A friend of mine talked about a chicken gyro recipe that was so juicy because the chicken is cooked in a loaf pan. Intrigued, I filed the idea away to the “someday” category. Well, someday came and must say, from friend to me to you, this might be my new favorite way to cook chicken.
Chicken thighs anyway.
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Broasted chicken thighs
For this technique, the chicken thighs are stacked on top of each other in a loaf pan. As they cook, the marinade makes it’s way through the chicken rendering it super juicy. My favorite part of the recipe is broiling it so get the whole thing a tad crispy and golden on top. It’s almost a broasted chicken thigh for lack of a better description.
The marinade
The base of the marinade is one individual container of plain Greek yogurt. This is enough to coat 2 lbs of chicken thighs.
For the Italian flavors, tomato paste is mixed into the yogurt and is seasoned with an oregano, thyme spice blend. You could add in some heat if that is your preference.
Recipe and serving notes
- Feel free to play around with the spice blend but don’t skip the lemon zesting or juice. The juice and yogurt both help tenderize the thighs even more.
- I have onions listed in the recipe card; however, when I shot the recipe, totally forgot to include them when I marinated the chicken but they add such great flavor.
- Serve the loaf pan chicken thighs over mixed greens with a lemon vinaigrette or on the side of some super crispy roasted sweet potato halves.
Marinade timing
I’ve marinated the chicken for anywhere from 2 hours to 30 hours. Make sure to refrigerate it in a sealed container.
Italian loaf pan chicken: step by step
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Easy Italian Loaf Pan Chicken Thighs
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Equipment
Ingredients
Marinade
- 5.3 oz plain Greek yogurt
- 2 oz tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
For the chicken
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 6 fresh sage leaves
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- ½ yellow onion, sliced; optional
Instructions
For the marinade
- To a small bowl, add the Greek yogurt. Stir in the tomato paste. Mix until completely blended.5.3 oz plain Greek yogurt, 2 oz tomato paste
- Whisk in the dried herbs, seasoning and salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest followed by the juice until completely mixed. Set aside.1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 3 cloves garlic, 1 lemon
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Before ready to cook the chicken: drizzle the olive oil into the loaf or bread pan (approximately 5"w x 9.5"L). Use a brush or paper towel to coat the inside of the pan.1 Tablespoon olive oil
For the chicken
- To a medium bowl, add the chicken thighs. Pour over the yogurt marinade and use tongs or a large fork to toss, coating the chicken evenly. If using the onions, stir them in to the chicken here. Allow to marinate in the fridge for about 2 hours up to overnight.2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, ½ yellow onion
- Use tongs to evenly layer the marinated chicken thighs in the loaf pan. Place the sage leaves over the chicken and top with the rosemary. Drizzle with additional oil and salt, if desired.6 fresh sage leaves, 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Bake the chicken until a thermometer reads 165° and the top is golden. If it doesn't look golden enough, feel free to broil the top a bit on high for about 2 minutes to get some crunchy bits.
- Drain any excess liquid off the pan. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Carefully place a cutting board over top and using oven mitts to hold on to the long sides of the pan and the board together, flip the loaf pan to release the chicken. Slice the chicken across the grain.
