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Get It Now- Why You’ll Love My Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Bake Chicken Thighs
- My Recipe Tips
- How Long To Bake Chicken Thighs?
- Storage Instructions
- Serving Ideas
- More Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes
- My Tools For This Recipe
- Oven Baked Chicken Thighs (Crispy & Easy) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
I’ve been making my healthy baked chicken breast and chicken legs for 2 decades, but chicken thighs were a cut I only got into in my 30s. Let’s just say I’m glad I did — and you will be too, once you try my oven baked chicken thighs recipe. These are so crispy… and juicy… and flavorful… and easy… and I just can’t stop talking about them. Give them a try and you’ll see what I mean.
Why You’ll Love My Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Crispy, crispy, crispy – I can’t get enough of that crisp skin. Why bother with skin-on chicken if you don’t get to the best part?
- Juicy and tender inside – Let’s be real, dark meat is hard to dry out. But my method here gets your baked chicken thighs extra juicy. It’s what I put under the skin that makes all the difference. 😉
- Loads of flavor with simple ingredients – You can make simpler chicken thigh recipes using just oil, salt, and pepper, but you can’t beat the flavor you get from my recipe using butter, garlic, and fresh herbs. The ingredients are simple, but these taste special.
- Versatile chicken dinner – They go with everything! I love the flexibility to choose sides from whatever I have on hand. And if you want to turn your crispy baked chicken thighs into a whole meal, just make my easy sheet pan chicken dinner with veggies!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for my baked chicken thighs recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Chicken Thighs:
I use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe, because… hi, crispy skin? Make sure to thaw them first if they are frozen.
My method here won’t work with boneless chicken thighs, sorry. If you want to use boneless ones, try my recipes for balsamic chicken, garlic chicken thighs, or Mediterranean chicken instead.
Compound Butter Underneath The Skin:
Butter underneath the chicken skin is my secret for flavorful, juicy chicken! (I use the same method for my spatchcock chicken, Instant Pot turkey breast, and air fryer chicken legs.)
Mixing and rubbing the garlic butter under the skin takes a tiny bit more time, but it’s so worth it to add flavor and lock moisture in the meat. You’ll need:
- Butter – I use unsalted butter, but you can use salted and just reduce the amount of added salt.
- Garlic – Normally you’d never be able to roast chicken with garlic on top because it would burn, but the skin protects it from burning. I use whole garlic cloves because I crush them for my baked chicken thighs recipe, but you could use minced instead.
- Fresh Herbs – I used fresh parsley and dill this time. You can experiment with other fresh herbs — see variations in my compound butter recipe.
- Sea Salt
Seasoning Over The Skin:
Don’t forget to season the skin itself! I use oil instead of butter for this part, since it can handle the direct heat.
- Avocado Oil – Sometimes I use olive oil instead. Any heat-safe oil you have is fine.
- Spices – I keep it simple with just smoked paprika and garlic powder, since I’ve already got plenty of garlic and herbs under the skin. But feel free to add other dried seasonings here, such as dried oregano, dried rosemary, onion powder, chili powder, and/or cayenne pepper.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Bake Chicken Thighs
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Make the compound butter. In a small bowl, mash the butter with a fork. Mix in the crushed garlic, fresh parsley, fresh dill, and sea salt.
- Season the chicken under the skin. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture on the surface. Run your hands under the chicken skin to separate it from the meat, then place the butter underneath. (See my tips below for how I do this.)
- Season over the skin. Place chicken thighs on a rimmed baking sheet, either plain or lined with foil. Drizzle the olive oil onto the chicken on both sides. Sprinkle with sea salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
- Bake chicken thighs. Place the chicken skin side down on a baking sheet (or in a baking dish), and bake. Flip and continue baking, until the inside is cooked through and the skin is crispy and golden brown. (See my tips below on doneness.)
- Let them rest. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. This will allow the juices to settle in the meat, so that your oven baked chicken thighs stay juicy. I garnish with fresh parsley, or just herbs I already had for the compound butter, but you don’t have to.
My Recipe Tips
- To deal with sticky butter, place dollops under the skin and press down. It always sticks to my hands if I try to spread it with my fingers. So instead, I just push pieces of the garlic butter underneath in a few places, then press on top of the skin to make it spread out. So much easier!
- Try not to get much butter on top of the skin. If you do, it will burn when you bake the chicken thighs in the oven. I just wipe off with a paper towel if I get too much butter on top.
- For extra crispy baked chicken thighs, use an oven-safe rack. I didn’t do it this time, but I often use this set with many of my chicken recipes (like baked chicken legs). Placing the chicken on the rack instead of directly on the sheet pan allows for more airflow, so the skin crisps up even more.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Make sure that the chicken pieces are not touching each other, or they will take much longer to cook and won’t crisp up well. Pay attention especially if you use a baking dish instead of a sheet pan.
- Bake chicken thighs skin side down first. The side that touches the pan last will be a bit less crispy than the side facing up, so I always start skin side down and then flip after 10 minutes.
- Want some tangy flavor? Instead of just oil on the skin, mix it with a tablespoon of lemon juice and brush the mixture over the skin instead.
How Long To Bake Chicken Thighs?
At 450 degrees F (my preferred temperature because it’s fast and works great), it takes anywhere from 22 to 28 minutes to bake chicken thighs. The time will vary depending on their size.
Oven baked chicken thighs are unlikely to dry out, but measuring their temperature can be the difference between juicy tenderness and your average chicken. This is my favorite meat thermometer for quick readings, but I usually use this probe thermometer that just beeps when it’s ready.
Unlike chicken breast that tastes best at 165 degrees F, I always cook my chicken thighs to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. This is when the collagen in the dark meat starts to break down and they get so juicy.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The skin will soften, but you can easily crisp it up again.
- Meal prep: You can make the compound butter a few days in advance, or even place it underneath the skin and season the top if you like. Then bake when ready to eat. If I want lunches ready to go, I make my baked chicken thighs recipe ahead of time completely and portion into containers with a healthy side dish.
- Reheat: Warm up baked chicken thighs in the oven at 350 degrees F. If the skin isn’t crispy enough at this point, you can broil for a few minutes at the end. When I don’t want to worry about crisping up the skin, I remove the meat from the bones and use it in my buffalo chicken soup or chicken bacon ranch casserole.
- Freeze: You can keep the cooked chicken in a zip lock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before you reheat.
Serving Ideas
When you’re making an easy chicken dinner, you want an equally easy side dish, right? Yeah, me too. Here are some of my simple options:
- Roasted Vegetables – Always my first choice, ha! Although I roast most of my veggies at 400 degrees F and these oven baked chicken thighs roast at 450 degrees F, you can easily just roast cauliflower, brussels sprouts (even frozen brussels sprouts!), or root vegetables at the same temp as the chicken (and even in the same pan). They get a little darker than normal, but… so what? If you prefer to make a quick side on the stovetop instead, try my green beans almondine or sauteed broccoli.
- Potatoes – You can make my oven roasted potatoes, but they aren’t ideal for the high temperature I use for crispy baked chicken thighs, so I usually make my crispy air fryer potatoes when I want some. You can also make my healthier mashed cauliflower or roasted rutabaga instead.
- Salad – For a light and fresh meal, healthy salads always pair well with chicken! My cucumber tomato salad or arugula salad make simple I-don’t-know-what-to-make options. But you can also go seasonal with asparagus salad, Caprese salad, or beet salad, depending on the time of year.
More Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes
I make chicken thighs all the ways! If you don’t feel like baking them, here are other ways you can cook them:
My Tools For This Recipe
- Sheet Pan – Once I got these sheet pans, I never looked back. They’re awesome for everything and never stick!
- Alarm Thermometer – I use it for virtually all my proteins that go in the oven, including these baked chicken thighs. It takes away the stress of wondering if they are done.
Oven Baked Chicken Thighs (Crispy & Easy)
This oven baked chicken thighs recipe with garlic herb butter has irresistibly crispy skin and an extra juicy inside. Simple & easy to make!
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.
Compound Butter:
Chicken:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil, or use a quality non-stick pan (I like this pan with silicone coating).
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In a small bowl, mash the butter with a fork. Add the garlic, fresh herbs, and salt. Mash again.
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Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and place on the baking sheet, skin side up. Run your hands under the chicken skin to separate it from the chicken underneath. Place dollops of compound butter all over underneath the skin and then press down over the skin to spread around underneath.
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Drizzle or brush olive oil onto the chicken on both sides. Sprinkle both sides with sea salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
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Bake chicken thighs in the oven, skin side down, for 10 minutes.
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Flip the chicken thighs, so that the skin side is up. Roast for about 15 more minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (77 degrees C). Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken thigh
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
105 Comments
Mikayla
1Butter makes all the difference, doesn’t it. Great flavor, added a touch more garlic and the chicken was crispy as described, will be making this again… and again…
Bradley Lincoln
0Delicious and easy, thanks! What is the avocado oil for though?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Bradley, The butter mixture goes under the skin and the avocado oil goes over the skin.
jess
0this was such an easy and delicious chicken recipe, you made it so easy for me to cook this chicken without worry!
Sha
0These chicken thighs turned out to be so tender and juicy! And they’re extra flavorful!
Colleen G
0Super crispy AND juicy! My favorite chicken recipe by far.
Linda Bayer
0Awesome recipe! I made this for our anniversary and loved it. Not a lot of steps – super easy to make. This one is definitely a keeper!
Ann
0They were so crispy and delicious! Recipe is going to be on repeat in my books
Jenna
0My boyfriend and I loved the recipe. Thank you so much!! Served this during our anniversary dinner and it was really juicy and crisp. I’m obviously keeping this recipe.
Erin
0These baked chicken thighs are now a weekly dinner must-have for me. The crispy skin is everything.
Kyline
0Simple ingredients, easy prep, and the result was amazing. My family loved it!
Diane
0Great recipe! I’ve cooked chicken thighs in different ways and this is my favorite way so far! Quick prep time and the flavor was superb! Love it!
Caroline
0Just made this for dinner and the skin is perfectly crispy, and the meat is so juicy and flavorful because of the different herbs used in this recipe. though the chicken was crispy on the outside, the meat was really moist. I paired it with rice and i think I may have forgotten I’m on a diet lol! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Shelly
0Thanks for an amazing recipe! The fist time I made it, my jaw dropped due to how crispy, succulent and flavorful it was. Really loved it.
I made it a second time and it didn’t turn out nearly so well: the skin was starting to burn in some areas without the consistent crispiness, a lot of juices had come out during the roast and the chicken wasn’t as succulent as a result. Also the flavors haven’t seeped into the meat as much.
I do feel the quality of the chicken had something to do with it (I saw some parts of the skin a bit dry), but might be there something I could correct for the next time? I cooked at the mentioned temperatures, in the rack just above the middle of the oven.
Jo
0I hope someone reads this because they didn’t put the temperature of the temperature need to be raised after a while, and how long to cook it on each side
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jo, You can find that information on the recipe card, right above where you left this comment.
Julie
0Really delicious and tender! I served them with the Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe. A meal fit for a king!
YayaVee
0My husband says this is the best chicken I’ve ever made!! Since I only used 2lbs. of chicken, each piece was extra buttery & delicious!!
Rhonda
0This one was so good 🙂🌸🌺
Will
0Can I use dried herbs? I don’t have fresh. Thanks
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Will, Yes, that will work.
Ee
0My husband’s fave chicken! Works best with fresh herbs, but dried herbs will do in a pinch!
Bea
0Am not a fan of dill, is there another herb you could recommend to add zing?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Bea, A good substitute for dill is tarragon or fennel.
Jennifer
0I eat chicken all the time and miss the crunchy skin but THIS recipe is the bomb! That skin is so good, I crave the recipe just for this crispy skin!
K
0This is such a timeless recipe! I love it on busy weeknights when I just want something good for dinner.
Sherry
0I loved the compound butter in this crispy oven baked chicken thighs recipe. The chicken skin was perfectly crispy and delicious. I will be making this again and again!!
Gen
0Delicious, crispy, and so easy! I’ll be making these again for sure.
Emily
0These turned out great! I love it when it crisps up just how it want it to, and they did! Thanks for sharing!
Debbie
0These crispy oven Baked chicken thighs are great. The fresh dill adds a nice touch! These are going on my normal dinner rotation.
Hayley Dhanecha
0Absolutely love all the herbs and spices you have used for this recipe, the addition of butter makes all the difference. Sharing this link with my friend, who loves chicken recipes.
Moop Brown
0I love chicken like this that is the perfect balance of crispiness and juiciness. Looking forward to trying this recipe!
Marie
0My family loved these crunchy-sweet chicken thighs! They truly were finger-licking good. We had a couple of thighs leftover and I nibbled on one straight out of the fridge as a snack the next day. I’ll be making these again!
Enri Lemoine
0Yummy! Everybody in my family loved these baked chicken ties. Crispy outside and tender and juicy on the inside! This recipe was a total success!
Anna
0Wow, thanks so much for this recipe! The chicken was so delightfully juicy inside, with crispy exterior, just how I like it! Finger licking good!
Amy Liu Dong
0Another chicken recipe that everybody would definitely love and enjoy! This dish looks absolutely delicious. The crispiness makes it enticing and tempting too!
Erin
0These thighs were amazing! Perfectly crisp and so easy to make. Thanks!