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’ve made these so many times now! I prefer bone in, skin on chicken thighs for the recipe, but when I can’t find those, I’ve also used boneless skin on, and boneless, skin off, whatever is in the store. The flavor can’t be beat! I currently have a batch in the oven, and going to serve with some white rice, cucumbers, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce
This was SO good. It was the best baked chicken I’ve ever made, and I’ll be making this over & over again. Perfect flavor and so juicy! Thank you
I like to really pat down the chicken until it is very dry. Partially remove the skin and then season the chicken under the skin. Then apply more seasoning on top of the skin.
The only chicken thighs my family want. I tried a new recipe once and they asked, “why mess with perfection.” It’s a great recipe easy to make and I assume tastes great (vegetarian).
This is the only recipe I use for baked chicken thighs! However, I buy boneless, skinless thighs; rub each thigh all over with a generous amount of garlic infused olive oil; spoon a small amount of the seasoning on the bottom side of each thigh and place on the cookie sheet; then I sprinkle the top sides with a small amount of the seasoning. I prefer a gentle seasoning taste , rather than a crunchy seasoning (rub). I am careful with the rub and am able to put the unused portion in a small jar to use for several future cookings. Also, I crush some good old Golden Flake fried pork skins and sprinkle over the top before baking! Yum!
Turn out excellent by following the instructions 👌 👍
I love when a recipe is so simple yet so delicious! I prefer the skinless because I don’t eat the skin and that is where all the flavor is. They turn out great this way I’ve tried both ways to compare. Since thighs tend to be a more moist cut anyway they turned out just as good. Also the last time I made them I added some cut up fingerling potatoes to the same sheet pan and sprinkled some of the same seasoning over them and that was amazing. Potatoes were so crispy and flavorful.
Aloha, would it help to marinate the chicken with the oil and seasonings overnight in the fridge to get the flavors to soak in? I think I’ll split the batch in half and try some marinated and rest the way the recipe is written and see if there’s a difference. Mahalo for the recipe!
Hi! Yes, you definitely can do that if you want 🙂
Easy and delicious!
Astonishing ! My friend usually grills them but this method is just way better! I’m using this from now on!