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Buttery, juicy, melt-in-your mouth delicious, these Roasted Miso Chicken Thighs are LIFE. Packed with umami flavor, they are ready in 30 minutes for an easy weeknight meal!
I have a secret.
I used to hate chicken thighs. Yes, seriously. I hated them. And I mean, we're talking in the last couple years. Not when I was a kid.
Something changed. I realized my faults. And now I love chicken thighs. So much. Like these Roasted Miso Chicken Thighs, air fryer boneless chicken thighs, these sous vide chicken thighs (soooo good) or these grapefruit chicken thighs. I mean good god.
These are amazing. Last night I sat and drooled on the counter while I watched the boyfriend eat the last of the leftovers. It was that good.
I cried and ate my salad.
And I haven't even raved about the (second) best part!! It only cooks for 30 minutes. 30 minutes. That's all. So for all you super busy people out there, you can have an AMAZING meal ready in 30 minutes.
Chicken thigh lovers...you'll also want to try these Brazilian Roasted Chicken Thighs with Citrus Corn Gravy or these Baked Honey Chicken Thighs.
Why This Recipe Works
The butter helps the chicken thighs to get brown and crisp on the outside, while staying buttery and tender on the inside.
Lots of garlic is used. That's rarely a bad thing.
A touch of honey adds the perfect amount of sweet to complement that intense flavor of the miso.
Rice vinegar is used for the perfect amount of tang to balance out the remaining ingredients.
Using a pre-heated cast iron skillet helps the chicken to brown nicely on the outside while keeping the juices on the inside.
Chicken thighs are used to keep the chicken moist and tender while roasting.
What is Miso Paste Made Out of?
In short, miso paste is basically fermented soybeans mixed with salt, koji (helps the fermentation process) and sometimes barley or grains. It has an incredibly intense umami flavor to it. It's absolutely amazing and also good for you with all those good gut things.
You should be able to find it at your local Asian market, or I've also included a link to buy in the recipe card (affiliate link). To learn a bit more about miso paste, read the article What is Miso from Bon Appetit.
What Can I Substitute for Miso?
I do not recommend substituting anything for miso in this recipe. I highly recommend buying miso paste. If you absolutely must substitute, check out this post from The Kitchn on Miso Paste Substitutes.
Step By Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F degrees and place a cast iron skillet in while it preheats.
Add the chicken and massage the paste all over the chicken, getting under the skin if you can.
Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and add the chicken.
Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees and the skin is nice and crispy.
**If the skin is not as crispy as you'd like, pop it under the broiler for a couple minutes to crisp it up.
Garnish with chopped scallions and serve with Instant Pot sushi rice.
Cook's Tips
Make sure the cast iron skillet is hot before adding your chicken. You want the chicken to brown quickly so the juices stay inside.
Use room temperature butter to make the miso butter. It is easier to mix when it is softer.
Fresh garlic or roasted garlic can be used in this recipe.
If the skin is not crisp after 30 minutes, place it under the broiler for a couple minutes to crisp it up. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.
Can I Make Miso Chicken Ahead of Time?
Honestly, this chicken is best made and served immediately. However, the miso butter can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to a week until you're ready to use it.
If you have leftover chicken, it can be reheated in the microwave or in a 350 degree oven until warmed through.
Tools Used
(all affiliate links)
- Cast Iron Skillet - this is a great tool for many, many different recipes. If you don't have a cast iron skillet in your arsenal, I recommend getting a good (this Lodge cast iron skillet is great at a reasonable price - affiliate link).
- Glass Mixing Bowls
- Thermapen MK4 - I love this thermometer for cooking. It's kinda pricey, but SUPER accurate and easy to use.
More Recipes from Went Here 8 This Using Miso Paste
Miso Udon Noodle Soup
Grilled Corn with Togarashi Miso Butter
Rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out!
Roasted Miso Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken thighs (4 thighs), bone in, skin on
- 4 tbsp. butter, softened
- ½ cup white miso paste
- 1 tsp. ginger paste
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 2 tbsp. honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place a cast iron skillet inside to heat up for 20 minutes.
- Combine all ingredients, except chicken, in a bowl to make a paste.
- Add the chicken and massage the paste all over the chicken, getting under the skin if you can without tearing the skin.
- Place in the heated cast iron skillet and roast for 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees. If the skin is not as crispy as you'd like, pop it under the broiler for a couple minutes to crisp it up.
- Garnish with green onions and serve with steamed rice.
Expert Tips:
- Make sure the cast iron skillet is hot before adding your chicken. You want the chicken to brown quickly so the juicy stay inside.
- Use room temperature butter to make the miso butter. It is easier to mix when it is softer.
- Fresh garlic or roasted garlic can be used in this recipe.Â
- If the skin is not crisp after 30 minutes, place it under the broiler for a couple minutes to crisp it up. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.
Nutrition
Tongs
Miso disappointed. Very rarely do I follow a recipe verbatim, but this one I did. I was hoping for a dish that reminded me of what I had in Japan, half chicken with incredible depth of flavor. The flavor profile was just missing, well flavor. There’s plenty of fat, but not enough sodium, it needs some soy sauce or fish sauce. With the amount of ginger and garlic I would have expected so much more flavor.
Danielle
I'm so sorry you didn't like it. This is actually the first comment I've received regarding lack of flavor! I'm a big user of flavor so this is surprising to me - I'll have to take another look at the recipe.
Elisa DeJong
This has become our families favourite chicken recipe.… and we do a lot of chicken. The only thing I have changed is the cooking method. I found that we lost a lot of the yummy sauce when it stuck to the pan and evaporated. Instead I put mine in a baking dish uncovered and broil on low till golden brown flip broil again till brown. It creates a lovely sauce that the family fights over to pour over their rice. I’ve also tried it on the barbeque which was very tasty but most of the sauce ended up at the bottom of the barbecue. Thanks for this one Danielle!
Danielle
You're welcome - I'm so glad you enjoy the recipe! I'll have to try your cooking method 🙂
Lena
Hi!
I like what you wrote I would like to do the same I am just not sure what exactly you are saying. How does it help to have the chicken in a baking dish if it is uncovered? What's the difference to an uncovered cast iron? Also you ONLY broil it?
Mark
Sounds wonderful, do you start skin side down?
Thank you!
Danielle
Thanks! You can do it either way. Many time I actually start skin side up just because I want to make sure it has time to crisp.
Mark
Thank you! I am looking forward to making this.
Danielle
You are welcome. I'd love to hear how it turns out 🙂
Diane
I used boneless skinless thighs and substituted 2tbs of tahini and one tbs of butter for the 4tbs butter. I also added some siracha intead of pepper. I baked them in a 375 oven for 30 minutes. Very good.
Danielle
So glad you liked it!
Barbara
Very tasty, everyone loved it
I forgot to add the rice vinegar to the marinade so just splashed it into the delicious buttery juices toward the end of cooking
Danielle
So glad you liked it!