How to Bake Chicken Thighs in the Oven

These juicy oven-baked chicken thighs are seasoned using pantry staple ingredients and take just 40 minutes in the oven. They are the perfect quick and easy protein for a simple weeknight dinner or weekend meal prep.

 

Easy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

These chicken thighs take just a few minutes to prep and about 40 minutes in the oven creating a perfect main dish to build your dinner around. Serve them with air fryer green beans, roasted baby potatoes, or cheesy corn casserole for a meal the whole family will love! They’re also perfect for meal prepping over the weekend so you can enjoy salads, wraps, or soup all week long!

Ingredients for Baked Chicken Thighs

Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Thighs

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are best for this recipe because they guarantee succulent, juicy chicken! The skin helps to hold in moisture and the bone ensures that the chicken thigh stays tender and juicy.

The Best Chicken Thigh Seasoning

Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper make up the spice mixture for these oven-baked thighs. You can easily add other spices if you like! For an extra kick throw in some cayenne pepper, chili powder, or any other chicken seasoning you love. Whatever you choose to add, please don’t let it be just salt and pepper. Your chicken and the people eating it deserve to enjoy flavor!

How to Make Juicy Baked Chicken Thighs

Heat oven to 475 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top. Pat chicken dry on all sides with a paper towel. Combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Kosher salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

Brush chicken with olive oil, coating the chicken thighs on all sides.

Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken thighs, coating them on all sides.

Place chicken on the cooling rack, skin side up, and bake for 20 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.

Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake the chicken for another 10-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and the chicken is cooked through in the middle.

Let rest for 5 minutes, garnish with parsley if desired, and enjoy!

Tips for Making Tender Juicy Chicken Thighs in The Oven

• Try to pick out chicken thighs that are the same size so that they cook evenly and are done cooking at the same time.
• To keep the skin crispy, just stick to dry seasonings, rather than marinating the chicken. Also, don’t forget to pat the chicken dry before seasoning. This will remove excess moisture and make the chicken skin super crispy. Feel free to broil the chicken thighs for 1-2 minutes to get the chicken skin extra crisp – but be sure to keep an eye on the broiler as it can take the chicken from crispy to burned in a matter of seconds!
• Don’t skip the cooling rack! Raising the chicken off of the baking sheet with the help of a cooling rack allows the air to circulate around the chicken cooking it more evenly and ensuring a crispy skin on the outside. Cooking it in a baking dish will impede the process of getting a crispy crust on the outside of the chicken.

Chicken Thigh Seasoning Variations

• Southwest: Simply Organic has a delicious southwest seasoning that’s ready to go and can be found at most grocery stores!
• Za’atar: Look for Za’atar seasoning at the grocery store to add some Mediterranean flavor. Za’atar is made with a variety of dried herbs including dried oregano, dried thyme, dried marjoram, cumin, coriander, sumac, and toasted sesame seeds.
• Dry Rub: My dry rub for ribs works for chicken thighs too! It’s smoky and sweet with a little spice and is a great all-purpose seasoning for your favorite chicken.
• Chicken Taco Seasoning: Use my super easy chicken taco seasoning recipe to add some delicious taco-inspired flavor.
• Classic Taco Seasoning: You can also use my classic taco seasoning recipe if you’ve got some extra in the pantry.
• Garlic Rosemary: Garlic powder and dried rosemary are a match made in heavy when seasoning these chicken thighs.
• Chili Lime: Mix chili powder with lime zest for a spicy smoky flavor with just a hint of tang!
• Curry Ginger: Mix equal parts curry powder and ground ginger for a tangy, earthy flavor your family will love!

Bone-In or Boneless Chicken Thighs

• I prefer to bake bone-in chicken thighs, but you can use either for this recipe.
• Bone-in chicken tends to cook up a little juicier than boneless thighs which is the main reason I prefer them. They also tend to take a bit longer to bake in the oven.
• Bone-in chicken thighs are usually a bit cheaper than boneless.
• Boneless chicken thighs cook more quickly but are often more dry than bone-in thighs.
• Whichever you choose, be sure to opt for skin-on chicken thighs as they’ll hold in a lot more moisture and have much more flavor. Plus you get that crispy chicken skin!

Cooking Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer

• The air fryer is a great way to cook chicken thighs because it’s so efficient.
• Follow the recipe directions, but instead of preheating the oven, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees.
• Place seasoned chicken thighs on the air fryer basket/tray, skin side up, and cook for 12 minutes.
• Flip and cook for another 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees in its thickest part.
• To get the chicken skin super crispy, flip the chicken back over so the skin side is facing up and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes if desired.

How to Know When Chicken is Done

• It can be tricky to know if your chicken is cooked all the way through. It might look crispy and done on the outside, while still being raw in the very center.
• For this reason, the best way to know if your chicken is cooked through is to use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part of the chicken thigh.
• Once the thermometer reads 165 degrees, you know the chicken is done.
• If the chicken thighs are different sizes, be sure to test the thickest part of each one.

What to Make with Leftover Chicken Thighs

• chicken taco bake
• chicken dumpling soup
• mushroom wild rice soup
• chicken quesadillas
• chicken pot pie casserole
• chicken spaghetti casserole
• BBQ chicken flatbread
• baked mini tacos

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400?

Either temperature will work, but ultimately it is about cooking time and juiciness. The higher temperature will cook the thighs faster and help crisp up the skin. The lower temperature will take longer and may lead to more drying out. For this reason, I recommend starting at 475 degrees initially and then dropping the temp to 400 degrees for the remainder of the cooking time. This allows the skin to crisp up without drying out the chicken. 

What is the baking time for chicken thighs?

Bone-in and skin-on thighs take about 40 minutes total in the oven. Some may need a little longer (up to 50 minutes) to cook through depending on the size of the thighs. The best way to tell if chicken thighs are done is to use a meat thermometer to determine if they have reached 165 degrees at the thickest part. 

Should chicken thighs be oven-baked skin side up or down?

Chicken thighs are best baked in the oven skin side up. This not only ensures the skin gets nice and crisp, but it also helps all the juices from the fat and the skin sink down into the meat to keep it nice and juicy. 

How to Make Chicken Thighs Ahead of Time

These chicken thighs are perfect for making ahead of time. Bake the thighs as directed, and then once they are cooled, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat to serve as lunch or dinner, or leave cold to shred or chop for salads and wraps. 

Storing Leftover Chicken Thighs

Store leftover chicken thighs in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freezing Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

To freeze oven-baked chicken thighs, cook as directed and let cool. Then place thighs in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or airtight container and freeze for up to three months. To freeze uncooked thighs, simply add the oiled and seasoned chicken thighs to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating cooked thighs or before cooking raw chicken.

Reheating Juicy Chicken Thighs

To reheat the chicken thighs, simply place them back in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until warmed through. Or you can reheat on the stovetop over medium heat in a skillet.

Try these chicken recipes next!

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