Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my baked chicken thighs recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

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. Feel free to mix the thighs with drumsticks too, as they have a similar cook time (I do this often for mixed baked chicken like this, which has an extra trick for crispy skin).

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

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. 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.
2. 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.)

3. 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.
4. 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.)
5. 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.

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:

Pan Fried Chicken Thighs

Air Fried Chicken Thighs

Grilled Chicken Thighs

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs

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.