Baked Chicken Thighs (2024)

Easy Baked Chicken Thighs answer the call whenever you need a dinner that’s simple, inexpensive, and healthy! These juicy baked thighs have crispy skin, tender meat, and plenty of flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

• Perfect Crispy Skin. Because that’s one of the best things about baked chicken! (Crispy skin lovers, don’t miss Air Fryer Chicken Thighs either!)
• Never Dry or Rubbery. Dark chicken thigh meat is juicier and far less prone to drying out which means cooking these crispy baked chicken thighs is stress-free! For more forgiving meat, try Baked Chicken Quarters.
• Super Flavorful. Baked bone-in chicken thighs have more flavor and are juicier than boneless skinless chicken thighs because the bone flavors the meat from the inside and helps retain moisture.
• Budget-Friendly. Making oven-baked chicken thighs for dinner is a bargain! Per pound, dark meat is less expensive than white meat, and bone-in chicken is less expensive than boneless. (Add these and Braised Chicken Thighs to your menu too!)

How to Make Chicken Thighs in the Oven

The Ingredients

• Chicken Thighs. I use bone-in chicken thighs for all the flavor (try them in Chicken Cacciatore too).
• Italian Marinade. A mixture of olive oil, paprika, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and lemon. This adds light and bright Italian flavor and helps make it extra juicy. This Chicken Marinade is another option.
• Onion. My special trick for this recipe is to thinly slice an onion and scatter it around the chicken thighs as they bake in the oven. Once roasted, the onions become deliciously caramelized and sweet.
• Fresh Herbs. Fresh parsley, tarragon, or thyme is the perfect finishing touch.

The Directions

1. Marinate. Combine the marinade ingredients and marinate chicken thighs for at least 30 minutes or for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Season the Onions. The onions are optional but so delish.

3. Arrange. Nestle the chicken thighs into the onions skin side up.

4. Cook. Bake chicken thighs for 25 to 35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F (stir the onions partway through). Let rest on the pan for 5 minutes.
5. Finish. Stir the onions and broil 1 to 2 minutes to crisp the chicken skin. Garnish with herbs, then serve hot and ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• BBQ. Season the thighs with your favorite BBQ spice blend (such as smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic and onion powder). Serve with Barbecue Sauce.
• Old Fashioned Chicken Thighs. Keep the taste pure and simple with salt, pepper, and paprika. Serve with Easy Drop Biscuits and your favorite gravy (we love Sausage Gravy).
• Southern Chicken Thighs Season the chicken with a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, seasoned salt, a little cayenne, and dried rosemary.
• Curry. Season the thighs with curry powder, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, and salt. (This variation would be scrumptious with Turmeric Rice.)
• Boneless Chicken Thighs. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs take about 20 minutes to cook at 425 degrees F. Be sure to marinate them since the meat doesn’t have the skin or bone to help insulate and flavor it. I recommend this Chicken Thigh Marinade.

What to Serve with Baked Chicken Thighs

• Sautéed Vegetables. Sautéed Carrots, Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, and Sautéed Cabbage can all be prepared on the stove while the chicken thighs bake.
• Mashed Potatoes. Keep it classic with our Best Mashed Potatoes recipe, or try Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
• Rice. Try this Lemon Rice for a brighter flavor or cauliflower rice for a low carbohydrates option.
• Salad. A green salad such as fiber-packed Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad makes this a complete meal.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Don’t Cover the Chicken. When baking chicken thighs with the skin on, you’re trying to achieve crispy chicken thighs in the oven. Therefore, leaving them uncovered ensures a crispy skin that turns perfectly golden. YUM!
• Shorten the Marinating Time If Needed. I recommend 60 minutes of marinade time, but you can reduce it to 30 minutes if you need a shortcut.
• Or Adjust the Temperature As Needed. If needed, you can adjust the oven temperature as 400 degrees F to accommodate other dishes—say you are cooking the chicken thighs in the oven at the same time as a pan of Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Simply extend the cooking time by a few minutes (or go for 415 degrees F—right in between).
• Know When Baked Chicken Thighs Are Done. The best way to tell if your chicken is cooked properly is to use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted at the thickest part. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F, but its temperature will rise after it is removed from the heat. Chicken thighs are forgiving, so you can go up to 170 degrees F.
• Don’t Forget the Rest. Resting is necessary so that the juices have time to reincorporate into the baked chicken thighs.