Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs – The most amazing oven baked chicken thighs! These chicken thighs come out crispy on the outside and amazingly tender and juicy on the inside. Baked chicken thighs are so easy to make with only a few ingredients and one pan!
Ok, folks! One of the questions I get asked most often is how to cook chicken thighs. Try these with a side of our Classic Baked Mac and Cheese, so good! They’re so easy to make, and this has become one of my most popular recipes! If you’re looking for other fun chicken thigh recipes, try these Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs and these Greek Chicken Thighs! We’re also loving these Grilled Chicken Thighs during the summer months and of course Crispy Baked Chicken Wings all year long!
Questions that I hear about them the most are:
- How long do I cook chicken thighs in the oven and at what temperature?
- How do I cook chicken thighs in a pan but make sure they turn out crispy on the outside?
- Should I use boneless skinless chicken thighs are bone in with skin?
I think people love the thigh meat because it’s super flavorful, but they just aren’t as familiar with cooking them as they are the breast meat. Luckily, it’s an incredibly easy process that takes only a few minutes of prep and then the thighs bake up to crispy tender perfection on a sheet pan.
And, I am here to answer those questions for you today with my favorite baked chicken thigh recipe ever, plus a quick video that shows just how I make them!
Let’s go directly into tips for success when making baked chicken thighs:
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Pat them dry with paper towels before seasoning. The natural moisture from the chicken can prevent getting a really good sear. These thighs basically sear right in the oven, so this is an important but quick step to take.
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How long and at what temperature should you bake the thighs? You’ll want to bake these at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes without moving or turning them during the process. This temperature and time ensure that crispy outside and juicy inside we’re looking for. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees before being consumed.
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Use a rimmed baking sheet. The chicken will produce some of its tasty natural juices, and you don’t want those running off the pan into your oven!
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I use bone in and skin on chicken thighs for this recipe. I find that it produces the best results. However, if you have boneless skinless on hand or that is just your preference, they work just fine with this recipe as well! They may take about 10 minutes less to cook, so just keep an eye on them.
I hope you guys enjoy this simple chicken recipe as much as my family does! As always, leave me a comment if you have additional questions, I’m happy to answer them!
Be sure to check out our video for this recipe below and follow along on Facebook to see all of the yummy food videos we share!
~Nichole
Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 3 Pounds Chicken thighs, About 6-8
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and set aside.
- Remove the chicken thighs from their packaging and pat them dry with paper towels. Arrange the chicken thighs on prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil rubbing the oil into the chicken to coat.
- In a small bowl mix together the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Sprinkle the spices over the chicken evenly.
- Bake chicken in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes.*
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you’re looking for other tasty chicken recipes for dinner try these:
If you’re looking for baking recipes, these are some of my readers favorites:
How they are placed on baking sheet?
Skin up or down?
Skin side up 🙂
Thank you!
Going to try it for today lunch
I make baked chicken thighs all the time. I was looking for something different and I found your recipe. This is THE BEST that I have EVER made! I used smoked paprika instead and added poultry seasoning. All of the spices infused the meat all the way to the bone! My family loves it and told me this is the only recipe I can use from now on! Thank you!
I like to place my chicken thighs on a rack in the sheet pan so they don’t sit in the fat from the skin.
I did that too! Perfect!
I am making this for dinner today and hopefully it will turn out as good as it sounds. It is easy to prepare and I am having boiled potatoes and butter with it along with mixed vegetables.
I can’t wait to make this tonight! Have you ever used legs as well as thighs? I have both but don’t want to screw it up. Thanks!!
I use legs too but just pull them out 10mins earlier. They’re delicious!
Made them today and I was very impressed as to how easy it was to make and my family loved them. So crispy, tender and very flavorful. You must try them!
Made these tonight foil lined a cast iron skillet and added diced potatoes came out amazing thank you for such a great recipe
Comes out perfect every time I make this!
Came out really crispy outside and juicy inside. Just as the recipe says!
I did a search for the best chicken thigh recipe and this one was the best. Perfect crispy thighs and the seasonings were spot on.
I was looking for something quick but tasty. I had some kosher kitchen thighs so I decided to leave the skin on. I don’t usually do. Boy these thighs were so darn delicious… And the gravy that it made I used it to mix in with some Quinoa… Friggin Yummy. I am making them again to take to a mother’s day potluck brunch. I know they will like their fingers. Thank you