Melissa
· Updated
These Oven Baked Chicken Thigh are absolutely the JUICIEST chicken thighs ever - and they are delightfully crispy on the outside. With only a few simple ingredients they're easy enough for anyone to make!
I love this simple recipe for a super satisfying weeknight dinner idea. You know, when you want comfort food but don't have a ton of time or energy to spend in the kitchen!
An Easy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
Have you tried baked chicken thighs before? My goodness, you will fall in love with this super simple, yet versatile recipe. You just need some bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, a few seasonings, and melted butter. That. Is. It! The butter helps the chicken skin to toast and get really crispy, while baking the chicken legs with foil on at first keeps the moisture locked in for the most perfect, juiciest thighs ever! To save a few minutes of cook time, other recipes omit the aluminum foil - resulting in crispy, but dry thighs. This recipe delivers a juicy inside AND a crispy outside - trust me, it's worth the wait!
I'm a fan of this dish when it's been a long day and I just want a comfort meal, without spending hours putting together something elaborate in the kitchen. Prepping oven baked chicken thighs only takes about 5 minutes, and then they bake for a total of about 50 to 60 minutes. Bada boom, bada bing, you're all set! I also left notes for how to serve the pan juices with the chicken (it's so flavorful and hearty thanks to the butter, spices, and chicken juices). Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans for a Southern comfort meal, or black beans and corn salad for more of a Southwestern spin!
Ingredients for this Chicken Thighs Recipe
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: The bones and skin help develop a moist and juicy chicken tenderness, capture more developed flavors, and the skin gets nice and crisp.
Season salt: My favorite season salt is made using salt, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, and optional cayenne pepper and paprika.
Melted butter: Butter helps the chicken to get nice and crispy, and adds an even richer flavor.
How to Bake Chicken Thighs in the Oven
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, mix the seasonings together.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Brush each side of chicken with melted butter.
- Sprinkle each side of chicken thighs with seasonings.
- Place chicken thighs on rimmed baking sheet.
- Cover baking sheet with foil.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil, and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes.
- You can serve the pan drippings with dinner; see notes for more info.
How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs
Bake chicken thighs for 40 minutes covered with foil on a baking sheet. This traps in the moisture and allows the juices to stay intact. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 to 20 minutes to finish the chicken and allow the skin to get crispy. An instant-read thermometer will register 165 degrees F. when finished.
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Thighs
You can serve SO many things with baked chicken thighs! It's such a versatile meal. Try serving with:
- Green beans
- Mashed potatoes
- Baked potatoes
- Fresh fruit
- A simple side salad
- Baked beans
- Corn salad
- Cole slaw
- Potato salad
- Roasted beets, broccoli, zucchini, or another favorite roasted veggie
How to Store Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
Store baked chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 to 4 months.
What to do With Leftovers
You can use leftover baked chicken thighs in anything you'd use cooked or shredded chicken in! Add to soups, burritos, quesadillas, sandwiches, chicken salad, chicken casserole, enchiladas, or anything else that features cooked chicken.
How to Reheat Baked Chicken Thighs Without Drying Them Out
To reheat baked chicken thighs, place them on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Know When My Chicken Thighs Are Done Cooking?
Chicken thighs are done cooking when they're golden-brown, crispy on the outside, and register 165 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer. The inside should also no longer be pink when you cut into the chicken thighs.
How Can I Make the Chicken Skin Crispy?
This recipe automatically yields a nice and crispy skin thanks to the use of butter and finishing the thighs with the foil removed. If you want it extra-crispy, you can remove the foil after 30 minutes (instead of 40) and finish the chicken for another 20 to 30 minutes uncovered.
📖 Recipe
The BEST Oven Baked Chicken Thighs!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika optional
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 3 to 4 pounds chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, mix the seasonings together.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the packaging. If the skin is very long or overhangs the chicken meat, trim the skin.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Brush each side of the chicken with melted butter.
- Sprinkle each side of the chicken thighs with the seasoning mixture.
- Place the chicken thighs on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Cover the baking sheet with foil.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil, and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove from the oven, and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- You can serve the pan drippings with dinner; see notes for more info.
Notes
- Feel free to use any of your other favorite seasonings like lemon pepper, Cajun seasoning, or Everything Bagel seasoning for this recipe.
- The drippings left on the pan are delicious. I highly recommend serving them with your meal. You can remove the chicken from the pan and simply pour the pan juices into a bowl to serve with the meat (au jus style).
- Or you can add the pan drippings to a small sauce pan. Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch and ¼ cup of cold water and stir to combine. Add this to the pan drippings, whisking to combine. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture boils and thickens, about 3 minutes. Serve as a simple gravy.
Nutrition
Other Delicious Chicken Recipes to Try:
- The Best Baked Chicken Legs
- The Best Chicken Tacos
- Homemade Chicken Strips in the Air Fryer
- Roasted Chicken Thighs with potatoes and carrots!
Make These Amazing Sides for Dinner:
- Classic Scalloped Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Green Beans with Butter and Bacon
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries, Bacon & Maple
These 3-ingredient baked chicken thighs are SO fun, easy, juicy and tender inside, and mouthwateringly crispy on the outside!
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