Oven Baked Chicken Thighs (Printable Version)
Juicy, herb-crusted chicken thighs roasted to golden perfection in the oven.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lbs total)
→ Marinade & Seasonings
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp kosher salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tsp paprika
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
08 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
09 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
→ Optional Garnishes
10 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
11 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside.
02 - Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
03 - Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken thighs and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
04 - In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, and dried oregano. Mix well.
05 - Sprinkle the seasoning blend generously over the chicken thighs, turning and rubbing to ensure full, even coverage on all sides.
06 - Place the seasoned chicken thighs skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart so air can circulate between each piece.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165°F.
08 - Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve alongside lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The skin crisps up like a restaurant dish but the whole thing takes about ten minutes of hands on work.
- Bone in thighs are budget friendly and forgiving, so even if you forget about them for a few extra minutes they stay delicious.
02 -
- If you pull the chicken out of the fridge thirty minutes before cooking it bakes more evenly and the skin crisps faster.
- Broiling for the last two to three minutes takes the skin from good to extraordinary but watch it like a hawk because it goes from perfect to charred in seconds.
03 -
- Convection mode on your oven cuts cooking time by about five minutes and gives even crispier results thanks to the circulating air.
- Do not flip the chicken while it cooks because keeping the skin side up the entire time lets the fat render down and baste the meat naturally.