Bone-In Baked Chicken Thighs (juicy with crispy Skin)
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My baked chicken thighs are bone-in and skin-on, baked on a baking sheet in a hot oven until the skin is crisp and the meat underneath is still juicy. I rub the spices under and over the skin so the chicken seasons all the way through, not just on the surface.
In recipe testing, I found that bone-in, skin-on thighs are the best cut for baked chicken thighs. The skin shields the meat while it renders, so the thighs stay juicy through a hot 425-degree oven, and by the time they come out, the skin has browned and crisped on its own: no rack, no broiler, no flipping.
The flavor comes from the rub, and from where it goes. I rub the olive oil into the chicken first so the spices have something to grip, then lift the skin and season the meat directly underneath. The skin goes back down and gets coated along with the back of each thigh. Seasoning under the skin makes the meat itself taste seasoned, rather than leaving all the flavor on the outside.
It is a lot of spice, more than five tablespoons for three pounds of chicken, closer to a barbecue rub than a sprinkle. Readers keep telling me they make extra for potatoes and ribs. I use it on everything too.
If chicken thighs are your love language, you’ll enjoy my baked honey-garlic chicken thighs. They’re juicy but with a sweet, sticky glaze. Or browse my simple juicy chicken recipes for more inspiration.
What to serve with baked chicken thighs
I serve these most often with my creamy cucumber salad, which is cool and crunchy against the crisp skin and takes about as long as the chicken needs to rest. When I want the whole dinner out of one oven, a tray of extra crispy roast potatoes goes in at the same temperature and finishes alongside the thighs.
If you have spice rub left over, use it. Readers have told me they toss potatoes, sweet potatoes, and thick onion wedges in the same mix and roast them on the sheet pan with the chicken. Onions go in about eight minutes after the thighs so they char rather than burn.
Rice, buttered egg noodles, or a simple green salad all work too. Spoon the seasoned pan oil over whatever you serve alongside instead of pouring it off.
Watch how to make this recipe
Bone-In Baked Chicken Thighs (juicy with crispy skin!)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon EACH: granulated onion and granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon EACH: chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. For easier cleanup, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.2 tablespoons sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon EACH: granulated onion and granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon EACH: chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper
- Drizzle olive oil over the chicken thighs. Carefully peel the skin partway off the chicken, season the meat, then replace the skin. Use the remaining seasoning blend to coat all sides of the chicken.2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs
- Place the chicken thighs on the baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes. Chicken thighs are safe to eat at 165 degrees Fahrenheit, but taste best at 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Hi Kristen,
This was absolutely so good! ( made it tonite) I live alone and sometimes it hard to find an easy, delicious recipe for one. I halved the recipe.
The spices work perfectly together…the skin was crisp and the chicken soooo tender and juicy!
After following all directions….I did put some Japanese mayo under the skin, and took anothers suggestion on using the same spices for onion chunks, cooked in the same pan!! They got really charred, but still good….however next time, Ill wait about 8 minutes before adding the onion to the chicken.
I used my air fryer at 400f for 20 min. Used a small solid bottomed pan.
Thank you so much for a tasty, juicy recipe!!
Wow! Thank you so much for this recipe. It was quick easy and best of all, Delish!! I’m sharing this one with my son.
I did make this chicken thigh recipe and it was/is wonderfully delicious. I had 4 thighs which is great for additional meals since I live alone. And yes, the meat is so moist an tasty. Thank you1
Easiest and best chicken thigh recipe. I served it with Spanish rice. Next time I will add black beans to the rice .
Hello Kristen! I haven’t made these yet but they sound perfect. Can these be made with boneless thighs? If so any changes? Thank you
Hello Lorie,
If using boneless chicken thighs, the cooking time should be reduced to about 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
cooked this for lunch as it was amazing. super delicious. the only other ingredient I included into the dry rub was a little bit of brown sugar.
definitely will use this recipe again and again. I’m sure it would be excellent for pork tenderloin too or pork shoulder (pulled pork). very versatile. thank you.
I make mine the exact same way and they come out really good. Doing them tonight with fresh green beans and red potatoes, and corn bread.
This recipe was amazing! I used Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning under the skin and then followed the recipe for the skin. Oh my goodness! It was the best and so easy!
Chicken should be cooked for temp. 180 degree’s
Hi Henry. The FDA recommends cooking chicken to 165 degrees Fahrenheit for safety, however, most people do prefer thigh meat when it is cooked a bit above that.
Great recipe, simple yet absolutely delicious!
Unbelievably easy and most delicious chicken thighs ever! This is now a family favorite!
Spices on the top ended up being quite burned, and that was a shame since chicken skin is my favourite part, and this recipe just didn’t do it justice.
I wanted to quickly update you that I’ve slightly changed the instructions so the spices are added both under and over the skin. This means more flavorful meat and less chance of burning.
What changes need to be made if using boneless, skinless chicken thighs? Also, what would change if you wanted to cook on the stovetop or grill, (also using b/s chicken thighs)? I did make this and it turned out great. I actually loved the seasoning so much that I searched my history for 6 hours the other day trying to figure out what it was I made with this seasoning, but never found it! The reason I never found it though, is bc I was searching for salmon seasoning! I thought I used this seasoning recipe on the salmon I cooked for Easter. Then I remembered I didn’t even season the salmon, much less cook it, my husband did! Lol ? So today I decided to go through ALL of my history in case I found it while cooking something else. Lo and behold, there it was, I had found it! It wasn’t a fish recipe, but your chicken thigh recipe! That was a lot of history to go through, but I finally found it and that’s all that matters.
So happy that you found the recipe again!
If you’re baking boneless skinless thighs, they should take about 15-20 minutes in the oven. Grilling will take little less time. And make sure to watch them carefully or cook them over indirect heat so the spices don’t burn.
I had chicken thighs defrosted and was looking for a quick recipe. This was a complete surprise and will now be on our regular rotation. My husband is diabetic (not overweight- just hereditary). He loved the taste and with a side of vegetables, it did not affect his glucose level.
Next time I will cut a large onion in eighths, coat the pieces with the same rub, and bake them together. And, yes. Once they are rested, turning the thighs to coat the tops in the savory oil before plating made them extra juicy.
Definitely a winner for so many reasons.
DELICIOUS. Used Italian Seasoning since I didn’t have oregano and was very pleased. Added a small dab of butter before putting in over. Would likely make a really good Rib Rub too….Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
Righteous!