natural sugars and amino acids, wich causes them to brown and lose their pungency, becoming sweeter. The chicken drippings will cook the onions slowly, yielding a fabulous no-effort pan sauce or the brilliant base for a more elaborate sauce or gravy. 

You can choose any of the most popular types of onions for your layer, as each will add a different flavor and texture to your finished dish. The amount of onion is up to you, but use enough to cover the bottom of a large tray or casserole dish. When choosing the onions, keep in mind some of the key differences between yellow and white onions to help you decide, such as white onions breaking down more easily than yellow ones. Or try onion relatives like leeks or shallots, or heck, even a combination of a few of them would be fabulous in this dish, and provide a range of flavors and textures.

Slice the onions thickly if you want them to keep their shape to serve as a side dish to complement the chicken, or use thin slices if you'd like them to melt into the pan sauce. Be sure to keep an eye on them though, as they might brown too quickly and burn. Shake the pan now and then and if you think they are in danger, add a glug of wine or stock to moisten everything up.

Place the thighs skin-side up over the onions and avoid a common mistake people make when cooking chicken thighs by patting them dry with a paper towel at the start. This helps the skin stay crispy by removing excess moisture. Patting the skin dry also helps seasonings stick better to the chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper for a simple dish, but you can get creative and add some global flair. Think Cajun seasoning, Tajín, tandoori spices, Italian herbs, za'atar — pick your favorite or try something new. 

Serving the chicken and caramelized onions with mashed potatoes to soak up the pan sauce would be just heavenly. For a lighter version, serve with crusty bread and a fresh salad.