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. 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
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:
Sooo good! My husband asks me to make these once a week.
So quick and easy and so much flavor my whole family loves it.
This is as quick and easy as she says. Absolutely
delicious!
Thanks for the recipe and we will use it for our Christmas get together! May God bless you and your family and may you know the true meaning of Christmas! His name shall be called Jesus!
Second time making this and it is sooo good! super tender, juicy and well seasoned. Now I have to figure out a way to show my stepmom how to make chicken that isnt dry. lol
The best!! Idiot proof lol it's so easy to do. Anyone can make this and it's incredibly good. I like an acidic component in my meals so I squeezed some lemon juice on top when it was done. Love!!
Thank you for this delicious meal and especially your website. My wife is a superb cook, I am very fortunate. Unfortunately, she had to return to California because her father now has Covid and her ailing mother is 89. Therefore, it is up to me to figure out this cooking thing. I knew somehow I would be cooking chicken tonight. I happened upon your website while searching for "baked chicken recipes" and the name (The Salty Marshmallow) was catchy. I only know how to BBQ chicken on the grill, but I needed to expand my cooking knowledge, as my wife would say. I read the instructions, and thought "I can do this." It turned out excellent and was so easy, but I think I will not use smoked paprika next time. I even sent a photo to my wife in California. Now you, Nichole will be my cooking tutor until my wife returns to Texas. She is already "whooping it up" that there is another chef in the house. I already found tomorrow nights meal - Easy Beef Stroganoff!
I love your comment it made me smile. I hope everything is ok with her father.
The salty marshmallow has the BEST recipes they are basically all I use!
Hi Ray. I just wanted to say that I hope that your wife’s parents are doing well. I have used many recipes from this site. I am never disappointed.
Good for you. It’s a delish recipe. Hope your family makes it thru this pandemic. God Bless
This is so sweet. Your family is lucky to have a man who is willing to help his family, no matter the task.
Thank you for this delicious meal and especially your website. My wife is a superb cook, I am very fortunate. Unfortunately, she had to return to California because her father now has Covid and her ailing mother is 89. Therefore, it is up to me to figure out this cooking thing. I knew somehow I would be cooking chicken tonight. I happened upon your website while searching for "baked chicken recipes" and the name (The Salty Marshmallow) was catchy. I only know how to BBQ chicken on the grill, but I needed to expand my cooking knowledge, as my wife would say. I read the instructions, and thought "I can do this." It turned out excellent and was so easy, but I think I will not use smoked paprika next time. I even sent a photo to my wife in California. Now you, Nicole will be my cooking tutor until my wife returns to Texas. She is already "whooping it up" that there is another chef in the house. I already found tomorrow nights meal - Easy Beef Stroganoff!
Absolutely delicious. Have made it frequently since finding your recipe. Best dry rub for chicken EVER! Gets rave reviews and is requested when delivering meals to shut-ins. I make a large batch of seasoning and keep it in a shaker to have on hand all the time. Thanks for sharing.
Do you cook them Coverd or uncovered?
Uncovered
Loved this so much I bought more thighs the next day to make again!! Thank you!
Can you use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika?
Yes, absolutely! 🙂
Thank you for this quick, easy and very delicious recipe. I’ve been making it for a while now. My family loves it! (and so do I). It’s now one of my regular go to dishes. I once got boneless skinless chicken thighs by accident, and to my surprised it still tastes amazing (boneless is a bit faster to cook). So now I mix it up and make whichever one I/we’re in the mood for.
I was just looking to see if boneless/skinless would work and you answered my question first reply read! Thanks
I just took this out of the oven, had a little taste and omggggg this is the best chicken i ever done! I can’t wait to make it again and I haven’t ate it all! Thank you!
Also i only had three chicken thighs ad 4 drums sticks and i followed the recipes cooking time and they came out perfect.
I did mix less of the spices. Because i had less chicken.
this is my first review on anything i have ever made.
Thats how good this chicken is.
Going to pair it with egg and potato salad
Instead of using salt I used creole seasoning. It was super delicious!!! Thank you!
Wow, this is exceptional!! So easy, and very delicious!!
I ate so much I was full as a tick! Will definitely make again! Thanks so much, Nichole. Appreciated.
I make this seasoning in large quantities at least every 2 weeks because my wife is madly in love with it. She puts it on a a lot of what we eat including popcorn haha
Thank you so much for this, its perfect
Just got done making/eating this... did everything except the amount of salt and I used smoked paprika... very good! The whole family loved it. Thank you so much for sharing!
Skin side down or up?
Skin side up 🙂