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:
I've never left a review before, but felt compelled to. This is my go to chicken recipe and my whole family loves it! I like to make extra spice mixture so I can have a super easy meal ready to go in no time. Thank you for a meal that my kids literally jump up and down about!
I made this recipe for my husband and our 10 year old son and they loved it. My husband does not ever praise me for my cooking, but he did this time! He honestly thought that it was a trick! he just didn’t understand how the outside was so crispy and the inside was so juicy. thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I myself formulate recipes (DIY Bath & Body) and share them and I love it when it works out for others! It makes me feel great that I can help and inspire others. Thanks again, Dora- my channel is CREATIVE BATH LAB.
I love love LOVE this recipe!! My son and husband love it as well. We fight over the skin every time. 😁Thanks for this.
I’ve made these five times now, and check that my oven temperature is spot on. I love this recipe, and mine have been done in 35 minutes. Because, the first time, I errored in the side of caution, (I didn’t have an oven thermometer to check it then), and went the full 45. They were so crispy they were darn near burnt. Luckily, being thighs they were still edible, even that overdone. I learned, that since I usually only have just under 2 pounds of thighs, bone in, to use my Thermopop to check the internal temp of the meat at 35 minutes. Anywa, delicious and easy. You can’t really screw this recipe up! I substitute Lawry’s Lemon Pepper for salt and pepper cause I love lemon.
I used this exact spice rub but grilled the thighs instead of baking. Excellent flavor & super easy! Well done!
I have to say this is my go to easy, simple recipe for entertaining and it always gets rave reviews. I’ve probably made it 20x now- always a crowd pleaser
So good! Is the protein listed for one thigh or the entire 3lb of chicken?
Thank you!! Any time I am looking for a recipe I add "salty marshmallow" to the end to check with you first. Your recipes never disappoint and my family always asks me to make them again. This recipe is no different. I used skinless thighs because that is what we had on hand, but it was still tasty and baked beautifully.
Thank you for the great recipe! The skin was super crunchy!
One thing that was a bit bland was the meat "inside". Any suggestion how to make it more flavoursome?
Thank you!
Yes, you can rub some of the spice mixture underneath the skin 🙂
This spice mixture is fantastic. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Does the skin side go up or down
Skin side up 🙂
Skin side up:)
This way the flavors of the skin cook down into the meat.
Same with roasts - always fat side up:)
How long would you cook chicken breast for?
This recipe is SO GOOD that after making it 100 times, I finally made a large batch of the spice mixture using 1/2 cup for the 2 tsp measurements and 1/4 cup for the 1 tsp measurements! Can’t wait to save time making it 100 more times! Thank you!!
This is THE BEST crispy baked chicken recipe out there. My family loves it! Thank you for sharing!
Should they be covered when baking?
No, do not cover them
How long would you cook bone-in, skinless chicken thighs?
These are my 16 year old’s absolute favorite! She could eat them every day. So delicious!
Tasty!!
I never cared for baked chicken before this recipe. Now I crave them. They’re a family favorite!! Perfect crispness on the skin too!! Thank you for the recipe.
Easy and delicious!!