Baked Chicken Thighs
These Baked Chicken Thighs are crispy on the outside and juicy inside, with the most delicious seasonings. Incredibly easy to make, this chicken thigh recipe is perfect for dinner any night of the week!
When my family asks, “What’s for dinner?” and the answer is baked chicken thighs, happy cheers can be heard all around.
These oven baked chicken thighs are one of those recipes that you will find yourself making again and again. Along with Baked Chicken Breast, this recipe is one of my go-to’s when I need a quick dinner that’s as tasty as it is quick to prepare.
There’s so much to love about crispy chicken thighs, perfectly seasoned and then baked to juicy perfection. Serve them with these easy Drop Biscuits and Roasted Vegetables for a meal the whole family will love.
Perfect Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
There are so many reasons to love this recipe:
- Chicken thigh meat is usually more moist and flavorful than chicken breast.
- The seasoning for this chicken thighs recipe is so simple and so tasty.
- The skin gets deliciously crispy in the oven.
- Chicken thighs are a budget-friendly meal.
Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe Ingredients
- Seasonings: This recipe uses a variation of my favorite Chicken Seasoning to season the chicken. For the seasoning rub you’ll need Italian seasoning, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. If you prefer to not add the brown sugar, the chicken will still be delicious. The sugar just helps the seasonings to caramelize on the chicken as it bakes.
- Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs: To serve 6 people, buy 3 pounds of meat, or about 8 thighs.
- Olive Oil: Helps the seasonings to stick and the skin to get crispy.
How to Make Baked Chicken Thighs
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this easy chicken thigh recipe. Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions below.
- Whisk together the seasonings.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place them in a baking dish.
- Rub all sides of the chicken first with olive oil and then with the spice rub. For the most flavor, try to get some of the seasonings on the meat under the skin. Arrange the chicken thighs skin side up in the pan.
- Bake at 400° F for 30 to 40 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165° F.
How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs
At 400° F, bone-in chicken thighs will take 30-40 minutes to cook in the oven. The exact cook time will depend on the size of your chicken thighs. The best way to check when chicken is done is to use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Chicken should be cooked to 165° F. Be sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, and don’t let it touch the bone.
Can I Use Boneless Chicken Thighs?
Yes, you can use boneless thighs in this recipe. They will take about 10 minutes less to cook through.
Recipe Tips
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel before seasoning. This will help the skin to get crispy.
- 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 the chicken at a high temperature (400° F). This seals in moisture, giving you juicier chicken.
- Do not cover the chicken as it bakes. Baking uncovered helps the skin to get crispy.
- To get the skin extra crispy, you can broil the chicken during the last few minutes of baking. Be sure to use a broiler-safe baking dish.
- Bake chicken thighs skin side up and do not flip or move the chicken as it bakes.
What to Serve with Chicken Thighs
These chicken thighs go with just about any side dish! Here are a few ideas:
- A starch, such as rice (see How to Cook Rice) or Potato Salad.
- Vegetables. Try Roasted Broccoli or Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts.
- A fresh, crisp salad, such as Broccoli Slaw or a Greek Salad.
If you have leftover chicken, you can add it to a salad or wrap, or use it to make Chicken Salad for sandwiches.
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Baked Chicken and Rice
- Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
- Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes
Or try one of these Chicken Recipes.
Baked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
For the Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, or dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt, or ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Other Ingredients:
- 3 pounds skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, 8 bone-in thighs, see note below about boneless
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Set out a 13x9-inch or similar baking dish or line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the seasonings until well combined.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place them in the baking dish.
- Rub both sides of the chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken, rubbing it on both sides of the chicken thighs. Try to rub some of the rub underneath the skin as well as on top of the skin for the most flavorful chicken. Arrange the chicken thighs skin side up on the pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven, without moving or turning, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken (not touching the bone) reaches at least 165° F. This will take about 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken thighs.
- If desired, you can broil the chicken for a few minutes to get the skin extra crispy. Be sure to use a broiler-safe baking dish/pan and do not put parchment paper under the broiler.
Notes
- If using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, they will take about 10 minutes less to cook through.
My husband usually grills chicken thighs for our family of 8. With the super cold Midwest weather I needed to find a way to bake them. Followed your recipe and they make out OH SO GOOD. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I mixed Lawry’s with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin and chili powder. But the olive oil tip, the rubbing + the temp and cooking time were super helpful. 10/10 recommends!
Love it, love it. Made it a few times now. It’s my “go to” chicken thigh recipe. I keep the rub in a jar so it’s always handy. Next I will try on boneless chicken breasts. Saw your baked chicken breast recipe and the only big difference is that there’s no brown sugar! Think it will work?
Hi Pat,
I’m so glad you’re enjoying this recipe! This rub will work great on chicken breasts. Thanks for leaving a recipe review.
Is it 355 calories per 1 chicken thigh?
That is an estimate of the calories per serving, and is based on using 3 pounds of bone-in skin-on chicken thighs total. Since the size of chicken thighs and other ingredients can vary (i.e., you may not consume all of the oil used in the recipe, you may or may not consume the chicken skin, etc.), the nutrition is an estimate.
Made this with boneless/skinless thighs and my daughter loved it! Will definitely make it again. Thank you for the recipe!
Go to recipe now for thighs! Thanks so much!!! 🙂
I just want to say thank you. This came just in time due to the price of the thighs being so decent. Today will be my third time using this recipe & I will continue to use it. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe with us & keep up the good work.
We just love this recipe! When I have leftover rub I add some cumin and throw it in ground beef for taco meat. Good job.
Delicious & so simple! My whole family loved it – even the picky eaters. This will be my go to recipe for chicken thighs from now on!
You told me to use parchment paper.. then the last step you said to broil… not on parchment paper. Maybe you should put that hint in the first couple of steps… ugh
Hi Kellie,
I apologize for that confusion. In step 1 of the recipe it says to bake the chicken thighs in a baking dish or on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. The broiling step is optional, and if you wish to broil you should choose a broiler-safe baking dish or a baking sheet lined with foil.
The thighs turned out great, easy, tastee and crispy. I added about a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a little heat.
Thank you
Is this baked covered or uncovered?
Uncovered.
I have made this twice in a week! Deliciousness
So so good! I used it on 2 thighs, 2 wings, and 2 drumsticks. The thighs and wings turned out best.
Made this last night it was moist and delicious 😋 this is a keeper.. Thanks you for the recipe… Next is meatloaf
This recipe was a HIT with my husband and, also, myself! I am grateful I found this recipe which will be a Keeper!
How long should I cook in the oven if halving the recipe?
The cook time will be the same for half a recipe. Enjoy!
Delicious! Took a bit longer in my oven, though.
Love this recipe,very flavorful! Can you prepare chicken and bake the next day?
I’m glad you’re enjoying this recipe! Yes, you can rub the seasonings on the chicken one day ahead and store them in a covered dish in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake.
Made this tonight for my hubby. He LOVED it! Simple and delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Very good recipe. The spice mix was great and it remained very juicy. I had 10 thighs so I baked them for an hour turned out perfect.
Hi Kristine, I Have 2 Questions….One_ Can I Prep My Thighs The Evening Before And Allow To Sit In Fridge? Two_ I Do Keep Olive Oil Yet I Prefer Avocado Oil, Is That Okay?
Hi Char, You can prep the chicken thighs the night before and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake them. They will be even more flavorful since they’ll marinate in the seasoning rub. Avocado oil will work well. Enjoy!
Soooo good!! I’ve made this many times!
I think a half pound of chicken per person isn’t enough to satisfy a hungry man with a healthy appetite. There’s lots of guys out there with physically demanding jobs and they work up an appetite. All anyone has to do is triple or quadruple the recipe, so on and so forth. 🙂
Delicious baked chicken thighs. Seasoning made it tasty, skin was crunchy and meat was moist
Made this yesterday and it was delicious. Even my picky husband loved it.
Delicious taste to chicken and very moist!
The flavors in this recipe are perfectly balanced – it’s a new favorite in our household!
This recipe was delicious!! I will make again and again. Easy and tasty!!
Wow. Nice change up to my usual boring baked chicken thighs. Spiced just right. Will make these again.
I tried this recipe last night and my whole family loved it…even my picky eater.
The recipe was easy to follow and called for ingredients that were already on hand.
Easy to make and delicious!!
Thank you!
I tried this for the first time and it taste great my husband really enjoyed it i will be cooking it again
In the pictures, there is juice in the pan of the baked chicken thighs, but the recipe does not call for any liquid. Was water or stock added before they were baked?
No liquid was added before cooking. I think what you’re seeing is juices that were released from the meat as it cooked. I find that if the chicken is frozen and then thawed, it tends to release more liquid as it bakes.
So delicious and super easy
It was good!
No brown sugar as I’m in a fairly well stocked but maybe keto friendly? airbnb but mixed honey and olive oil on step 2 and it worked great!
Fast and easy and most of all, DELICIOUS!
Made last night–and no leftovers which is always a good sign. Apparently one thigh per person wasn’t enough for the men/boys in my family so I’ll know for next time.
Have you ever made this in an air fryer?
Hi Kathleen,
Here is a link to my Air Fryer Chicken Thighs recipe.
My granddaughter helped me make this & we DEFF! bookmarked for future use. Succulent, crispy, juicy, flavor ABOVE! Couldn’t distinguish just one spice because they melded to make the most perfect pairing. G’baby messed up and added oil to the spices but it worked out ‘cuz she simply brushed the chicken with the combo & ended up skipping a step which we will continue to use because these thighs were SOOOOO Delicious 🤤
Yumm! Super easy recipe and great results
Great flavor, easy recipe. I’m taking this one to our family beach vacation!
I made this tonight per the recipe. I sliced some sweet potatoes and sprinkled a little EVOO and Italian seasoning on them and added it to the sheet pan with the chicken thighs (sheet pan style). Added some asparagus spears at the end. Absolutely delicious. Thank you, this will be a great addition to my menus.