Oven baked chicken thighs always come out juicy, tender, and delicious.
This recipe couldn’t be easier to prep, bone-in thighs are seasoned, baked, and then popped under the broiler for crispy crunchy skin and juicy meat.
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Baked Chicken Thigh Perfection (And Here’s Why!)…
- This recipe has really fast prep and needs just a few staple ingredients.
- They’re so delicious, with tender, juicy meat and crispy skin (the best part!).
- They can be made ahead and enjoyed all week long.
- I use a simple seasoning blend, but you can experiment with your favorite seasoning blends, spices, and herbs.
The Essentials for Baked Chicken Thighs
Chicken: This recipe uses bone-in chicken thighs. Since chicken thighs are dark meat, they’re extra flavorful and tender. Boneless and skinless thighs, legs, or drumsticks will also work; adjust baking time as needed (use this recipe for chicken breasts). Thaw frozen thighs before using.
Seasonings: The savory flavor in this recipe comes from poultry or Italian seasoning. Taste test your seasoning before adding additional salt as this can differ by brand!
One Recipe, Endless Possibilities
- Replace the chicken seasoning in the recipe below with 2 to 3 teaspoons of your favorite seasoning blend premade chicken seasoning blend.
- Brush on your favorite BBQ for the last 15 minutes of cooking time to make them sticky and delicious.
- Toss in dill and lemon zest for a refreshing twist, or try homemade Lemon Pepper.
How to Bake Chicken Thighs
This chicken recipe is easy to make and will disappear in minutes!
- Pat chicken thighs dry with a clean paper towel.
- Drizzle with oil and season generously.
- Bake the thighs until they reach 165°F.
- Broil to crisp the skin if desired.
Serve with roast potatoes and green beans for a perfect meal.
Save It for Later
Keep leftover oven-baked chicken thighs in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy them cold or reheat portions in the microwave. Use leftover chicken thigh meat to make chicken salad, or buffalo chicken dip.
Freeze-cooled thighs in zippered bags for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Holly's Favorite Chicken Thigh Recipes
Did your family enjoy these Baked Chicken Thighs? Leave a rating and a comment below!
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs approximately 6 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Seasoning*
- ½ teaspoon paprika or ¼ teaspoon each sweet paprika and smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves or dried rosemary or basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and place a baking rack on top.
- Dab the chicken skin dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture.
- Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season generously with the seasoning, salt and pepper. Rub the seasoning and oil into the chicken skin.
- Place the chicken thighs on the rack, skin side up, and bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Turn the broiler on high and broil the skin for 2-3 minutes to crisp if needed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree
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Very easy to make, next time I will change the seasonings, it was far to bland for my family. After the baking step the thighs were crispy on one side, the other side wasn’t crispy. I proceeded to the last step and it appeared to have dried the thighs opposed to making them crisp. I will try this one again with my own personal touch.
I’d love to hear how it turns out for you!
This was excellent. Make sure to trim the excess skin and fat. We have found a new favorite recipe.
Can I use drumsticks instead of thighs?
Absolutely! It may not need as long to cook. I would check it early and cook until the chicken reaches 165°F.
I do wonder; why is a single serving considered just one chicken thigh? Seems a little small, but I can deal with it.
This nutrition for one chicken thigh is for simplicity. Depending on the actual size of the chicken thighs and your hearty appetite you may wish to have more or less servings. I hope this helps.
love this recipe. It is truly a base recipe for learning how to bake chicken thighs. Leaves amazing options for modifying . E.G. for me, it is easy to see how to decrease the salt. Thank you!
Absolutely perfect!!!
Can this be doubled w/o changing the cooking time? Am cooking for a large group. Thank you
Yes, as long as they’re in a single layer with a bit of space around them, the cooking time should remain the same.
Absolut Perfection! I follow the recipe, and only added a 1/2 tsp celery salt, because it reminds me of my mother’s chicken. The result was a juicy chicken thigh, with crispy skin. Better than if you had bought it.
thank you