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:
I made this recipe last night using the boneless skinless thighs that I had on hand, and my whole family enjoyed them, everyone went back for seconds and that does not always happen, especially with two somewhat picky teenagers.
My husband asked for bbq sauce on his, so a few minutes before they were done, I brushed some bbq sauce on half of the thighs and finished cooking them, and both versions were delicious. Even without the bone and skin on, each piece was very juicy and so flavorful 🙂 Thank you for sharing this recipe, we’ll definitely be making it again.
Mmmmmm… mmm…. I made these chicken thighs just 20 minutes ago… I don’t even like dark meat but boy oh boy, these were delicious!!! I had the boneless skinless thighs, I baked then in the oven just as the recipe says, but then I broiled them for about 5 minutes on high, and my goodness they came out CRISPY and tasty. I will buy thighs from now on, (they always have a good sale on them) and use this recipe!!! Thanks for bringing me the thigh!!!
I’m a single guy and not much of a cook but this was super easy and delicious. Thanks for the tips.
This is now my favorite chicken recipe! It always comes out perfect! Crispy outside and perfectly moist inside! The flavor is amazing and so simple!
I haven’t cooked chicken thighs in a decade (my former wife refused to eat them), but I know they’re loaded with flavor and there was a terrific sale on them, so I found this recipe and decided to go for it. And boy, am I ever glad I did!
They weren’t crispy but that’s because they were mostly skinless (all the store had left). That said, I could not believe the amount of fat/juice that filled the pan during the baking process! Also, as I think every single other reviewer has said, they were super-juicy.
Note: I didn’t have the seasonings listed in the recipe, but having seen such positive comments on the flavor, I bought them. They worked fantastically.
Highly recommend.
I have used this recipe around 5 times now and myself and my family has thoroughly enjoyed it every time! I cut the pepper in half and use white pepper instead because our child eats it and isn’t a big fan of anything “spicy”. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Nice work!
My little bone-in chicken legs are in the oven as I write. Last night I made your Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta so why not try another one of your good recipes?!! I’ve always loved cooking and baking, and The Lord has allowed me 36 years of making meals for my easy-to-please husband. Thank you for taking the time to share your recipes. Keep ‘em coming!
Changes I made to this recipe:
*used my cast-iron skillet
*added carrots to roast along with the chicken. I plan to throw in some broccoli about 20 minutes before it’s done.
It smells wonderful in this kitchen!
Delicious and super easy. Will definitely make again.
Delicious every time. A huge hit and I’ve shared this recipe abundantly. Highly recommend that everyone stick with the bone-in thighs with skin. Makes all the difference in the world.
Made this tonight! Amazingly crispy, I loved the recipe. Perfect temp and baking time, I used chicken salt!