Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs | Juicy, Flavorful and Easy

Name: Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 2 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 teaspoon onion powder; 1½ teaspoon sea salt; ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 teaspoon smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon turmeric; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ¼ teaspoon dried thyme; olive oil or avocado oil

July 18, 2021 by Errika 43 Comments

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Crispy baked chicken thighs are ultra-tender and packed with flavor. The perfect main dish to pair with potatoes, rice or quinoa and some veggies!

Baked chicken on plate — *This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.*

I never even thought to buy chicken thighs until I was probably 21 years old, if you can believe that! I used to just stick with what I knew, without even questioning what else was out there. And what I knew was chicken breasts.

Thankfully my husband pulled me out of my little bubble and showed me the superiority of bone-in, skin-on dark chicken meat. SO MUCH BETTER!!!

This chicken recipe is now a regular on our rotation since it's so easy to make and a crowd-pleaser without fail. I serve it with some crispy oven fries and veggies, like sauteed kale, pan-fried asparagus, peas or a salad.

Why Use Chicken Thighs?

Chicken thighs are dark meat, so SO much more tender and juicy than white meat. Also, they cost less, because, for some strange reason, everyone is after those chicken breasts. I seriously don't get it, but I'll take the cheaper price for the meat I want!

Bone-In or Boneless? Skin-On or Skinless?

10000% bone-in and skin-on. It used to scare me because all I ever ate growing up were boneless skinless chicken breasts. If that's you, please trust me. Having the bone-in does make a difference with flavour and juiciness. If you follow this recipe, you will have crispy, delicious skin as the cherry on top, so to speak. Why would you choose skinless when you can have that?!

Another plus to cooking meat with bones is you can use those bones to make homemade bone broth, which is delicious and SO good for you! Just keep a bag in the freezer and throw your bones in there after eating! Here is the best way to make bone broth in the Instantpot.

Tips For Making Crispy Chicken Thighs

Make sure your chicken thighs are COMPLETELY thawed before cooking, or you may end up with raw meat near the bone. I made that mistake with drumsticks once... never again.
Use whatever seasoning mix you like. We've used a lot of different ones. The one I included in this recipe is my favorite, though!
Season well! Do not be afraid. What you should be afraid of is bland chicken, so lay on those seasonings!
The oil helps to crisp up the chicken skin, but you'll actually still end up with nice skins if you skip the oil. It's up to you!
Avoid cooking a frozen vegetable in the oven at the same time. We often make roasted brussels sprouts or broccoli from frozen and if you do that at the same time as the chicken, you'll get a steaming effect and soggy chicken skins. So don't do that.
If you happen to have some homemade BBQ sauce on hand, brush some on the chicken skin after 30 minutes of baking and bake for 15 more minutes. This will make the crispy skin extra tasty!

Tools You May Need

Baking dish (I use a 9"x9" for 4 thighs)

Small bowl or jar

How to Make Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs

INGREDIENTS:

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
1½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
olive oil or avocado oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 415°F. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.

In a small bowl or jar combine garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric, oregano and thyme. If using a bowl, stir well with a spoon. If using a jar, place the lid on and shake until everything is well mixed. (I prefer this method!)

Prepare the chicken by peeling the skin back from the thigh, but keep it attached on one side.

Place chicken thighs upside-down on prepared pan. Sprinkle generously with seasoning. Make sure to get it into every nook and cranny!

Flip chicken thighs over and, with the skin flipped away, generously season the tops. Now lay the skin back over the thigh and drizzle with some olive oil. Season the skin with the remaining seasoning mix.

Seasoning chicken thighs before covering with the skin — Seasoning before covering with the skin

Bake for 45 minutes. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165° F, according to the FDA. (CONFESSION: I never check and I've never had any issues with undercooked chicken thighs with this method!)

How to Store Baked Chicken Thighs

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will be slightly less crispy when reheated, but still amazingly juicy and flavorful.

Did you try this recipe and love it? I would so appreciate a 5-star rating and a pin to Pinterest!

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