Crispy Baked Bone In Chicken Thighs
If I were to ever have the need to use the beloved millennial phrase “on repeat” about something I cook, it would be about Crispy Skin Chicken. For my entire adult life, I have made this chicken recipe over and over (and over on repeat). It is the best baked chicken thighs recipe and I am so excited for you to try it.
Table of contents
- Why We Love This Baked Chicken Thigh Recipe
- What you’ll need for Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
- How to bake Crispy Chicken Thighs
- What to serve with Crispy Baked Chicken
- FAQs and Expert Tips for Crispy Baked Bone In Chicken Thighs
- Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs variations
- More of My Favorite Simple Chicken Recipes
Why We Love This Baked Chicken Thigh Recipe
We return to this simple baked chicken thigh recipe over and over. In addition to our Seared Salmon, it is one of our favorite go-to recipes that we make several times a month. When I was on Public Radio recently I told the host that it was my family’s favorite dinner recipe and the one I return to over and over all fall and winter.
Now that the weather has turned cool for the season, we have already made this recipe a couple times! When it is too cold to grill chicken thighs, let the oven do all the work and make these crispy skin chicken thighs all fall and winter.
Recipe Highlights
Here are some of the things I love about this recipe, and once you try it, you’ll love them too!
- Only takes about 5 minutes of prep work before popping them into the oven
- Can be customized with your favorite seasoning blend
- Kid-friendly (this recipe works with drumsticks too, FYI)
- Goes with a variety of side dishes, from classic roast chicken sides like steamed broccoli to more adventurous gourmet creations (like this Parsnip and Carrot Mash I paired with it with today) – it is a chameleon and fits right in with whatever you pair with it.
- With our high-heat roasting method, the chicken skin gets ultra-crispy and the meat is tender- practically falling off the bone
What you’ll need for Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
Bone-in Chicken Thighs
While I love quick baking boneless chicken thighs for quick recipes like my Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs this baked thigh recipe uses bone-in chicken thighs. You’ll want to use whole chicken thighs with the skin and bone for baking. They stay ultra moist and the skin gets super crisp.
Seasonings
You will need some simple kitchen staples to season them. Here are our tips on the best way to season chicken thighs before roasting them:
- Salt: You’ll need a generous amount of salt to season these thighs because it doesn’t penetrate through so you have to compensate by seasoning the outside of the thigh only. I like the way coarse kosher salt makes a bit of a crust on the chicken skin. You can use regular table in half the amount, simply read this post about subbing in a different salt.
- My Favorite Spices and Herbs for Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs: I use all different store bought herb and spice blends to make these baked thighs, and really you cannot go wrong! A couple faves are this Montreal Seasoning and Shepherd Herb Mix. But Za’atar spice, Italian Seasoning and Herbs de Provence are also excellent. I also love the Greek Seasoning by McCormick, which is available at most grocery stores. Check out our FAQ section for how to mix your own spice and herb blend instead.
How to bake Crispy Chicken Thighs
Baked bone-in chicken with crispy skin is so simple to make. If you follow these steps you will have amazingly crispy skin, perfectly cooked through tender chicken leg meat, and a happy family every time you make it.
Step 1: Prep Pan and Preheat Oven
Arrange oven rack in center of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees convection. Lightly coat a heavy large roasting pan with cooking spray or brush with oil.
Step 2: Season Chicken
Lay chicken thighs in a heavy roasting pan. Sprinkle with about half of the salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half of the dry spices. Flip over, and sprinkle the other side with the remaining salt, pepper and spices. Turn chicken skin side up and transfer to the oven.
Step 3: Bake Chicken Thighs
Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is very crispy, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Serve hot.
What to serve with Crispy Baked Chicken
- We have a list of our favorite recipes to pair with Roasted Chicken here.
- Baked chicken thighs and Classic Caesar Salad are great together or Garden Salad and Dinner Rolls is also a yummy combo with these.
- Our Cooked Baby Carrots and Garlic Mashed Potatoes are classic compliments to baked chicken.
- Simple Skillet Green Beans are always easy and my kids love them.
- For dessert classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies or this fall variation Oatmeal Apple Cookies cannot be beaten.
FAQs and Expert Tips for Crispy Baked Bone In Chicken Thighs
We like to bake these thighs until the skin is nice and crispy and the meat is tender and almost falling off the bone. This takes about 50 minutes to an hour.
To make the skin crispy, bake them in a hot oven. If you have a convection setting on your oven set it to 425 convection. Or for a still oven set it to 450 degrees.
The skin will be nice and crispy, the chicken will no longer be pink in the center when tested with a knife and an instant-read digital thermometer will register at least 165 close to the bone.
How to Clean The Roasting Pan
To clean up, if you have a stove-top safe pan, you’re in luck! Just add an half-inch or so of warm water and a couple drops of dish soap into the pan. Then set it on the stove and bring it to a boil. Once it boils. Turn it off and let it sit about 10 minutes. It will come clean super easily!
Leftovers, Make Ahead and Reheating
Make Ahead: This recipe preps so quickly for the oven that you do not need to do any make ahead steps. Do not season the chicken with the salt in advance. It is important to pat it dry just before seasoning and baking.
Leftovers: Leftovers can be kept up to two days in the refrigerator. Keep in an airtight container. Remove the skin, pull the meat off the bone and use the chicken for a recipe like buffalo chicken burritos, chicken pesto pizza, chicken sesame lettuce wraps or my Mexican Chicken Casserole.
Reheating: The skin doesn’t stay crispy once they chicken is refrigerated. To reheat, microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes (per thigh) and then remove the skin. Make sure they are heated through before serving.
Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs variations
Chicken Drumsticks: I also make this recipe with chicken drumsticks, especially when my kids were little. They cook a little faster but are still just as crispy yet juicy and delicious!
Custom Spice Blend: In addition to salt and black pepper you can get creative with your seasonings. Instead of the purchased herb blend mix together: 1/2 teaspoon each of dry thyme, garlic powder, paprika and dried oregano. Or come up with your own idea for your own custom spice blend.
Boneless Thighs: If you have boneless chicken thighs, you can also make this recipe, but it will be done in about half the time. We also suggest that you brush the boneless skinless chicken thighs lightly with olive oil before sprinkling with the seasonings, salt and pepper.
More of My Favorite Simple Chicken Recipes
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
Print
Crispy Baked Chicken Thigh Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
The Best Crispy Skin Chicken! These crispy baked chicken thighs are so easy to make! Simply bake them with salt, pepper and spice in a hot oven for an hour! It is so easy and kid friendly.
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, about 4 pounds
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons purchased herb and spice blend, see note*
Instructions
- Arrange oven rack in center of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees convection. Lightly coat a heavy large roasting pan with cooking spray or brush with oil.
- Lay chicken thighs in roasting pan. Sprinkle with about half of the salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half of the dry spices. Flip over, and sprinkle the other side with the remaining salt, pepper and spices. Turn chicken skin side up and transfer to the oven.
- Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is very crispy, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Serve hot.
Notes
Leftovers:
Leftovers can be kept up to two days in the refrigerator. Keep in an airtight container. Remove the skin, pull the meat off the bone and use the chicken in another recipe.
Reheating:
The skin doesn’t stay crispy once the chicken is refrigerated. To reheat, microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes (per thigh) and then remove the skin. Make sure they are heated through before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 thigh
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 0
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 17 g
I love this recipe! Now Spring is almost around the corner it’ll be perfect to make this dish over and over!
We love this recipe year round!
This is the perfect simple dinner and love that it’s hands-off!
It’s a favorite of mine, not just because it is so yummy! The easy preparation is a huge win too!
This chicken really was perfectly crispy! We enjoyed it with a salad and I loved how it was so simple yet so tasty!
Hi Hope. So glad you liked it. Thanks for coming back to review and rate. I appreciate it a lot!
This is such a great idea because it’s so much easier than browning in a pan AND you don’t even have to do anything while it cooks. Love all the spice ideas! Definitely trying this with za’atar.
I too love that it’s hands off! We had this last night, and once I got them in the oven, I drove across town to pick my daughter up at a friends house! How easy is that for dinner prep?!
There’s pretty much nothing better than a perfectly seasoned, crispy skin on your chicken! Sooo delicious.
I completely agree. And so does my family!
It’s all about the crispy skin! You’ve cracked the code. Well done.
Hi Kelly, Yay for crispy skin! Enjoy!
Loved the chicken and the sides went so well with it. Thank you! Very nutritious and tasty meal.
We had the chicken and mash last night (again) and agreed it’s a great combo. The orange in the mash is really lovely with the chicken.
Crispy skin is the BEST part of chicken. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Jean, I hope you enjoy it! Happy cooking!
This really is the BEST crispy chicken! This will be my new go to recipe!
Hi Jessica. Thanks so so much! I really appreciate it, and the five star rating. Have a great day.
What a great recipe chicken was crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. So delicious!
It’s so great that chicken thighs do stay so juicy. That’s what I love about them. They don’t dry out the way the white meat can.
These pics are so amazing, I can almost smell this recipe! Crispy skin is the best part of the chicken!
Wow thank you Jillian. I have been struggling with my photos lately, so I appreciate the supportive comment. That means a lot. Hope you enjoy the recipe. Have a great day!
Great technique…turned out great! Totally easy too!
Hi Tessa. Thanks so much. I am thrilled you loved them. Thank you for coming back to rate and review. That’s so nice of you to do that.
This has some great tips for a classic recipe, Can’t wait to make dinner with these tips!
Hi Noelle. Thanks so much for saying so. I hope they come in handy.
This recipe was so easy to make and was totally fool-proof! Thank you!
Yay! I am thrilled you made this recipe Joni. I also appreciate that you came back to rate and review. It’s so helpful!
The skin on that chicken looks perfect and crispy! I don’t usually brown the skin in the oven, so I am looking forward to trying your method!
I hope you do. You’ll be sold. It’s hands free, so who can argue with that!