Cinnamon chicken is a simple yet delicious recipe that can jazz up a weeknight dinner and is tasty enough to serve to guests.
The chicken thighs are baked to perfection in a rich, savory blend of seasonings, creating ultra-tender pieces of moist and delicious chicken.
While you may associate cinnamon with sweets such as cinnamon rolls, cinnamon has been used in savory dishes in many cultures for centuries.
This recipe uses chicken with cinnamon, lemon, garlic and onion to create a flavorful and fragrant, savory dish that will keep you coming back for more. Once you try cinnamon on chicken, you’ll never go back to bland, flavorless chicken again.
Cinnamon is also rich in antioxidants, and research shows that it can reduce inflammation and support heart health and blood sugar control.
Let me show you a new way you can enjoy this spice with my budget-friendly cinnamon chicken recipe using just 8 ingredients.
Why you will love this recipe
Budget-friendly: Chicken thighs are often less expensive than chicken breasts, however they still contain a lot of flavor and nutrients. Using dried spices such as cinnamon, garlic powder, and nutmeg allows you to build rich flavors very inexpensively.
Uses just a few pantry staples: (Which you likely already have on hand!) Is there anything worse than getting ready to make a recipe and finding that you are missing several ingredients and having to run around to different stores to find what you need? Cinnamon chicken uses just a few pantry and fridge staples like olive oil, dried spices, and lemon juice.
Super flavorful and unique: Let’s face it, chicken can be pretty bland if it hasn’t been seasoned well. Cinnamon chicken brings a ton of flavor with minimal time, effort, and money. Try something new today and say no to bland, boring chicken!
Quick and easy to prepare: This recipe requires minimal prep work, meaning you can get in in the oven to cook quickly and have dinner prepared in no time! No special tools or equipment are necessary to prepare this simple yet delicious meal.
Tools needed
- Oven safe baking dish
- Tong or spatula
- Measuring spoons
- Freezer bag
What you will need
To make this simple chicken thighs recipe, you will the following ingredients
- Chicken thighs: This cut of chicken is extra moist and packs a ton of flavor but often costs less than your standard chicken breast. See the questions below for instructions on substituting chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs.
- Ground cinnamon: While cinnamon can last for years before expiring, for optimal fragrance and flavor make sure to use cinnamon that is no more than 6 months old.
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Nutmeg
- Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice to ensure that you are getting a bright and fresh dash of citrus in your recipe.
- Olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Step by step instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C, spray the oven safe dish lightly with oil
Prep the chicken: Remove any unwanted fat and excess skin from the chicken thigsh and transfer to a Ziploc bag.
Season with salt and pepper, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, Italian seasoning,onion powder, garlic powder, Drizzle with olive oil and lemon. Seal the ziploc bag then massage the seasoning into the chicken thighs making sure the chicken is well coated.
Marinate the chicken for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours if time is not of essence.
Transfer the chicken thighs to the prepared baking dish and arrange in a single layer skin side down.
Bake in the preheated oven flipping halfway through for 35-40 minutes depending on the size or until the internal temperature registers 165F when checked with a meat thermometer.
Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Air fryer cinnamon chicken instructions
Prpeheat the air fryer to 390F /190C
Follow the instructions above to season and marinate the chicken
Spray the air fryer basket lightly with an oil spray.
Arrange the chicken thighs skin side down in the air fryer basket and air fry for 25-30 minutes depepnding on the size of the chicken
Flip the chicken thighs halfway through and continue to cook until the skin is crispy or the internal temperature reads 165F / 73C.
Serve and enjoy
What to serve it with
Cinnamon chicken goes well with many other side dishes such as green salads, seasoned rice, quiona, couscous, mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, baked potato wedges and many more.
How to store
Allow the chicken to cool to room temperature (for no more than 2 hours) then transfer to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. You can safely store the cooked chicken in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
FAQs
How long to bake boneless chicken thighs at 400F
Boneless chicken thighs require less time than bone-in thighs. Boneless thighs take around 25-30 minutes to cook at 400°F. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat has reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
Can I make this ahead of time
Yes! You can safely store the uncooked, seasoned chicken in an airtight, leak-proof container in the fridge for 1-2 days before cooking. You can use cinnamon as a chicken marinade by preparing the chicken and seasonings the night before and allowing it to marinate in the seasonings for maximum flavor.
Raw chicken needs to be stored at 40°F or lower to prevent bacterial growth. Make sure to store the chicken away from any produce to reduce the chances of any cross-contamination from the raw meat.
Do I need to adjust the cooking time if I use another cut of chicken
Yes, cooking times will vary depending on the cut of chicken used. For boneless chicken thighs, cook for 25-30 minutes at 400°F. For chicken breasts, cook for 25 minutes at 400°F.
Note: Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat. Using a meat thermometer ensures that you can feel confident that your chicken has been cooked completely.
More chicken thighs recipes you will love
Best Cinnamon Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb Chicken thighs about 2lb
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C, spray the oven safe dish lightly with oil
- Prep the chicken: Remove any unwanted fat and excess skin from the chicken thigsh and transfer to a Ziploc bag.
- Season with salt and pepper, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, Italian seasoning,onion powder, garlic powder, Drizzle with olive oil and lemon. Seal the ziploc bag then massage the seasoning into the chicken thighs making sure the chicken is well coated.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours if time is not of essence.
- Transfer the chicken thighs to the prepared baking dish and arrange in a single layer skin side down.
- Bake in the preheated oven flipping halfway through for 35-40 minutes depending on the size or until the internal temperature registers 165F when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Remove the chicken from oven and serve warm.
Air fryer cinnamon chicken instructions
- Prpeheat the air fryer to 390F /190C
- Follow the instructions above to season and marinate the chicken
- Spray the air fryer basket lightly with an oil spray.
- Arrange the chicken thighs skin side down in the air fryer basket and air fry for 25-30 minutes depepnding on the size of the chicken
- Flip the chicken thighs halfway through and continue to cook until the skin is crispy or the internal temperature reads 165F / 73C.Serve and enjoy
And there you have it, a simple and delicious chicken thigh recipe you can make at home ubder 1 hour. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @cheapchickenrecipes on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest or make it on Tiktok. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox every week.
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