Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Nut-Free!
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35–40 min
Total: 55 min
One thing I learned at a very young age in life was how to cook. When I was just 3 years old, my mom taught me how to make my first home-cooked meal: pancakes. In those days she would bring me up on the counter and we would cook everything from the simple: Spaghetti and meatballs — to the harder and more sophisticated: Lasagna and Chicken Francese (Yes, I’m Italian). Since she was diagnosed with celiac disease about 10 years ago now, I’ve been experimenting with recipes that both of us can have.
This recipe is a new one that I tried for the first time last Thursday after stopping at Food Lion on my way home from a friend’s house. It was such a good recipe that I had to share it with my allergy-friendly folks, especially because it is gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free. Likewise, it’s a perfect recipe for novices who just want to throw spices at it and dump it in the oven and the Michelin star types who want to experiment.
Step 1:
To begin, preheat the oven to 425°F and line a pan with foil and place a baking rack on top. It also works without a backing rack as I used a roasting pan and baking sheet instead. Furthermore, if you don’t have tinfoil you can use a bit of oil or non-stick cooking spray to coat the bottom of the pan instead!
Step 2:
Next, pat the chicken skin dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture. If you’re like me and buy the cheapest chicken you can find, then this step is an absolute necessity. During the shipping process, some stores freeze the chicken which leads to a very wet chicken thigh when thawed out. By drying the skin, the chicken becomes something like a painter’s canvas. This allows you to add oil and spices to make a much juicier and healthy creation.
Step 3:
The next step is to drizzle chicken with olive oil and season with seasoning, salt, and pepper. The spice rub, listed down below, can be modified in many ways.
For garlic lovers, take out the turmeric and add ½ teaspoon of garlic instead.
For spice lovers, only use ¼ teaspoon turmeric and double the amount of cayenne pepper seasoning.
Also, if you don’t have oregano you can use Italian seasoning (I prefer it this way because it adds more flavor). Likewise, if you don’t have cayenne pepper you can use chili powder.
Step 4:
The fourth (and final) step is to place on the rack and bake for 35–40 minutes or if your oven cooks super slow like mine just bake until chicken reaches 165°F. Additionally, if you like your chicken a little crispier broil it for 2–3 minutes (trust me it’s worth it).
After the chicken is done let it cool for 30 seconds to a minute and then serve immediately. This meal goes great with a side of Brussels sprouts and rice. Enjoy!
Recipe:
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Mat a pan with foil and place a baking rack on top.
2. Pat chicken skin dry with a paper towel to remove any additional moisture.
3. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season with seasoning, salt, and pepper.
4. Place on the rack and bake 35–40 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F.
Spice Rub:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Pinch of cinnamon (for an extra kick)
- 6 bone-in chicken thigh
Written by Dante Blundo
Dante Blundo is the Social Media Intern for MacroMenu. He is the child of an allergy centric mother who has over 40 allergies including Celiac Disease. Dante himself is allergic to only shellfish, but continues to make recipes that accommodate everyone. You can find his recipes and more from MacroMenu here.
