Easy Baked Chicken Thighs
These Easy Baked Chicken Thighs are so crispy and juicy that you’ll want to make them this way all the time! Seasoned to perfection, they only take a handful of pantry ingredients to put together. It’s the perfect hands-off main dish to make on a busy weeknight.
Who doesn’t love an easy breezy dinner that pretty much makes itself? This easy baked chicken thighs recipe is just that! You season your chicken thighs with some spices and then into the oven it goes. Then for the next 30 to 40 minutes, you can quickly make a side dish to go with it then relax with a glass of wine until it’s time for dinner.
Want some more delicious chicken thigh recipes? Try my Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Vegetables, Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs and Sweet Potato or my Chicken Thighs and Bell Peppers Skillet.
It might seem like a simple list of ingredients but these spices really help take your chicken thighs from boring to having your family ask for seconds! And speaking of spices, if you follow me on Instagram, then you’ll see how I’ve recently organized all my spices!
I recommend that if you have time this weekend, to take a look at your spice rack and check which ones are about to expire. For recipes like this easy baked chicken thighs where we rely on the handful of spices to really make the dish shine, you have to make sure your spices still pack a punch and aren’t dull from being expired!
How to Make Easy Baked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- Dried oregano
- Paprika — use sweet paprika if you’d like a sweeter note or smoked paprika for a smoky taste!
- Garlic powder
- Ground coriander
- Cumin
- Salt and black pepper
- Chicken thighs with skin — you can make without skinless chicken thighs too.
- Olive oil
Instructions
Get Everything Ready
- Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and on top of it with parchment paper. Then, place a cooling rack on top of the preparing baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a small bowl add dried oregano, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, salt and black pepper. Mix well. Set aside.
Prepare the Chicken Thighs to Bake
- Place the chicken thighs on a cutting board. Use a kitchen shears to trim any excess skin. Then, pat them dry with paper towels to draw out moisture.
- In a large bowl, place the chicken thighs, and drizzle olive oil all over them.
- Sprinkle the spices on the chicken thighs and use your hands or tongs to spread the spices into the chicken.
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the Thighs
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until they reach the internal temperature of 160ºF (use a meat thermometer for that).
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- It’s important to have the rack in your sheet pan. The reason why we have the rack is so this easy baked chicken thigh recipe can be hands off. The rack allows the hot air in the oven to circulate underneath the thighs, meaning you don’t have to flip them at the halfway mark. It’s one less thing you have to do!
- While we shouldn’t wash chicken, there tends to be moisture from the skin so it’s important to pat dry your chicken. Patting your chicken dry ensures that the oil and spices will stick to your chicken thighs. It also prevents steam from forming while it’s baked which can lead to your chicken skin not being crispy.
- Want even crispier skin on these baked chicken thighs? Broil the chicken in the oven for up to a minute at the end to give the skin some extra heat. Keep a close eye on it though as you don’t want the skin to burn.
- Be sure to use thighs that are even in size so they cook evenly together. If the sizes vary, I suggest using a meat thermometer to check the chicken thigh’s internal temperature individually and pull out the ones that are done first to prevent overcooking them.
How to Make Chicken Thighs Make Ahead of Time
- Make Ahead/Meal Prep: If you’d like to make these easy baked chicken thighs ahead of time as a meal prep or if you know you’ll have a busy Monday night and want to get a head start on dinner, simply store the cooked chicken thighs in the fridge in an airtight container once they’ve cooled to room temperature. Reheat them in the oven, covered with tin foil to crisp them back up and prevent drying it out.
- Freezer: You can freeze these chicken thighs cooked or raw. You can season them ahead of time then freeze them for up to 4 months in freezer safe bags. When ready to cook, thaw them overnight in the fridge and bake them as you would if they weren’t frozen ahead of time. You can freeze cooked chicken thighs by letting it cool to room temperature and freezing it in an airtight freezer safe bag or container. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat it in the oven, covered, until heated through.
Side Dishes That Go with Baked Chicken
Here are a couple side dishes that go really well with these easy baked chicken thighs:
- Creamy Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Healthier Green Bean Casserole Recipe
- Easy Coleslaw Recipe
- Healthy Potato Salad Recipe
- Garlic Butter Sautéed Zucchin
Easy Baked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt and black pepper
- 8 boneless chicken thighs with skin - you can make without skinless chicken thighs too.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and on top of it with parchment paper. Then, place a cooling rack on top of the preparing baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a small bowl add dried oregano, paprika, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, salt and black pepper. Mix well. Set aside.
- Place the chicken thighs on a cutting board. Use a kitchen shears to trim any excess skin. Then, pat them dry with paper towels to draw out moisture.
- In a large bowl, place the chicken thighs, and drizzle olive oil all over them.
- Sprinkle the spices on the chicken thighs and use your hands or tongs to spread the spices into the chicken.
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until they reach the internal temperature of 160ºF (use a meat thermometer for that).
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
If you make this recipe, follow @primaverakitchen on Instagram, snap a photo and hashtag it #primaverakitchen. I'd love to see what you're making!
