Today I am baking chicken legs for a little change of pace. I know you are usually told to avoid the dark meat because it is fattier, but it does actually have some benefits as well. If you eat both dark and white meat you will reap all the advantages that chicken has to offer. Obviously, you do not want to eat dark meat often because of the higher fat content.
Dark Chicken Meat VS White Chicken Meat
- High in Iron
- Higher in Vitamin C
- High in Zinc
- Higher in Fat
- High in Vitamin B3, Niacin
- High in Vitamin B6, Pyridoxine
- Higher in Protein
- Lower in Fat
As you can see above, both dark and white chicken meat have their benefits. Who knew?
These baked chicken legs are covered with a lovely mix of olive oil, lime juice and herbs. There is just enough lime juice to give a citrus note and it blends well with the herbs.
INGREDIENT
- 6 chicken legs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before you begin.
In a small bowl or measuring cup add olive oil, thyme, salt, pepper, chopped garlic and fresh lime juice. Stir well to mix and set aside.
Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil over a medium high heat. Season the chicken legs and add to the pan. You are just trying to get some beautiful color on the outside of the chicken. Once you do that put them into an oven safe pan.
Get the mixture you made, stir again and pour over the top of the chicken legs. Before you place them in the oven, spin them around in the pan to make sure all sides are covered.
Put the chicken legs in the oven uncovered for about 35-40 minutes. They should be fully cooked at this point, but don’t forget to check for doneness. Plate the baked chicken legs with your favorite vegetables and enjoy.
What is the Food Safe Temperature for Baked Chicken?
As per the FDA, the food safe temperature for chicken is an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You can check with an instant read or digital thermometer. If you do not have a thermometer, you can cut the chicken to the bone and check to see if the fluid is clear and there is no pink meat.