Anna Louise Paprika chicken thighs are one of the most reliably excellent weeknight dinners in this collection. The recipe is simple — a spiced marinade of smoked paprika, garlic, olive oil, and lemon, applied to bone-in chicken thighs and roasted at high heat until deeply golden, slightly crispy-skinned, and sticky around the edges where the paprika has caramelised against the hot tin.
The key is the smoked paprika. Sweet paprika gives a pleasant but mild flavour. Smoked paprika gives something bolder and more complex — a warmth that is not heat, a depth that suits the richness of chicken thighs specifically.
This is the dinner that requires almost no preparation, goes in the oven, and produces something genuinely impressive forty minutes later.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Paprika Chicken Thighs
For the Chicken
- 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp runny honey
To Serve
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Lemon wedges
- Simple green salad or roasted vegetables
- Rice, couscous, or crusty bread
How to Make Mary Berry Paprika Chicken Thighs
Step 1 — Make the Paprika Marinade
Combine the sweet smoked paprika, hot smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, coriander, salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, and honey in a small bowl. Stir together until a smooth, thick marinade forms. Taste it — it should be smoky, warm, slightly sharp from the lemon, and well-seasoned.
Step 2 — Marinate the Chicken
Score each chicken thigh with two or three deep cuts going right to the bone — this allows the marinade to penetrate deeply and the skin to crisp more completely.
Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl or on a lined baking tray. Spoon or brush the paprika marinade over every surface of each thigh — under the skin where possible, into the score marks, over the skin, and on the underside. Every part should be coated.
For the best flavour, cover and refrigerate for two to four hours — or overnight. If cooking immediately, thirty minutes at room temperature is the minimum.
Step 3 — Preheat and Roast
Preheat your oven to 210°C / 190°C fan / Gas 7. Line a large roasting tin with baking parchment or foil — the paprika marinade caramelises and sticks during roasting.
Place the marinated chicken thighs skin-side up in the lined tin, spaced apart — not touching. The space between them allows the hot air to circulate and the skin to crisp rather than steam.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and slightly caramelised, the marinade has darkened around the edges, and the juices run completely clear when the thickest part is pierced.
Step 4 — Rest and Serve
Leave the chicken to rest on the tin for five minutes — the juices redistribute and the caramelised edges firm slightly.
Scatter fresh parsley over the top. Serve with lemon wedges, salad or vegetables, and rice, couscous, or crusty bread.
My Top Tips For Perfect Paprika Chicken Thighs
Score the chicken deeply before marinating. Deep cuts to the bone allow the paprika marinade to penetrate the meat rather than just coating the skin. Scored chicken gives flavour throughout every bite rather than only on the surface.
Get the marinade under the skin. Carefully lift the skin from the flesh of each thigh and push some marinade directly onto the flesh beneath. The flavour penetrates the meat directly rather than being held only at the skin level.
Use two types of smoked paprika. Sweet smoked paprika gives depth and warmth. Hot smoked paprika gives heat. Together they give a more complex, more interesting flavour than either alone. If you only have one type, use sweet smoked and add a pinch of cayenne for heat.
Space the chicken pieces in the tin. Crowded chicken thighs steam rather than roast. The skin stays pale and slightly soft rather than crisping to the deep golden that makes this dish what it is.
Roast at high heat — 210°C. The high temperature is what gives the skin its caramelised, slightly crispy character and caramelises the paprika marinade around the edges. A lower temperature gives a more uniformly cooked but less dramatic result.
Serving Suggestions
With simple couscous tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh coriander — the most natural pairing. With roasted peppers and onions alongside. With a simple green salad dressed with lemon. With crusty bread for mopping the caramelised juices from the tin — the juices are extraordinary.
How to Store Paprika Chicken Thighs
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking tray at 190°C for 15 minutes until piping hot.
In the freezer: Freeze marinated raw chicken for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and roast as directed
Try These Recipes
- Mary Berry Chicken And Herb Casserole
- Mary Berry Fish Pie With Leeks
- Mary Berry Aubergine Lasagne
- Mary Berry Individual Dauphinoise Potatoes
Mary Berry Paprika Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Combine all marinade ingredients — stir until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Score each chicken thigh 2–3 times to the bone. Coat every surface in marinade — get it under the skin and into the score marks. Marinate 30 minutes minimum at room temperature — or 2–4 hours in the fridge.
- Preheat oven to 210°C / 190°C fan / Gas 7. Line a large roasting tin. Place chicken skin-side up — spaced apart, not touching.
- Roast 35–40 minutes until skin is deeply golden and caramelised at the edges and juices run completely clear.
- Rest 5 minutes. Scatter parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use boneless chicken thighs?
Yes — boneless thighs roast faster. Reduce the cooking time to 22 to 26 minutes and check the internal temperature reaches 75°C.
Can I cook these on a barbecue?
Yes — cook skin-side down over medium-high heat for six to eight minutes until the skin is deeply golden. Turn and cook a further twelve to fifteen minutes until cooked through. The caramelised paprika skin on a barbecue is extraordinary.
Can I use chicken drumsticks instead of thighs?
Yes — drumsticks take slightly less time — 30 to 35 minutes at the same temperature. Score and marinate as directed.
Can I add vegetables to the roasting tin?
Yes — chunks of red pepper, red onion, and courgette tossed in a little olive oil added around the chicken thighs roast beautifully in the marinade juices. See the sausage traybake recipe on this site for timing guidance.
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