Bill and I have recently been on a mission to eat more healthy fats. Whole eggs, avocado, avocado oil, coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut butter, you get the idea. I, in particular, have also been wanting to eat more good sources of fatty cuts of animal protein. Bill and I both love salmon, so fatty fish isn’t a problem, but since I do not eat beef or pork, my meat options tend to have some limitations. Bill on the other hand eats lots of bacon, steak, and beef jerky. In my attempts to eat some delicious dark meat chicken, I decided to spice up our dinner menu with a chicken thigh recipe.

I have always loved chicken and turkey breast. It’s in my nature to reach for the leaner cuts of meat, rather than the dark, but after our adventures in chicken thigh deliciousness, I don’t know if I will ever go back to my white meat ways. As many of you already know, fatty cuts of meat are encouraged when eating a paleo diet, especially if you keep your carbohydrates (from fruits mostly) on the low side. However, if you are choosing to indulge in a fattier cut of meat, please make sure it is high quality meat. This means grass fed beef, or organic free range chickens. The factory farmed, grain fed, sick animals contain high amounts of omega 6 inflammatory fatty acids. These and other toxins are found in their fat stores, so to keep your omega 3 ratio high, and omega 6 ratio low, opt for a higher quality of meat. If you have to save on the cost, then go lean and compensate by getting your good fats from coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado.

This was actually my first time baking chicken thighs, and similar to our other recipes, we wanted to add minimum seasoning with maximum flavor. This recipe was a success! Quick, inexpensive, and immensely delicious! Bill and I are both now hooked on the tender, juicy, bone-in chicken thighs, not to mention they are quite the bang for your buck! We left the grocery store with four free range, organic chicken thighs for a whooping 3 dollars! Can’t beat that!

Ingredients:

• 4 free range bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Process:

1. Preheat oven to bake at 425.
2. Rinse chicken thighs under cold water and place in a broiler pan.
3. Pat thighs dry with a paper towel.
4. Gently separate skin from thigh, without removing it completely from the meat at the corners.
5. Place shallots and garlic on the meat, and cover with the skin.
6. Lightly rub olive oil on the skin, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Bake for 35 minutes, or until juices run clear.

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We enjoyed these chicken thighs as yummy finger food. They are also perfect to keep in the fridge for a quick protein and healthy fat snack. We highly recommend serving these to dinner guests, or in place of wings at a tailgate or sports game party. The options are endless.