Baked Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are sold with bone in and skin on, or boneless and skinless. They are dark meat making them extra flavorful, they contain more fat which ensures they bake up succulent and tasty. Thighs are more forgiving than Chicken Breasts which can more easily be overcooked.

In this recipe, I choose skin on (because it tastes amazing and makes the chicken extremely juicy). As with any meat cooked on the bone, this has tons of flavor. I love using chicken seasoning or Italian seasoning in this recipe, but feel free to change it up to suit your taste buds!

For chicken seasoning I either create my own mixture (like the one I sprinkle on my Roast Chicken) or purchase a favorite chicken rub mixture.

Questions that I hear about them the most are:

How long do I cook chicken thighs in the oven and at what temperature?
How do I cook chicken thighs in a pan but make sure they turn out crispy on the outside?
Should I use boneless skinless chicken thighs are bone in with skin?
I think people love the thigh meat because it’s super flavorful, but they just aren’t as familiar with cooking them as they are the breast meat.  Luckily, it’s an incredibly easy process that takes only a few minutes of prep and then the thighs bake up to crispy tender perfection on a sheet pan.

And, I am here to answer those questions for you today with my favorite baked chicken thigh recipe ever, plus a quick video that shows just how I make them!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds skin-on bone-in chicken thighs about 8
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Rub Ingredients:
• 3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the rub ingredients until well combined.
3. Pat the chicken thighs dry and place them on the baking sheet.
4. Rub both sides of the chicken with olive oil. Rub the spice mixture over the chicken, rubbing it on both sides of the chicken. Try to rub some of the rub underneath the skin as well as on top of the skin for the most flavorful chicken.
5. Bake in the preheated oven, without moving or turning, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken (not touching the bone) reaches at least 165 degrees F. This will take about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken thighs.
6. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes on the pan before serving.