Weekend Cooking: Easy Weeknight Chicken

Winter is the time for hearty soups, beans and rice, and rich beefy stew. And while I did cook many of those kinds of dinners this month, we also had a few really good, and easy, chicken dinners.

The one I'm sharing today is from a 2014 Eating Well magazine and was incredibly quick and easy to make and delicious. I'm not normally a big fan of chicken thighs, but these came out great.

I made a couple of changes to the recipe method, and I share my directions here. This meal is on the table in about 40 minutes. It's hard to beat that for a busy weeknight.

I served this with a tossed salad, and it was perfect for the two of us. You could make this on a sheet pan, as suggested by Eating Well, or in a standard baking dish, which is what I did.

Note: the photo comes from Eating Well (Sept./Oct. 2014), and all rights remain with them. Visit the magazine's website for the original recipe.

Paprika Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 4 small shallots, quartered
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 small skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2½ pounds)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450°F.

Place Brussels sprouts, shallots, lemon, and garlic in a 9×13-inch baking pan.

Trim the fat off the chicken thighs, if necessary or desired, and add to the baking pan.

Pour the oil into the pan, and sprinkle the salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme over top. Using bare or gloved hands, gently toss the vegetables and chicken until evenly coated with the spices and oil. Then spread the ingredients out into an even layer.

Roast on the lower rack until the Brussels sprouts are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, 20 to 25 minutes.

The following video shows Eating Well's recommended method. Ingredients are the same.

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