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My 1-Ingredient Upgrade For The Most Flavorful Chicken Thighs Of Your Life

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I'm no stranger to onion soup and dip mix. Those affordable and handy packets are a standby in my kitchen (along with sour cream) in case we have any impromptu guests come over (my husband is one of six kids, so it tends to happen more often than not). But the greatness that is onion soup mix extends beyond the nostalgic two-ingredient dip.

As I learned last summer when I tested this recipe for French onion dip chicken thighs, you can mix the contents of a single packet with mayonnaise and slather it on chicken thighs for a juicy, tender, and incredibly flavorful chicken dinner. My kids loved it (which is saying a lot, as they're picky eaters), plus it couldn't have been easier. These days, I tend to keep two boxes of onion soup mix in my pantry so that an easy, flavorful chicken dinner is always within reach.

Why Onion Soup Mix Makes Chicken Thighs Even Better

Onion soup mix adds rich, savory flavor and texture to just about anything, owing to the double whammy of dehydrated onions and onion powder in there. The dehydrated onions pack a delightful crunch, while the onion powder adds balance and a depth of flavor. While the recipe calls for stirring the mix with mayo before spreading it on chicken thighs, you can skip the mayo and instead toss the chicken with the soup mix and a cooking oil of your choice or even melted butter.

Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Brett Regot Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Brett Regot

How to Use Onion Soup Mix on Chicken Thighs

You'll season skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs first with salt then sear them in a hot pan until golden-brown. At this point, you'll smear a mix of mayonnaise and onion soup mix onto each piece of chicken, making sure to get it into every crevice. Slide the pan into a 400-degree oven and roast until the chicken registers at least 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer.

You can apply the same mayo-onion soup mixture on skinless, boneless chicken thighs. Simply toss the chicken in that mayo mixture, arrange them in a baking dish in a single layer, and roast in a 425-degree oven to an internal temperature of 165ºF.

Other Ways to Use Onion Soup Mix

Once you've tried onion soup mix on chicken thighs, you can branch out even further. Here are a couple other ways it can show up on your dinner table.

This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: My 1-Ingredient Upgrade for the Most Flavorful Chicken Thighs of Your Life

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Hunan-Style Ginger Chicken

Simmer juicy chicken thigh pieces in an umami-rich soy-based sauce with earthy shiitake mushrooms and sweet mini peppers for this 30-minute, one-pan dinner. This version of the comforting Hunan classic, lao jiang men ji, from cookbook author Andrea Nguyen is a simple braise that gets its heat from a generous handful of unpeeled fresh ginger root.

Frequently Asked Questions Dark soy sauce is thicker and slightly sweeter than regular or light soy sauce. In addition to adding a salty sweetness, dark soy sauce is used to a dark amber color to dishes like stir-fries and braises. If you don't have dark soy sauce on hand, you can substitute with 2 1/2 teaspoons regular soy sauce plus 3/4 teaspoon molasses.

A large skillet, with plenty of surface area, will also work well for this recipe. We recommend using a cast-iron skillet, which has a naturally nonstick surface. Avoid using a skillet with a nonstick Teflon coating when cooking over high heat, such is the case in this recipe.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen This recipe moves fast, so be sure to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before starting to cook. Andrea Nguyen recommends leaving the peel on the ginger for an extra pungent and spicy pop of flavor. Suggested pairing Try pairing this ginger-forward chicken dish with a full-bodied white wine, like Gabriëlskloof The Landscape Series Elodie Chenin Blanc.

Recipe: Chicken Pot Roast Is Similar To The Homespun Recipe, Except It's Lighter And Cooks More Quickly

Serves 4

In this lighter version of pot roast, chicken pieces instead of beef take center stage. The basics are similar: Large pieces of carrot, celery, potato, shallot, and mushroom go into the pot to simmer, in this case, with chicken thighs and breasts. In a typical braise, the meat and vegetables are usually seared first, then partially submerged in a flavorful liquid and cooked over a low temperature. The connective tissue in the meat breaks down slowly and tough cuts become tender. Because chicken has less connective tissue, it requires a shorter cooking time. Here, instead of browning the vegetables on the stovetop, do it an easier way. Put them into a Dutch oven and give them a head start in a hot oven. Once they are lightly browned, sprinkle them with a little flour to give the sauce some body without turning it into a thick gravy. Then add white wine and chicken stock enlivened with mustard and lemon juice. Set the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables so the skin becomes golden as it cooks. If your chicken is done but not browned to your liking, slide the pan under the broiler for a minute or two, watching it carefully to make sure the meat browns without burning. The oven does the hard work for this homespun dish, a cozy winter Sunday supper.

3

carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

2

ribs celery, cut into 2-inch pieces

1

pound baby yellow potatoes, halved

6

shallots (8 ounces), peeled and halved if large

½

pound cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered if large

2

cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife

4

tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

4

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

2

bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts

2

tablespoons flour

½

cup white wine

1¼

cups chicken stock

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1

tablespoon Dijon mustard

2

teaspoons herbes de Provence or 2 teaspoons mixed dried rosemary, thyme, and oregano

2

tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

1. Set the oven at 425 degrees.

2. In a large ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven, combine the carrots, celery, potatoes, shallots, mushrooms, and garlic with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Toss well. Sprinkle with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.

3. Transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly charred at the edges.

4. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. With scissors, trim any excess skin. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

5. Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir them to coat them with flour. Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. On the empty side, stir in the wine, stock, lemon juice, and mustard, whisking the liquids until smooth. Spread the vegetables in the pan. Set the chicken pieces on top, skin side up. Sprinkle with the herbes de Provence. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

6. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees. Return the pan to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165 degrees and the skin is golden brown. (Exact time depends on the size of the chicken breasts.)

7. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate. Set the breasts on a cutting board and cut them in half horizontally with a large chef's knife or kitchen shears.

8. Spoon vegetables and the juices in the pan into 4 shallow bowls. Add chicken to each and sprinkle with parsley.

Sally Pasley Vargas

Serves 4

In this lighter version of pot roast, chicken pieces instead of beef take center stage. The basics are similar: Large pieces of carrot, celery, potato, shallot, and mushroom go into the pot to simmer, in this case, with chicken thighs and breasts. In a typical braise, the meat and vegetables are usually seared first, then partially submerged in a flavorful liquid and cooked over a low temperature. The connective tissue in the meat breaks down slowly and tough cuts become tender. Because chicken has less connective tissue, it requires a shorter cooking time. Here, instead of browning the vegetables on the stovetop, do it an easier way. Put them into a Dutch oven and give them a head start in a hot oven. Once they are lightly browned, sprinkle them with a little flour to give the sauce some body without turning it into a thick gravy. Then add white wine and chicken stock enlivened with mustard and lemon juice. Set the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables so the skin becomes golden as it cooks. If your chicken is done but not browned to your liking, slide the pan under the broiler for a minute or two, watching it carefully to make sure the meat browns without burning. The oven does the hard work for this homespun dish, a cozy winter Sunday supper.

3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 pound baby yellow potatoes, halved 6 shallots (8 ounces), peeled and halved if large ½ pound cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered if large 2 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife 4 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 2 bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts 2 tablespoons flour ½ cup white wine 1¼ cups chicken stock Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence or 2 teaspoons mixed dried rosemary, thyme, and oregano 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

1. Set the oven at 425 degrees.

2. In a large ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven, combine the carrots, celery, potatoes, shallots, mushrooms, and garlic with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Toss well. Sprinkle with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.

3. Transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly charred at the edges.

4. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. With scissors, trim any excess skin. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

5. Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir them to coat them with flour. Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. On the empty side, stir in the wine, stock, lemon juice, and mustard, whisking the liquids until smooth. Spread the vegetables in the pan. Set the chicken pieces on top, skin side up. Sprinkle with the herbes de Provence. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

6. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees. Return the pan to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165 degrees and the skin is golden brown. (Exact time depends on the size of the chicken breasts.)

7. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate. Set the breasts on a cutting board and cut them in half horizontally with a large chef's knife or kitchen shears.

8. Spoon vegetables and the juices in the pan into 4 shallow bowls. Add chicken to each and sprinkle with parsley.Sally Pasley Vargas

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