It’s enough to make you go, ‘yeah, baby!’ Old Bay has certainly made its way into kitchens, brand collaborations, and hearts alike over the last couple of years. So, of course, we at Scrumdiddlyumptious had to give it a whirl with our Old Bay baked chicken. Powerfully flavorful, this dish is intended to give the spice blend its laurels while taking a look at the past. Read below to find out how.
A Classic Reimagined: Our Old-Bay Baked Chicken
Old Bay is an iconic spice blend hailing from the miniscule state of Maryland, home, of course, to the original old bay: the Chesapeake. It seems that the original state’s brightly packaged spice blend has transformed from regional commodity to nation-wide trend, especially in recent memory. Whether in expected places such as crab legs, seafood boils, or unexpected crossovers like mac ‘n cheese and bloody Marys, it seems like we just can’t get enough of this salty dog spice. That’s why today we are leaning into the poultry side of things with our Old-Bay baked chicken. Flavorful, pan-fried and crispy, and then juicy too, this dish will remind you just how good, good eating can be.
But, before we get the forks and knives out: Let’s dive into a little history. While this dish is certainly a love letter to Old Bay, it’s also a wink and a nod to a by-gone Maryland recipe of yester-years: the chicken Maryland. A classic lightly breaded and pan-fried chicken, the dish was intended to represent the tiny coastal state’s best: poultry farming, Southern style cooking, and the biggest import at the time: bananas. Yes, you read that right, the chicken dish used to be topped with cooked banana to add a sweet twist to the whole affair. While its certainly out of fashion now, back then it used to be totally in taste. In fact, this poor dish was infamously served as the main course on the Titanic (yes, that one) the night it sank!
Today’s recipe reaches back to its historic counterpart and takes inspiration for it. Sure we skipped the banana and the breading, but the cut of chicken and manner of making it remain largely the same. Of course, the Old Bay adds the wink and the nod to the State while also making way for what current hunger demands! So, let’s get down to business with our Old Bay baked chicken recipe. The trick here is setting yourself up for success: Once you’ve made the marinade, make sure you give your chicken quarters enough time to really absorb the flavor. While two hours will do the trick, overnight is even better. After its had this time to soak up the flavors of the marinade, you want to make sure the chicken is room-temperature before frying it on medium-high heat. Then, as the seared chicken is baking, make sure to baste it in its own juices to maximize both flavor and texture. With a few tips, you’ll see that this recipe isn’t tricky at all. We wish you happy baking!
In case your appetite has been whet, and we’re sure it has, we suggest you mozey on over to our other poultry-heavy dishes like our naked chicken chalupas with cilantro lime ranch dressing, chicken and carrot casserole, and pan-fried chicken with zoodles and potatoes.
Old Bay Baked Chicken
Ingredients
For the Old Bay marinade:
- 4 chicken leg quarters thigh still attached
- neutral oil for frying
For the chicken
- 2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice option
Instructions
- Begin by setting your chicken legs on a clean flat surface and patting them dry with a paper towel. Once ready, cover while you prepare the marinade.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the Old Bay seasoning, tomato paste, garlic paste, onion powder, parsley, oil, salt, and pepper.
- Optionally, add a dash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice for extra depth and brightness.
- Rub the marinade over the chicken quarters, getting under the skin if possible. Place the chicken in an airtight container or resealable bag. Let the chicken soak in the marinade for at least two hours, though overnight is ideal for intense flavor.
- After the chicken has marinated, remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large frying pan, heat a bit of neutral oil over medium-high heat.
- Place the chicken quarters skin-side down and sear for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Flip and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and transfer it to an oven-safe baking dish. Repeat with the remaining quarters.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. For best results, baste the chicken with its own juices every ten minutes.
- Once the chicken has reached a temperature of 165°F in the thickest part it, it is ready to come out.
- Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes, spoon any pany juices over top of the quarters just before plating.
- Optionally: Finish with a sprinkle of Old Bay and parsley before serving. Enjoy!