How close should chicken thighs be to the broiler?

For most ovens, placing the rack about 5 to 6 inches below the broiler gives the chicken enough direct heat to brown without burning too quickly. If your broiler runs especially hot, move the rack down one position.

What should I do if I overcook my chicken thighs?

You can definitely salvage overcooked, dry chicken. Some suggestions would be to make a quick pan gravy with chicken broth, seasonings and a bit of flour or cornstarch. You could also make a dipping sauce of mayonnaise and hot sauce or chili sauce. Or make a quick lemon, herb and butter sauce. And you could remove the skin, shred the meat, add barbecue sauce and you will have a quick version of pulled chicken.

Broiled Chicken Thighs ⋆

Description

Broiled Chicken Thighs cook quickly under high heat, creating juicy chicken with beautifully caramelized edges. In this recipe, a simple homemade marinade adds even more flavor while the broiler does the rest.

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
Juice of one lemon *
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 sprigs of thyme *
2 sage leaves *
4 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons granulated sugar or sugar substitute
1 teaspoon lemon pepper *

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Instructions

Combine all ingredients, except lemon pepper, in a measuring cup and stir well. Place chicken thighs in a bowl or plastic storage bag and pour marinade over them.Close bag or cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to cook, remove thighs from refrigerator, drain and discard the marinade. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
Preheat oven to broil setting. Lightly spray an oven safe skillet or broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray.Place chicken thighs skin side down in the pan and place in the oven on the middle rack.
Broil chicken for 10 minutes. Remove pan, carefully flip the thighs over. Baste thighs with pan juices and place back in the oven under the broiler.
Broil for another 10 minutes. Test the largest thigh with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature must reach at least 165°F.
If the chicken needs to broil a bit longer, I would suggest leaving the oven door open just a bit so you can peek in. The oven will be very hot at this point and the skin on the chicken can burn. Mine were fairly large thighs and needed a total of 25 minutes. But I watched them carefully for the last few minutes. A little bit of char on top is ok and adds to the caramelized tasted. But you don't want the entire top of the skin to be burnt.
Remove chicken to a platter and let them rest for about 5 minutes. This will help the juices stay in the meat before you cut into it.

Notes

* You can use bottled lemon juice if necessary. It won't have the same fresh taste as a whole lemon but is usable. Just add an extra teaspoon of sugar to the marinade.

*If needed, substitute 1/2 teaspoon of a dried herb for the fresh herb.

*Test the largest thigh with an internal meat thermometer. It should register at least 165°F.

*Store leftover, cooled chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave for 2-3 minutes. Cover with a paper towel or plastic wrap. Or heat a skillet over medium heat and reheat thighs until hot. You can reheat them in a bit of chicken broth or a little bit of water with some seasonings.

*Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months and defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

*Nutrition reflects that all but 1 tablespoon of oil was drained from the marinade.