Baked Chicken Thighs
Baked chicken thighs served with potatoes (and 1-hour dinner rolls if you’ve got the prep time) makes for the perfect, comforting homestyle meal. Nothing complicated, nothing fancy, just simple ingredients creating the classic food we crave.
How To Make Baked Chicken Thighs Video
As with most of my recipes, these thighs are also very easy to prepare and the cooking is all hands off – the oven does all the work. Not much tending to and turning like pan searing or grilling. This is a versatile recipe as far as seasoning goes and there are endless variations. Just keep to the method – tossing with oil and baking as directed. Then from there you can adjust seasonings to your hearts content with different herbs, spices or blends.
Baked Chicken Thighs Ingredients
Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are used here for more flavor. Olive oil: This is used to encourage browning. Lemon: The zest is used to season the chicken, then wedges are used for spritzing upon serving. I like to wait to add the juice just so chicken skin gets crispier in the oven without the added liquid. Garlic: Another alternative is to use 2 tsp garlic powder. Italian seasoning: Make your own blend using 1 tsp each basil, oregano, and thyme then 1/2 tsp each marjoram and rosemary. Paprika: This adds a nice light flavor and also improves color. Salt and pepper: Season with a fair amount.
How to Prepare Baked Chicken Thighs
How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs should be baked in preheated 400 degrees until skin is browned and thighs register 175 degrees in thickest portion, about 35 – 45 minutes. Time can vary based on size of thighs. Baking tip for crispier skin: Broil during last 1 – 3 minutes for crispier skin (keep a close eye on it). For extra flavor: Serve with lemon wedges for spritzing.
Tips:
Use evenly sized chicken thighs so they finish cooking at the same time. Don’t skip drying chicken with paper towels. The extra moisture doesn’t allow chicken to brown and crisp up as nicely. Wanting to reduce smoking? Place chicken thighs over a layer of chopped vegetables (such as potatoes and carrots) instead of a on cooling rack. Increase bake time slightly. Always take temperature to test for doneness. Check temperature in thickest area of chicken thighs.
Sauces to Serve with Baked Chicken
Want to take it up a notch? Try pairing it with a sauce for dipping:
Aji verde BBQ Sauce Chimichurri Honey Mustard Sauce Pesto
Ways to Use Leftover Chicken
This recipe does make quite a bit so you can serve half for dinner then use the second half to make something else. Here are some ideas:
Chicken salad Chicken and rice bowl
Green Salad Pad Thai or ramen (just add cooked chicken near the end) Pasta Soup
More Ways to Make Chicken Thighs
Baked Chicken and Rice Garlic Roasted Chicken Thighs Oven Chicken Tacos Oven Fried Chicken Sheet Pan Chicken and Root Vegetables
