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:
-
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.
-
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.
-
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!
-
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 like to brine all chicken parts before baking them in the oven. This way, they can brine for any length of time. Sometimes, it's only for a short while because the side dishes or salads are being prepped. Usually, the brining is at least for 1/2 hour or so. Any longer than this, I refrigerate the chicken and then take it out of the refrigerator a half hour before baking.
This spice mixture is the one used the most, as we find it to be the one we favor.
Do try this; you won't be disappointed.
Sandra W.
Absolutely delicious 😋😋😋. My favorite chicken thigh recipe!
Easy to make, packed with flavour! A new family favourite!
I was so surprised how great chicken thighs tasted because recipe seemed too easy! I used less salt, smoked paprika, and mixed seasonings w/olive oil to make paste - as suggested by other reviewers - and rubbed on chicken on top and under skin. So hard to not eat crispy skin b/c trying to be healthier but TBTH ate some of the delicious skin & feel no guilt!
I was wowed at how perfect these thighs turned out. Followed recipe as written. Best part was having all the ingredients on hand. Great quick weekday supper. Skin perfectly crispy, meat moist-and tender.
This is one of my go-to recipes! I make the spice mix in "bulk" and keep for whenever I need!
Best chicken recipe ever! It's my go to every time! And I've got my family & friends loving every bite. A nice side veggie platter - roasted potatoes with sweet onions &/or roasted garlic Parmesan cauliflower. Thank you for the chicken recipe!!!
Simple and delicious.
Love, Love, Love! This is my go to chicken recipe for busy nights. I make a big batch of the "seasoning" and keep it in a jar to make prep even faster and easier!
So tasty and the family loved it! The only adjustment for next time... a little less salt - LOL
Really good. Used smoked paprika instead, combined the olive oil with spices and rubbed the paste evenly over all sides. I recommend cutting the salt in half because the skin was extra salty, unless you love salt. The chicken turned out juicy, flavourful and tender with crispy skin. Use a deeper pan to collect the juices.
Hey, this is fabulous. My rather large tweak was to soak the chicken thighs in buttermilk first. Ended up being two days before I got to the baking part.
I added poultry seasoning and toasted sesame seeds to the topping.
With so much buttermilk available, I thought of using it for biscuits but it does have raw meat juice in it so I made Gravy. Just made sure it simmers gently a good long time. (and stir often)
The juices from the chicken pan added the fat and flavor, I did not have to add any seasonings.
This is so much better than chicken thighs in the crockpot, no crispy there!
Thank You!
This is a go to in our recipe box !!!! My husband loves chicken thighs and this is one of our favorites
Ive made this recupe many times and always a hit. Not to mention how quickly and easy it is to make.
Thank u.
This worked like a charm. Printed it out for my "go to" recipe folder.
Going to become my Go-To poultry recipe. Halved the salt and olive oil, otherwise this is exceptional and cleanup is a snap. One could make little substitutions here and there for spices of your choice but for a foundational recipe this is the one!
Any tips on how to keep the chicken grease from getting all over the oven?
You could use a deeper pan or intermittently pull it out of the oven and drain into a heat safe bowl in case you want to use the juices.
Try using a 13x9 Pyrex baking dish.
I tried this recipe tonight with a few modifications. Instead of salt and paprika I used seasoned salt and smoked paprika. I did not measure any of the ingredients. I just sprinkled each one evenly on both sides (with the reception of the seasoned salt - use sparingly) I also added my fave chicken rub underneath the skin. Otherwise, the meat underneath has no taste. Personal preference and has nothing to do with this recipe. It's happens no matter how much I try to over season thighs.
This is my favorite chicken recipe. I did need to cut the salt down to one teaspoon though. I also leave the black pepper out because I don't like pepper
This recipe has become a staple in our home. The kids especially love it. I make a big batch of the seasoning mix and store it in a seasoning shaker so it's ready whenever I decide to make it.
Yup this was delicious! Adding to my recipe roster for sure!