Baked Chicken Legs Recipe: Easy and Delicious

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Discover an easy and incredibly delicious way to prepare chicken legs. This recipe combines flavorful baked chicken legs with a simple potato base and a fresh, vibrant salad. Perfect for a family dinner or a casual gathering, this dish is sure to impress. Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Legs and Potato Bases:

  • 9 chicken legs
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Paprika
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 20g ginger, minced
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 5 potatoes, halved
  • 3 toothpicks per potato half

For the Fresh Salad:

  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Cucumber
  • A mix of lettuce leaves
  • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Salt
  • 1-2 teaspoons French mustard
  • Olive oil

Instructions:

Prepare the Chicken Legs

1. Make Incisions and Season:

  • Make several incisions in the chicken legs. This allows the marinade to penetrate deeper into the meat.
  • Season the chicken legs with salt, black pepper, paprika, marjoram, minced garlic, minced ginger, lemon juice, and vegetable oil.
  • Coat the chicken legs well with the marinade, ensuring they are evenly covered.

2. Marinate:

  • Cover the seasoned chicken legs with cling film and let them rest for 30-40 minutes. This marinating time allows the flavors to meld together.

Prepare the Potatoes

3. Preheat the Oven:

  • Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F).

4. Halve and Season the Potatoes:

  • Halve the potatoes, ensuring they are of similar size for even cooking.
  • Season the potato halves with salt and a bit of vegetable oil.

5. Set Up Potato Bases:

  • Place the potato halves on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
  • Insert 3 toothpicks into each potato half to create a stand for the chicken legs. This setup will keep the chicken legs upright during baking.

Bake the Chicken and Potatoes

6. Bake:

  • Place the marinated chicken legs on the toothpicks, standing upright on the potato halves.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

7. Brush with Marinade:

  • Brush the chicken legs with the remaining marinade and bake for another 15-20 minutes until fully cooked and golden brown. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach at least 75°C (165°F).

Prepare the Salad

8. Chop the Vegetables:

  • While the chicken is baking, prepare the salad by combining cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and a mix of lettuce leaves in a bowl.

9. Make the Dressing:

  • In a small bowl, mix lemon juice, salt, French mustard, and olive oil to create the dressing.

10. Toss the Salad:

  • Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat the vegetables evenly.

Serve

11. Plate and Serve: – Serve the baked chicken legs and potatoes with the fresh salad on the side. – Enjoy your meal!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Flavorful and Juicy: The marinade, with its blend of garlic, ginger, lemon juice, and spices, infuses the chicken legs with deep, rich flavors. The incisions in the meat help the marinade penetrate, ensuring every bite is delicious.

Simple and Elegant: The presentation of the chicken legs standing on the potato bases is both simple and elegant, making this dish perfect for a special dinner without a lot of fuss.

Nutritious and Balanced: Paired with a fresh salad, this meal is balanced and nutritious. The chicken provides protein, the potatoes add carbohydrates, and the salad offers vitamins and minerals.

Tips for the Best Baked Chicken Legs

Even Cooking: Ensure the chicken legs are of similar size so they cook evenly. Using toothpicks to stand the legs on the potato halves helps them cook uniformly and adds a fun presentation.

Rest the Marinade: Allowing the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes helps the flavors develop. If you have more time, marinate the chicken for up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Check the Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 75°C (165°F) to ensure it’s fully cooked.

Serving Suggestions

With Garlic Bread: Serve with garlic bread or crusty bread to soak up any juices from the chicken.

With a Side of Rice: Add a side of steamed rice or quinoa for a more substantial meal.

With a Glass of Wine: Pair with a glass of white wine or light red wine to complement the flavors of the chicken.

Health Benefits of Key Ingredients

Chicken: A great source of lean protein, chicken supports muscle growth and repair. It’s also rich in essential vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, zinc, and iron.

Potatoes: Potatoes are a good source of carbohydrates, providing energy. They also contain fiber, vitamins C and B6, and potassium.

Fresh Vegetables: The salad provides essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, supporting overall health and boosting the immune system.

This Baked Chicken Legs on Potato Bases with Fresh Salad recipe is an easy and delicious way to enjoy a hearty meal. With simple ingredients and a straightforward preparation process, this dish is perfect for any occasion. Follow these steps to create a flavorful and satisfying meal that everyone will love.

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