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GET IT NOWMy Secret Ingredient Makes This Crispy Baked Chicken Recipe The Crispiest Ever
This crispy baked chicken is my sweep-the-fridge solution when I have different cuts left. I’ve been making air fryer wings crispy for years with a little secret ingredient, but the truth is, it works just as beautifully on dark meat — even in the oven. And while I have dozens of other recipes for chicken legs and chicken thighs, this is my best baked chicken recipe when I want to keep it ultra simple. Here’s why:
- Super juicy inside with extra crispy skin – You probably already have some favorite baked chicken recipes, but I think my simple tricks for ultra-crisp skin and tenderness is going to make this your new favorite.
- Simple ingredients, big flavor – You need just a handful of pantry staples, and no breading. The seasonings add bold, smoky, garlicky goodness in every bite.
- Easy weeknight dinner – Bone-in chicken has a longer cook time than many of my 30-minute meals, but the tradeoff is just a few minutes of prep and then it’s all hands-off.
If you’re looking for simple baked chicken that will consistently turn out just right and leave your family happy, you’ve found it. Make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my easy baked chicken recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Bone-in Chicken – I used a mix of thighs and drumsticks for variety (and let’s be real, to use up what I had). You can choose just one or the other. If you have white meat, make my baked chicken wings or baked chicken breast recipe instead.
- Olive Oil – For crispness and flavor. Avocado oil works, too.
- Baking Powder – My secret ingredient for super crispy baked chicken! It creates tiny air bubbles on the surface, absorbs extra moisture, and changes the skin pH to help the skin crisp up better. I like this non-GMO brand, and use a teaspoon per pound.
- Spices – Smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Sometimes I add 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, too.
Seasoning Variations:
The blend above is my go-to combo (I’m always running low on garlic powder and smoked paprika, ha!), but I’ve also used Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, poultry seasoning, or Cajun seasoning. If you use one of my blends that contains salt, I recommend 1-2 tablespoons per pound of chicken — and don’t add extra salt.
How To Bake Chicken In The Oven
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Pat dry. While your oven preheats, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This key step helps with crispness!
- Season generously. Brush the chicken with olive oil. Mix the baking powder and spices in a small bowl, then sprinkle on and gently pat it in.
- Bake until juicy. Place the chicken pieces on a wire rack fitted over a large baking sheet (this is the set I use and love), skin side down. Bake chicken in the oven on the middle rack, flipping halfway through. Don’t miss my tips below on timing!
- Broil until crispy. Your oven baked chicken should already be pretty crisp by this point, but for extra crispness and a deeper golden color, broil for a couple minutes at the end.
My Recipe Tips
- Premixing the seasonings is faster than sprinkling individually. You’re not constantly flipping the chicken, washing your hands, measuring out the seasoning, and repeating the whole process.
- Pat the seasonings in, don’t rub. I find that a rubbing or circular motion makes them clump together — and stick to my hands — instead of spreading evenly.
- Make sure to get all the sides of the chicken. Chicken thighs basically have just 2 sides, but for drumsticks, I recommend turning them to get all the different angles. You can also roll them in any spices that fell off while sprinkling.
- A rack gets you the crispiest results. I love this baking sheet and rack set! It lets air circulate around the baked chicken, so the skin gets crisp while any excess fat drips away. So much better than a plain sheet pan or baking dish — which can leave the bottom soggy.
- If you want to use butter instead of oil, fill the pan below the rack with a little water. This will catch the butter dripping down and prevent it from creating smoke.
- Be careful not to rub off the spices when transferring the chicken. They can scrape off when you place the chicken on the rack, or during flipping, so be gentle.
- Start skin side down for the crispiest skin. Whatever side is on top at the end tends to crisp up more.
- You want the internal temperature to reach at least 170 degrees F. This is the bare minimum for dark meat to turn out juicy. (I insert a probe thermometer after flipping, but a regular instant-read thermometer works, too.) For this baked chicken recipe, though, I actually recommend relying on the skin appearance. Even if the internal temperature goes a little higher (up to 180-185 degrees F), it’s not a problem for dark meat.
- Resting at the end is important. The chicken, not you. 😉 Waiting 5 minutes to dig in lets the juices settle.
- Want some sweetness? Brush the skin with honey (I like to use my zero sugar honey) in the last 15-20 minutes of roasting. I don’t recommend doing it upfront, because it will burn.
Crispy Baked Chicken (Easy Recipe)
With a few simple tricks and basic ingredients, my easy baked chicken recipe gets extra crispy skin and juicy inside. It's a family favorite!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels, then brush both sides with olive oil.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the baking powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Season the chicken on all sides with the spice mixture. Use your hands to pat the seasonings gently into the skin.
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Arrange the chicken pieces on a large wire rack fitted over a large baking sheet (this is the set I use and love), skin side down.
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Bake chicken in the oven for 15 minutes, on the middle rack.
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Flip the chicken pieces over, skin side up. Return to the oven and roast for 30-40 more minutes, until the skin starts to look a little crispy and the internal temperature reaches at least 170-180 degrees F (77-82 degrees C).
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Place the pan 4-6 inches away from the broiler, and broil for 1-3 minutes to get the chicken extra crispy. (2 minutes is usually perfect for my broiler at 550 degrees F.)
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Let the baked chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken thigh or drumstick
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the juiciest chicken with the crispiest skin, and prevent the seasonings from clumping.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat them, or shred and toss in my Cobb salad, chicken salad, or chicken vegetable soup.
- Reheat: I usually toss the chicken in the air fryer for 2 minutes at 350 degrees F, but you can also pop the chicken in the oven for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then freeze in a zip lock bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Crispy Baked Chicken
Serving Ideas
If you didn’t need another reason to make baked chicken (do you, really?), one more is that it goes with everything! Here are some of my favorite simple options:
- Starches – I usually air fry potatoes while I have the chicken baking in the oven. Rice (or cauliflower rice) also pairs well.
- Vegetables – When I want to make this a sheet pan meal, I toss some root vegetables onto the pan about 20 minutes in. If you prefer something quicker towards the end, try my air fryer green beans or sauteed asparagus.
- Salad – My favorite for a light meal! I love a simple arugula salad or creamy cucumber salad on the side. For something a little more filling, I like to serve my Russian salad to round them out.
More Easy Baked Chicken Recipes
If you loved my crispy baked chicken, try one of my other recipes for cooking chicken next:
20 Comments
Cleo from Philadelphia
1Followed this recipe exactly as is. I sometime add different seasoning. But I did not this time. It was delicious. The family loves it. I coated it with a sticky BBQ sauce after it was done. For the comment about the messy stove. Try reducing the oven temperature.a bit. I actually roasted mine on 385 because my gas stove is somewhat anxious! Just cooked it 5 minutes longer.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so happy your family loved it, Cleo! Great tip on adjusting the oven temp, sounds like you’ve really made this one your own. That sticky BBQ sauce idea sounds amazing!
Donna Velasco
1Made exactly as written including the rack in pan and the broiling final step. It was amazingly crispy outside with juicy meat inside. Best ever.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy to hear that, Donna! Hope you make it again soon.
Mamie Mathis
0The chicken was juicy, crispy, and so delicious! Easy to make, and easy to clean up. Be careful with the broiler. With mine set on high, some chicken started getting too dark within 2 minutes, but they still turned out great.
Wholesome Yum D
0Mamie, thanks for the helpful tip! I love that you enjoyed the recipe so much! 🙂
Denise
0Love this recipe! Super easy and delicious! I have always followed the recipe and used dried oregano, but noticed tonight the directions list onion powder. Should I be using onion powder?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you love it, Denise! Sorry for the confusion, my main recipe has dried oregano and doesn’t have onion powder. I just saw where you noticed this and fixed it. I’ve added onion powder before too though, so feel free to add it if you like!
Jonetta
0Very crispy & moist. Nothing worse than having dried out chicken thighs. I have tried a few of the chicken recipes. All of them are good & easy to make. I love the fact that most of your recipes only have a few seasonings & most are on hand.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked these and my other chicken recipes, Jonetta! Yes, I try to use common ingredients as much as I can. Thank you.
Carrie L Crawford
0I tried this and thought that it was easy
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you thought so, Carrie! I think so, too.
Carrie
0It was easy to make.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Carrie!
Marsha
0Awesome recipe it’s like updated Shake and Bake – only better
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked it, Marsha! Enjoy!
Aileen
0All your recipes are lovely, and I love making them
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Aileen! I’m so glad you love my recipes. I’d love to see your reviews for other ones you’ve made!
Judy Nikkel
0This recipe make my oven an absolute mess of my oven and I had to clean it before using again. Is there a recipe for baking chicken covered with foil? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Judy! This doesn’t usually happen for me, but if you’re having this issue, I’d recommend adding a little water to the bottom of the baking sheet (below the rack, but not touching the chicken). This will prevent fat that drips down from smoking and splattering. You can also use a baking dish with taller sides instead of the rack setup, but the chicken will turn out less crispy this way. Covering in foil will really prevent the skin from crisping up, so I don’t recommend doing that for this type of recipe. Hope this helps!