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These crispy baked chicken thighs are moist and juicy in the middle with the most delicious crisp skin. They are oven baked to perfection.
Love baked chicken recipes? Try my baked chicken legs, baked chicken leg quarters, and baked chicken breasts.
If you are after a chicken recipe with barely any hands-on time, my baked chicken thighs in the oven are your answer.
The short marinating time infuses the chicken thighs with lots of flavors while baking them in the oven, which crisps up the skin beautifully and results in juicy and flavorful chicken.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- There is minimal prep work. All you have to do is to toss the chicken thighs in the marinade, let them sit in the fridge for half an hour, and then bake them up.
- It’s juicy and full of flavor. Thanks to the honey used in the marinade, the chicken thighs turn out tender and juicy. The herbs, garlic, and lemon zest impart rich flavors making the chicken taste so much better than your average chicken thighs.
- It’s versatile. Like oven fried chicken, oven-baked chicken thighs are great for lunch and dinner. They are perfect as an everyday meal and for special occasions or holidays. These chicken thighs also go well with various side dishes, including roasted vegetables, rice, and pasta.
Ingredients needed
- Chicken thighs. I prefer using skin-on chicken thighs. The skin keeps all the juices sealed in the thighs and creates a crispy coating.
- Herbs. I use dried oregano and dill for this recipe.
- Paprika. Adds sweet and mildly spicy flavor.
- Honey. When used in a marinade, honey helps tenderize the meat and infuse it with sweet flavors. It also caramelizes beautifully when baking the chicken.
- Garlic. I prefer using minced garlic, but garlic powder would work well if you don’t have any on hand.
- Lemon zest. To add a touch of freshness and cut through the sweetness of the honey.
- Olive oil. To pull together all marinade flavors.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
How to make crispy baked chicken thighs
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Marinate the chicken thighs. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper then whisk together the marinade.
Step 2- Combine. Put the chicken thighs in the baking pan or baking sheet. Coat them with the marinating mixture. Cover with food wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3- Bake. While the chicken thighs marinate, preheat the oven to 220C/425F degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165F.
Step 4- Serve warm, sprinkled with fresh dill and slices of lemon.
Crispy chicken thighs cooking time
How long you should bake chicken thighs depends on a few factors – the size of the chicken thighs, the temperature of the oven, and whether they are bone-in or boneless.
Generally, bone-in chicken thighs take 30 to 45 minutes to cook through. Boneless chicken thighs cook faster. Depending on their size and oven temperature, cooking may take 15 to 20 minutes.
Always check their doneness by using a meat thermometer. Chicken should always have an internal temperature of 165F.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use bone-in chicken thighs for the juiciest results. While boneless chicken thighs cook faster, the bone imparts a rich chicken flavor.
- Pat dry the chicken before seasoning them. I find doing this helps achieve crispier results.
- Use a thermometer to determine whether the chicken thighs are done. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. If it reads 165F degrees, remove the chicken from the oven.
- Once you remove the chicken thighs from the oven, allow them to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. The juices will redistribute inside the chicken thighs and make them juicer.
- Don’t cover the chicken thighs while they rest, as the trapped steam will soften their crispy skin.
Flavor variations
While we adore this recipe as it is, the beauty of working with simple protein is just how easy they are to customize. Here are some ideas:
- Spice it up. Add some red pepper flakes to the marinade if you like spicy chicken.
- Use Italian seasoning. Being a blend of aromatic herbs, Italian seasoning is one of the easiest ways to make chicken more flavorful with minimal effort.
- Marinate it. Instead of simple seasonings, why not use a chicken drumstick marinade or 4 ingredient chicken marinade before baking them in the oven?
- Sprinkle some cheese. Add an extra crispy layer by adding a teaspoon or two of grated parmesan cheese.
What to serve with crispy baked chicken
This versatile and delicious chicken pairs well with just about anything.
- Potatoes everything- Keep things simple with air fryer baked potato or air fryer baked sweet potatoes or something cheeky, like air fryer French fries. Potato salads work, too, like a Japanese potato salad or hot German potato salad.
- Sauteed vegetables– Sauteed carrots, sauteed broccolini, sauteed brussels sprouts, and sauteed eggplant are healthy and wholesome side kicks.
- Grains– Some rice makes a delicious base for the chicken or something lower carb, like cauliflower fried rice.
- Salads– Keep things light and green with a green goddess salad or orzo salad.
Storage instructions
To store. Leftover baked chicken should be refrigerated and eaten within 3 to 4 days. Store them in an airtight container or wrapped in foil.
To reheat. Reheat chicken thighs in an oven preheated to 400F degrees for 5-10 minutes or until they are heated through.
To freeze. Freezing bone-in chicken thighs is not the best idea. Instead, shred the baked chicken thighs before freezing them. Frozen baked chicken thighs will last up to 4 months in the freezer.
Frequently asked questions
Chicken thighs are best baked at 400 to 425F degrees. However, if the chicken thighs are smaller, you can bake them at 350F to prevent them from drying out.
Baked chicken thighs are certainly healthier than fried ones. They are a good source of protein, healthy monounsaturated fats, and a range of vitamins and minerals. Paired with healthy side dishes, baked chicken thighs can make part of a balanced diet.
To prevent chicken thighs from drying out while baking, avoid overcooking them. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, and remove the chicken thighs from the oven when they reach 165°F (74°C).
More healthy chicken thigh recipes to try
Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220C/428F. Lightly grease a baking dish.
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Combine the olive oil, garlic cloves, paprika, oregano, dill, honey, and lemon zest in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken thighs in a baking pan and coat well with the marinade. Leave in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill, covered.
- Bake the chicken for 35-40 minutes until cooked through.
Just presented this to my family for tea, four of us and all hungry so increased the portions accordingly based on 3 thighs each. Served with boiled rice containing garden peas and sweetcorn. All gone in a flash! Really good, thank you.
I wasn’t sure about including the marinade when putting the chicken in the oven so I left it without. Looking back I think I’ll try including it next time and add some onions.
These are perfect for a sheet pan dinner, which I love. I add a variety of seasoned veggies to the sheet pan and bake it all together. The chicken comes out crispy and juicy and has tons of flavor.
They were delicious nice and crispy and juicy definitely will make again.
I love the dark meat. Paprika is not my favourite but it seemed to work here.
I’m cooking chicken thighs tomorro. Sounds yummy
Delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
These look wonderful
Thanks Camille!
Great recipe I appreciate the comments on using bone in chicken thighs. Leftovers good cold. I like mine served with Indian spiced lentils.
Tasty, crispy and finger licking good and this makes for great eating😛
Seasoned to perfection, they were juicy and delicious. We loved them😛