Juicy Baked Chicken Thighs
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Juicy Baked Chicken Thighs are easy to make and the most delicious oven-baked chicken thighs ever! They're coated in pantry-staple spices and baked until crispy on the outside and unbelievably juicy inside. With one simple tip, this baked chicken thighs recipe turns out perfect every single time.
We love to serve these thighs with a creamy cucumber salad and some greek lemon potatoes. If you love chicken recipes, also try our perfect baked chicken breasts!
These babies are JUICY! If you've ever wondered how to bake chicken thighs, you're in the right place. This is the recipe we reach for again and again and it never fails to make us happy.
Why these are our go-to baked chicken thighs
- The combination of simple, pantry-staple spices gives them tons of flavor.
- They are always juicy. We cook them with the skin on (but give instructions on how to prepare them if you'd prefer not to eat the skin) which ensures they never dry out.
- Based on the popular Perfect Baked Chicken Breasts recipe so you'll know they'll be a hit.
- After only 5 minutes of prep and they'll be ready to hang out in the oven and cook themselves.
- Sugar-free! Many chicken thigh recipes call for sugar, but we think it's unnecessary. This recipe is crazy delicious AND healthy.
- Whole30 + keto + gluten-free. All the good things.
- Leftovers are great sliced off the bone and served over salad for lunch. 1 recipe = 2 meals. Love meal prep!
How to make this baked chicken thighs recipe
This is one of those āstaple recipes' that you'll end up reaching for again and again. Only rather than reading the recipe each time, you'll simply head to your pantry and start pulling out the spices. It's a very simple recipe that is based on the popular Perfect Baked Chicken Breast recipe.
- Mix the spices together in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the chicken thighs with some olive oil.
- Sprinkle the spices over the chicken.
- Bake.
That's it! After only 5 minutes of prep, these babies cook themselves. Dinner doesn't get any easier than this.
How long to bake chicken thighs
Chicken thighs can vary widely in size which means that the time it takes to cook them also varies. An average bone-in chicken thigh weighs about 6 ounces and will yield 2 Ā½ ā 3 ounces of meat.
You'll want to cook your chicken thighs for 35-40 minutes at 420 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the thighs you're cooking are very small, check them after 30 minutes. If they're very big, they may need 45 minutes to fully cook. Chicken thighs are pretty forgiving, so if they stay in your oven for an extra few minutes, chances are they'll still be juicy.
What to serve with oven baked chicken thighs
We often eat these baked chicken thighs with a big green salad tossed in one of my favorite salad dressing recipes. They go especially well with the Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette or Lifesaving Lemony Salad Dressing. It's a really quick and easy weeknight meal that takes almost no time to put together.
A big pile of roasted veggies (cooked in the oven at the same time as the chicken) is another great option.
If you're feeling extra hungry, make a side of Garlic Smashed Red Potatoes, Greek Lemon Potatoes, or some perfect basmati rice for a full meal.
Favorite chicken recipes
- Perfect Baked Chicken Breasts
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Easy Chicken Bites
- Asian Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
- Baked Sesame Orange Chicken
Juicy Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon EACH: onion powder and garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon EACH: chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. For easier cleanup, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon EACH: onion powder and garlic powder, 1 teaspoon EACH: chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper
- Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken thighs then sprinkle the thighs with the spices. If you're not planning on eating the skin, sprinkle the spices under the skin. (see notes)2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs
- Place the chicken thighs on the baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. (see notes)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Thanks so much. Finally, a way to bake chickenthat is quick, easy and yields moist, tender meat. I served it with a creamy mushroom sauce and vegetables and it was delicious. Great recipe that Iāll be using again and again.
That is wonderful to hear, Erika!
So amazing recipe. I did it last night and actually it make my great dinner. Thanks you much!
You’re welcome, Robyn!
Using the smoked paprika is definitely delicious. I put the spice under the skin as well as on top.
Thank you for coming back to let us know!!
Was out of regular paprika, used smoked, will let you know-still in the oven…smelling good!
Love smoked paprika!
Have you tried this in the instant pot?? Iām wondering what type of liquid to try it with!Ā
No I haven’t tried that.
Do I put the paprika on it too? I didnāt see it in the blend of spices?
Yep! It’s the first one on the list. 2 tablespoons. š
I made this recipe and the flavor was spot on and wonderfully crispy, I cooked with the skin on, we love crispy skin. In my oven I checked temperature at 35 minutes and it was well above 165 so I will check next time at around 30 minutes, but it was still delicious ?Ā
So happy to hear that the recipe was a hit!
My chicken thighs came out perfectly. It was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside as advertised. I left on the skin and seasoned underneath (and on top) and my son and I polished off 6 thighs tonight! Will make again.
So happy that everyone loved them!
Do I bake uncovered????
Yes!
Recipe sounds good but so confusing! At least for me. 1 tablespoon of garlic and onion powder? Does that mean 1 of each? Or 1/2 of each to make 1? Would be so helpful to list ingredients individually like other recipes.Ā
It is of each spice. 1 tablespoon garlic 1 tablespoon onion etc. š
Delicious and easy to prepare!
Thank you, Lin!
This recipe is a serious winner! My whole family LOVED it ( three kids and hubby). That’s a feat. It could not have been easier to make, perfect for nights when I need to throw something together vs. spend time ‘cheffing’. I only had a pound or so of boneless chicken thighs so I had extra spice mix… I just saved it for next time. I thought the chili powder might make it spicy but it wasn’t at all, just very flavorful. I have one child who is extra, extra, extra sensitive to spice and she got a tiny bit of heat, otherwise the rest of us detected no heat. I like another reviewer’s idea of using the spice on veggies an potatoes along with the chicken!
Thank you for letting us know you loved the recipe!
I’ve already made this twice. Great, easy recipe. I served with roasted vegetables using the same spices and egg noodles. I also cut up an onion and spread the pieces around the chicken
so that they roast with the chicken. I also drizzled honey on top of the thighs the last 5 minutes of cooking. Crispy skin and so yummy. My family loved it!
Hi. I would like to cook these chicken thighs and serve with rice but Iām just thinking it will be quite dry and wondering if you know of some sort of sauce or just anything really I can make for the rice so it isnāt dry?Ā
Thank you. This recipe looks great and looking forward to trying it!Ā
We love serving plain white rice with a little butter, some soy sauce, and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast on the top. Once you try it, you’ll never eat rice any other way!
This recipe sounds great! However, IĀ am going to try a variation. I marinated 6 bone-in skin-on thighs (about 3.5 lbs) in one cup of orange juice, two shots of bourbon, an one shot of soy sauce in a ziplock bag overnight. I am going to eliminate the tsp of salt and tsp of oregano, and substitute one or two tsps of curry powder and one tsp of ground ginger. Iām salivating already!
That sounds delicious!
Is this 1 tbs EACH of garlic powder and onion powder? Or this basically a 1/2 tsp garlic powder. 1/2 tsp onion powder to EQUAL 1 tbs? Thank you!
Saw this recipe on the newsletter from PoultryLoversCanCook@groups.io and I googled the title to see if you provided more detail than the recipe I saw. Nope, they copied it correctly! So I’m going right to the source – you!
It’s 1 tablespoon of each!
I goofed and baked the thighs in a roasting pan with 2″ high sides. That prevented them from getting crispy. Reread the recipe and then popped them back in the oven on a baking sheet for ten minutes. They were much better and now I know for next time. Thanks for this recipe!
You are very welcome, Karen!