My baked chicken thighs are tender, juicy, and oh-so tasty. These 3-ingredient chicken thighs have a crispy outer skin and perfect flavor with my homemade seasoning. This method is so simple you can have delicious chicken thighs on your table in 40 minutes flat.
Serve with garlic red skin mashed potatoes or ranch roasted potatoes and a green veggie or two, like broccoli or sauteed asparagus. After baking, they will be fall-off-the-bone tender. Enjoy!
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When imagining a chicken dinner, most people's thoughts veer to chicken breast. Agreeably, chicken breast is versatile and easy to work with, but the flavor lies in the dark meat of the chicken thighs.
Chicken thighs are fattier than their white-meat counterparts, which keeps the meat tender and moist and imbues it with flavor as it cooks. Because of that, a little seasoning goes a long way with thighs.
This easy, oven-baked method guarantees perfectly crispy results without all the grease associated with frying.
🥘 Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs - 2 lbs. Bone-in, skin on.
- Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp. Extra virgin. You can also use canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil as a 1:1 substitute if you are out of olive.
- Chicken Seasoning - 2 tsp. Follow my extremely easy homemade chicken seasoning recipe, or use your favorite brand.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Bake Chicken Thighs
You are just a few simple steps away from delicious crispy chicken thighs. You'll want a meat thermometer to remove any guesswork so you don't overcook them.
Prep. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and place a roasting rack or cooling rack (coated with non-stick spray) into a 9x13 baking dish. *If you don't have a roasting or cooling rack, line the baking dish with foil.
Dry and trim. Remove any excess fat from the 2 pounds of chicken thighs and pat them dry using paper towels. (*see note).
Season. Use a basting brush (*see note) to brush the 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto each of the thighs. Season each chicken thigh thoroughly, then transfer your thighs to the wire rack in your baking dish.
Bake until golden. Place your baking dish in the middle of the oven's center rack and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken's internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Crisp. To make the skin extra crispy, set the thighs under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, monitoring closely (*see note).
See my what to serve with chicken for all of my favorite side dish ideas.
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💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Removing the moisture is key. Using paper towels to thoroughly pat the chicken dry is key to getting perfectly crisp skin.
- If you don't have a basting brush, you can pour some oil into a small bowl and use a bunched-up paper towel to dip and brush the chicken with oil. It will absorb some, so you may need a little bit extra.
- Don't burn your chicken! If broiling, watch your thighs closely so the skin and/or seasoning do not burn. You can even leave the oven door open so you can watch closely while broiling.
- Try to use chicken thighs that are about the same size. This will help them all finish cooking at the same time.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Leftover chicken should be kept in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days before discarding.
You may freeze leftovers for up to 4 months as long as it is properly stored in a freezer bag or an airtight container. Thaw frozen chicken by moving it to the fridge overnight.
Reheating
To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the thighs in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of broth or stock for moisture and cover the dish tightly with foil.
Bake until the chicken is warmed through, usually about 15-20 minutes. *This will not yield crispy skin. To re-crisp skin, pop it back under the broiler for a few minutes, watching closely.
❓ Recipe FAQs
You will have to tweak this recipe ever-so-slightly if working with boneless, skinless thighs. The cooking time will be less, so use your meat thermometer to regularly check the chicken. Also, the exterior will not get crispy, so you can omit the broiling time.
You can! Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (195°C). Then, cook thighs skin side down for 12 minutes before flipping them and cooking them for 10 minutes more. To get extra crispy skin, I still like to pop them under the broiler for a minute or 2.
🍗 More Delicious Chicken Recipes
- Doritos Chicken Casserole with Cream Cheese
- Chicken and Peppers
- Baked Huli Huli Chicken
- Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken
- Cream Cheese Chicken
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card
Baked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs (approximately 4 large bone-in chicken thighs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 2 teaspoon chicken seasoning (see recipe, or use Italian seasoning)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C/Gas Mark 7) and place a roasting rack into a 9x13 baking dish. *A wire cooling rack works well too, just be sure to coat it with oil or non-stick cooking spray. You can also line your baking dish with aluminum foil if desired.
- Prep your 2 lbs chicken thighs by removing any excess fat or skin flaps as desired then pat each thigh dry using paper towels.
- Brush the 1 tablespoon olive oil onto the top of each chicken thigh and apply 2 teaspoon chicken seasoning generously. Transfer onto the wire roasting rack in your baking dish.
- Bake in the middle of your oven's center rack for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) as read by a digital meat thermometer.
- For extra crispy skin, broil on high setting for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Notes
- Removing any moisture from the chicken thighs helps to get them nice and crisp when baked.
- Watch closely when broiling so that the chicken skin (and seasoning) doesn't burn. If needed, leave the oven door open while broiling.
Kathy says
Very good but how can it be 456 calories? A chicken thigh only has 230.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
The calories in this case are based on 4 servings of .5 pound or 8 ounces each. Not all chicken thighs are the same weight, so you could have 4 thighs or 6 thighs to make the 2 pounds total. Hope that helps. Thanks for asking!
CERT says
This was a simple, clear recipe that yielded exactly what I needed. I love that it was quick and the tips included were really helpful and could be applied to other recipes, like, patting the chicken dry before seasoning. I used paprika, garlic powder and Joe's Stuff, my typical season for chicken. Came out perfectly for my family. This recipe is a
keeper! P.S. what's wrong with typing in this comments section? It is a little wonky... Cursor on the far left (why?) while words added on the far right . Odd
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thanks so much for sharing your results! (the right-sided typing is just a glitch at the moment)
MIKE GUNNLAUGSSON says
Right to the point, simple and easy,
just the way I like it!
Oh ya, did I forget to mention, absolutely delicious!!!
MikeG. in San Diego
Jeffrey says
Came out great!
Carmela says
Simple, but sometimes simple really works! Very tasty and your instructions were very clear and to the point. The chicken seasoning is now a personal favorite, thank you!