Easy Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs

Name: Easy Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 pounds skin-on bone-in chicken thighs (about 8)*; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning; 2 teaspoons paprika; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt); ½ teaspoon pepper

October 25, 2018 11 Comments »

Easy Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs – The best oven baked chicken thighs are crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. This easy one pan recipe is made with just a few ingredients. These easy baked chicken thighs are perfectly seasoned and perfectly crispy!

Easy Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs - The best oven baked chicken thighs are crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. This easy dinner recipe is made with just a few ingredients and can be made with bone in or boneless skinless chicken thighs. These easy baked chicken thighs are perfectly seasoned and perfectly crispy!

Make these crispy baked chicken thighs once and your family will be asking you to make them again and again. They are that good! Baked chicken is a favorite for quick and easy dinners and baked chicken thighs are a delicious and often overlooked option. Out of all of the recipes for chicken thighs that I’ve tried, this is my favorite!

Why oven baked chicken thighs?

Chicken thigh meat is often more moist and flavorful than chicken breast meat.
When you bake chicken thighs the right way, they will be deliciously crispy outside and juicy inside.
The seasoning for this chicken thighs recipe is so simple and so tasty.
Chicken thighs are often less expensive than chicken breasts, making them a budget-friendly meal.

These are some common questions about how to best bake chicken thighs in the oven:

How do you make chicken thighs crispy in the oven? There are a few secrets to crispy chicken thighs. First, it’s essential that you pat the chicken dry before rubbing it with the seasonings. Just use a paper towel to pat off any excess moisture. This will ensure that your chicken gets a good sear and crisps when it hits the hot oven. Rubbing some olive oil over the chicken also helps it to crisp, as does baking it at a high temperature. You can broil the chicken for a few minutes after it bakes, but I find that my chicken crisps enough without broiling.

Should you bake boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone in with skin? For this recipe, I prefer to use bone in skin on chicken thighs. The bone in thighs turn out juicier and the skin gets extra crispy as it bakes. You can certainly use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe.

How long do you cook chicken thighs in the oven and at what temperature? Bake your chicken thighs at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes. If using boneless chicken thighs bake about 10 minutes less. You want the internal temperature of your chicken to reach at least 165 degrees F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Be sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken thigh, and don’t let it touch the bone.

How do you make juicy baked chicken thighs? Unlike baked chicken breasts which can turn out dry if you aren’t careful, it’s really easy to make juicy baked chicken thighs! The thigh meat is naturally more moist than chicken breast meat. Using bone-in chicken thighs helps to ensure juicy baked chicken. Even if you over-bake your chicken thighs by a few minutes they will still be moist and yummy.

Ingredients for easy baked chicken thighs

Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. To serve 6 people, buy 3 pounds of meat, or about 8 thighs.
Herbs and seasonings – this recipe uses my favorite rub to season the chicken.
Olive oil, for moisture and that crispy skin!

What to serve with baked chicken thighs?

I like to serve these with creamy, fluffy Instant Pot mashed potatoes, easy roasted butternut squash or simple roasted carrots.

If you have any leftovers of these easy crispy baked chicken thighs, they are delicious served cold for lunch the next day.

Tips for the best baked chicken thighs

For the juiciest and crispiest chicken, use bone in skin on chicken thighs. If you prefer, you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, or even chicken breasts or drumsticks. You will need to adjust the cook time for different types of chicken.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel.
Rub the dry chicken with olive oil. The oil both helps to keep the chicken moist and helps it to crisp as it bakes.
Rub the seasoning on both sides of the chicken, both on top of the skin and under the skin. You want the tasty rub to be all over the chicken for the best flavor.
Bake your chicken on a rimmed sheet pan that you’ve lined with foil or parchment paper. The chicken will release some of its natural juices as it bakes, and you don’t want the juices running all over your oven. Lining the baking sheet makes for very easy clean up. If you plan to broil your chicken at the end for an extra crispy crust, don’t use parchment paper since it cannot go under the broiler.
Bake chicken thighs skin-side-up and do not flip or move the chicken as it bakes to get that crispy crust on top.
Cook your chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Then let it rest on the pan for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute before serving.

These easy crispy baked chicken thighs are one of my family’s favorite dinners and I make them often for a quick weeknight meal. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

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Yield: 6 servings