The number one thing you need to know about bone-in, skin-on Baked Chicken Thighs is that my family SMASHES them anytime I serve them for dinner.
Plates are licked clean, complaints are non-existent, plus they require 5 minutes of prep time and bake hands-off in the oven which I of course love.
This easy baked chicken recipe is the unicorn of chicken dinners!
Watch How to Make Them!
Ingredients Needed
I love this meal because it is SO SIMPLE. Aside from the chicken thighs, all you need are a handful of everyday, pantry staples.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: are an economical and flavorful cut of chicken that’s very hard to overcook (more on that below).
- Seasoning mix: a simple blend of dried herbs and spices takes seconds to mix together and adds a ton of flavor. You’ll need salt, pepper, both onion and garlic powders, paprika, and Italian seasoning. Add a dash of cayenne pepper for a little heat.
- Extra virgin olive oil: helps the seasoning mix adhere to the chicken thighs, and gets the skin golden brown and crispy.
Why You’ll Love Easy Baked Chicken Thighs
- Family friendly. My kids (5, 7, 10), husband, and I all love this dish. It’s one of a handful of recipes that all five of us can happily eat with zero modifications.
- Economical. Last week a pound of chicken breasts was selling for $8.99 at the grocery store. Yikes! Right now, skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are selling for $1.75/lb. So much savings.
- Delicious. If you’ve already accepted bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs into your life then you how incredibly delicious and juicy they are. Few things beat the combo of crispy, sizzling skin and juicy, tender meat.
- Hands off. Once you send the chicken thighs off to the oven to bake, that’s it! There’s no need to flip the thighs or rotate the baking pan while they roast.
- Fool proof. While chicken breasts can become overcooked quickly and easily, it’s very difficult to overcook chicken thighs. Which brings me to…
My #1 Secret for Juicy and Tender Chicken Thighs
Overcook them.
Yes! Dark meat becomes more tender the longer it cooks because it has more connective tissue than white meat. The connective tissues break down the hotter the internal temperature becomes which renders the chicken thighs juicy, moist, and tender.
LOOK AT THIS GOODNESS!!
Baking Temperature and Timing
While chicken thighs only need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees as read by a meat thermometer, I recommend you bake them until they reach 180 – 190 degrees. This takes 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees. We swear by this Thermapen for taking accurate internal temperature readings.
Honestly I’ve pulled the chicken thighs out of the oven at 200+ degrees from time to time and they’re still so delicious and tender.
If you’re the type of person that gets nervous about undercooking chicken, then chicken thigh recipes are definitely for you.
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Thighs
Baked Chicken Thighs lend themselves extremely well to the Midwestern “meat + veggie + starch” dinner trifecta. Since the oven is already on at 400 degrees, I typically serve the chicken thighs with a roasted vegetable or fresh salad plus some sort of potato.
Here are some more side dish ideas to help round out the meal:
- Roasted cauliflower: toss cauliflower florets with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings then roast for 15-20 minutes.
- Roasted broccoli: toss broccoli florets with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings then roast for 10-15 minutes
- Roasted brussels sprouts: toss shredded brussels sprouts with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings then roast for 10 minutes.
- Roasted potato wedges
- Roasted spaghetti squash
- Store-bought frozen french fries: sweet potato or regular
- Side salad
- Mashed potatoes: homemade or store-bought. We like Simply Potatoes or Bob Evans brands (both have gluten free flavors!)
- Seasoned Broiled Potatoes
- Baked potatoes
- Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms
- Gluten Free Focaccia
- Gluten Free Cornbread
- Creamy Garlic Shells
- Steamed green beans, sweet corn, or broccoli.
- Air Fryer Asparagus
Alright, let’s get this easy chicken dinner recipe on the table!
How to Make Baked Chicken Thighs
Step 1: Pat the chicken thighs dry.
Start by trimming the chicken thighs of any excess skin then pat them very dry on both sides with paper towels.
Step 2: Place chicken thighs in a baking dish.
Transfer the chicken thighs into a 9×13″ or similar-sized baking dish. They can be touching but not overlapping.
Step 3: Combine the seasoning mix.
Next, in a small bowl stir together salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning. Feel free to use your favorite seasoning mix, or simply salt and pepper which is also very delicious.
Step 4: Drizzle the thighs with extra virgin olive oil.
Now drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the tops of the chicken thighs. Chicken skin is very fatty, so you just need a little bit to help the seasoning adhere to the skin.
Step 5: Sprinkle on the seasoning mix.
Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the top then use your hands to evenly coat the fronts, backs, and sides of the chicken thighs with oil and seasonings.
Step 6: Bake.
Pop the baking dish into a preheated, 400 degree oven then bake for 30-40 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken thigh reaches an internal temperature of 180-190 degrees.
Again, the chicken is technically cooked through and safe to eat at 165 degrees, but we’re tacking on extra baking time to render the thighs extremely tender and juicy.
There is no need to rotate the pan or flip the chicken thighs at any point during the baking process.
Let the chicken thighs rest in the baking pan for at least 10 minutes then serve ’em on up! Wasn’t that easy?
Baked Chicken Thighs FAQ
Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400 degrees?
- I recommend baking the chicken thighs at 400 degrees for less time to ensure the chicken thighs stay nice and juicy, vs baking for longer at 350 degrees and running the risk of drying them out.
What is the baking time for chicken thighs?
- Bake bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for 30-40 minutes. Boneless skinless chicken thighs will need about 10 less minutes to bake.
What temperature does a chicken thigh need to be cooked to?
- Technically chicken thighs only need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees, though I recommend you bake them to 180-190 for very tender chicken thighs.
Can I freeze baked chicken thighs?
- I recommend removing the meat from the bones then freezing the meat flat in a Ziplock freezer bag, vs freezing the entire baked thigh with the skin and meat still on the bone.
I hope you’ll give these juicy, best ever oven-baked chicken thighs a try for dinner tonight then let me know what you think! Enjoy!
More Irresistible Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Meatballs
- Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
- Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo
- Cast Iron Roast Chicken
- Thai Sticky Chicken Fingers
- One Pot Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
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Best Baked Chicken Thighs
Description
Baked Chicken Thighs are incredibly easy and family friendly. Try my #1 secret for baking the best, juiciest chicken thighs of your life!
Ingredients
- 3 — 4lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (7-8 thighs)
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- For the seasoning mix:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees then get out a 9x13" baking pan and set aside.
- Remove the chicken thighs from their packaging then trim off excess skin if necessary. Pat very dry with paper towels then place the thighs inside the baking pan.
- To a small bowl add the ingredients for the seasoning mix then stir to combine. Drizzle the tops of the chicken thighs with the extra virgin olive oil then sprinkle on the seasoning mix. Use your hands to rub the oil and seasonings all over the fronts and backs of the thighs.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 180-190 degrees. Note: chicken thighs only need to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, but they're much more tender when they're cooked to a higher internal temperature. Briefly broil if desired to further crisp up the skin then let the chicken thighs rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Feel free to use your favorite seasoning mix, or simply salt and pepper, which is also delicious!
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
Kelly Norton 04.07.2024
Isn’t this a copycat recipe from 2017? https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/crispy-baked-chicken-thighs/
Kristin 04.07.2024
Hey Kelly. I’m bummed to see this comment as I pride myself on being a person and business owner with the highest integrity. Anytime I am inspired by a recipe, or adapt a recipe from someone else, I include a link in the recipe card to the original creator. For 15 years I have done this without exception, as I hope other digital content creators would if they were inspired by my recipes. I would be happy to point you to recipes showing where I have done this.
I took a look at the recipe you shared. Are the ingredient lists similar? Sure. That said I have many recipes on my site, especially chicken recipes, that use the combination of salt, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder – they’re the four ingredients in my homemade seasoned salt recipe which I first posted in 2016. https://iowagirleats.com/homemade-gluten-free-seasoned-salt-10-ways-to-use-it/ Adding pepper to a chicken seasoning mix is a no brainer, and Italian Seasoning is another common seasoning blend I use in my recipes.
So “no” is the answer to your question – this is not a recipe that I have ripped off another site.
Erin 04.06.2024
I made this tonight for me and the kids, we loved it! Simple & delicious!
Kristin 04.08.2024
Awesome!! Thrilled to hear it, Erin. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Kiki 04.03.2024
Easy tasty delicious. Did baste the skin to crisp it up (instead of broil).
Kristin 04.04.2024
I’m so glad it was a hit, Kiki! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Michelle 04.03.2024
I see lemons in your photos but not mentioned in the recipe. Is there lemon in this recipe?
Kristin 04.03.2024
No.
Linda 03.20.2024
Can these be air fried
If so, at what temp and for how long? They sound delicious 😋
Kristin 03.21.2024
Hi Linda! I haven’t attempted to Air Fry these yet, though I think it would definitely work! I’d Air Fry at the same temperature – 400 – for 15-20 minutes or until they reach 190-200 degrees internal temperature.
Ian 03.19.2024
This is an excellent recipe. I added steamed broccoli and scalloped potatoes
Kristin 03.19.2024
YUM! That sounds like the perfect paring, Ian! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Amia 03.18.2024
I prefer dark meat and the skin so this was perfect for me. I did add a bit of brown sugar on top 10 minutes before done. Absolutely amazing!
Kristin 03.19.2024
Oh awesome! I’m so glad you loved this recipe and were able to make it your own, Amia!
Courtney 03.13.2024
The Thyme was not listed on the recipe. Only the video
Kristin 03.15.2024
Oh my gosh, I just realized it says thyme on the video, instead of Italian seasoning – ack! I will see if I can change that. In the meantime, the correct ingredient is Italian seasoning!
Monique Curtin 03.13.2024
These were so delicious…my new recipe for chicken thighs! The BEST!
Kristin 03.15.2024
Wohoo!! So glad they were a hit, Monique Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Becci Pfeiffer 03.12.2024
Haven’t baked bone-in chicken thighs for a while now ~ I did take off the skin for diet reasons ~ SO juicy and tender ~ definitely a keeper ! Very quick and easy also.
Kristin 03.15.2024
Awesome, Becci! So glad these worked out well for you. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
omothermix 03.10.2024
Beautiful photos that showcase your chicken recipe. I could go for a chicken thigh. Thank you.
Kristin 03.15.2024
Thank you so much!
Spinster 03.03.2024
Just made this. Nice, simple, and tasty. Thank you.
Kristin 03.04.2024
I’m so glad to hear that! So glad you gave the recipe a try. :)
Marlene 02.27.2024
Easy chicken thigh recipe
April 02.25.2024
Easy and delicious!!
Kristin 02.26.2024
Woo! Glad to hear that, April!!
Lisa 02.20.2024
This recipe is fabulous. Thank you for sharing!
Kristin 02.21.2024
I’m thrilled to hear that, Lisa! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Marta 02.20.2024
This very simple recipe gave unexpected results. The thighs surprisingly turned out very juicy and tasty. A set of seasonings will give the chicken an amazing taste.
Kristin 02.20.2024
I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Marta! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Jacqi 02.18.2024
Made these last night for dinner with some roasted Parmesan garlic potatoes and a side salad, loved it! Only difference was we used boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of bone-in! Great recipe, will be incorporating into regular rotation in my home.
Kristin 02.20.2024
Thrilled to hear it, Jacqi! Thank you so much for your feedback – those potatoes sound delicious!!
Diane 02.17.2024
Followed the tip to bake a little longer. It was tender and juicy. My husband liked it very much.
Kristin 02.20.2024
Hooray! So glad you gave it a try. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Dean Sando 02.14.2024
It’s in the oven but it looks great!
Kristin 02.15.2024
Wohoo! Hope you loved them, Dean!
Dawn 02.11.2024
This recipe is so easy and DELICIOUS!!! Definitely will be making it again.
Kristin 02.12.2024
I’m so so glad you loved it, Dawn!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!