Roasting Chicken Thighs Like a Pro
This Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs Recipe combines just a few simple ingredients and bakes in less than an hour. Crisp on the outside and juicy in the center, it’s perfect for everything from weeknight dinners to meal prep!
Looking for more chicken recipes? Try our Chicken Kabobs and Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Legs, too.
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Roasted Chicken Thighs are so Easy!
Learn how to roast chicken thighs, and you’ll never need another chicken recipe again! My go-to protein source when I don’t know what to make, this roasted chicken thighs recipe is quick, easy, and virtually failproof.
All you need are seven staple ingredients and a few minutes of prep time, and you can have dinner on the table in less than an hour. Plus, thanks to the use of dark meat, it never comes out dry, and the savory, herbaceous flavor pairs well with all your favorite side dishes, such as cucumber onion salad, homemade steak fries, or smoked gouda mac and cheese.
I love to prepare a big batch at once, and store leftovers to mix and match with different meals throughout the week to use, such as in our enchiladas verdes. It’s an easy way to ensure you have meals you look forward to eating, and you’ll never have to experience, dry, boring chicken again!
What You’ll Need for This Roast Chicken Thighs Recipe:
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Chicken: You’ll need 4 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe.
- Oil: We use olive oil to coat the chicken, ensuring the seasonings stick and helping create crispy skin.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, paprika, dried parsley, kosher salt, and black pepper.
How to Roast Chicken Thighs
You’ll need a small bowl and a baking sheet for this recipe. Check out the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Step 1: Add spices to a bowl.
Step 2: Whisk to combine.
Step 3: Drizzle the oil over the chicken, rubbing it in and coating the chicken evenly. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken.
Step 4: Flip the chicken and sprinkle the other side with seasoning. Bake until cooked though.
How Long to Roast Chicken Thighs
The exact roasting time will vary depending on the size of your chicken. However, I find that between 30-40 minutes is typically all you need. You’ll know your thighs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) and the skin is crispy and golden brown.
Tips for Roasting Chicken Thighs
- Don’t crowd the pan: Make sure to leave space between each chicken thigh to allow them to roast evenly and crisp up all around.
- Broil: For extra crispy skin, you can broil the chicken thighs in the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. Just keep a close eye on them to avoid burning!
- Check the internal temperature: Use a good meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, and remove it from the oven immediately.
- Rest the chicken: Once cooked, it’s important to let your chicken thighs rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This allows the natural juices to be redistributed, keeping the meat tender and juicy.
Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400?
I prefer to bake chicken at 400°F. The higher temperature helps cook the meat quickly, creating a crispy skin and preventing it from drying out. Cooking at 350°F means the chicken needs to bake longer in the oven, and you run the risk of it becoming dry and tough.
Do you bake chicken thighs covered or uncovered?
For this roasted chicken thighs recipe, it’s best to bake the chicken uncovered. This allows us to achieve a nice crispy skin! The high temperature and relatively fast cooking time prevents the chicken from overcooking.
However, if you notice that the skin starts to brown too quickly, you can cover the dish with foil. Then, remove it in the last few minutes of baking, or place the chicken uncovered under the broiler for a minute or two.
Serving Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs
There’s not much roasted chicken thighs don’t pair well with. Feel free to mix and match different side dishes. However, if you’re looking for inspiration some of our favorite options include:
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If you try our roasted chicken thighs, please leave a star rating and a comment letting us know how you liked the recipe.
PrintRoast Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
This oven roasted chicken thighs recipe comes together with just seven ingredients in under an hour for failproof, tender, juicy, chicken full of flavor!
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. bone-in, skin-on, chicken thighs, excess skin trimmed, about 8 large thighs
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
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Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and place on the prepared baking sheet. This helps to get a crispy skin.
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In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, paprika, parsley, salt, and pepper.
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Drizzle the olive oil over each chicken thigh and rub it in to coat evenly, and then generously rub the spice mix on both sides of the chicken.
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Arrange the chicken thighs on the baking sheet skin side up. Make sure they are spaced out and not touching. Place in the preheated oven on the middle rack and roast for 30-40 minutes (large thighs will take close to 40 minutes and smaller thighs close to 30 minutes), or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the skin is crispy and golden brown.
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Remove the sheet pan from the oven and let the chicken thighs rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 thigh
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 374.9 mg
- Fat: 9.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.9 g
- Protein: 29.5 g
- Cholesterol: 140.1 mg