Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Thighs

Baked Chicken Thighs are wonderfully seasoned with a crispy skin and super juicy, following an effortless method that consistently delivers delicious results! Easy to bake in the oven and taste great with your favorite sides. It’s made in one pan and no marinating needed.

If you love this Chicken Thigh Recipes, try this Easy Dijon Chicken Thighs Recipe and Caprese Chicken Thighs Recipe.

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Baked Chicken Thighs

It doesn’t take a lot of fancy ingredients to have a delicious meal. This baked chicken thighs recipe is a great example of that. I’ve made this recipe so many times, and each time it comes out perfectly.

Sometimes, simple is better and can be exactly what you need on a busy weeknight. In these chicken thighs in the oven, the garlic butter sauce is amazing. I use this sauce as a base for so many recipes like my Baked Chicken Breast, Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Baked Salmon Recipe and Garlic Butter Lamb Chops Recipe, because it adds a lot of flavour to any dish.

The best part is that butter sauce goes well with any kind of protein too. I love it with baked pork chops and rainbow trout recipe and I also use this sauce a lot to make shrimp recipe and cod recipe. So good!

Plus, you may already have all of the ingredients you need to make this dish! That makes these chicken thighs the perfect solution when you can’t make it to the grocery store.

Also, if you like simple recipes like this chicken thighs recipe, please try these juicy baked chicken thighs too: Spicy Chicken Thighs and Chicken Thighs and Bell Peppers Skillet.

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ingredients to Make Baked chicken thighs

Chicken thighs – Use bone-in, skin-on to get the outside crispy while keeping the inside moist.
Salt and pepper
Olive oil – Substitute any other neutral cooking oil like avocado, canola, or vegetable.
Garlic – Crush fresh cloves or use minced from a jar.
Butter – I used grass-fed butter, but you can use any type of butter you prefer. Be sure to use unsalted butter.
Fresh parsley – or use any fresh herb of your choice to garnish. Don’t have any? No problem, you can use dried herbs such as Italian seasoning!

How to Prepare Chicken Thighs Recipe

I find it best to just sear the meat to get the skin nice and crispy, then bake in a garlic butter sauce. It’s that simple! Please don’t skip the sauce if you want to enjoy these juicy chicken thighs recipe for dinner.

Prep the ingredients

Use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken thighs. This helps the seasoning stick to the meat better and get a nice sear. If your chicken thighs have moisture on them, they’ll steam instead of sear in the pan.
Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Mince the garlic and chop the parsley, then set aside. So, you don’t have to do it while cooking the chicken. Preparing everything in advance makes cooking go much smoother and easier.

Brown the chicken

Add olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in a single layer in a large cast iron skillet and cook until skin is golden brown and crispy. Don’t move it around as it’ll affect the sear you’ll get. When the chicken thighs are ready to be flipped, they’ll no longer stick to the pan.
If you’ll be using a regular nonstick skillet, heat some oil in the pan first before adding the chicken thighs so it doesn’t stick.

Make garlic butter and bake the chicken thighs in the oven

On the side of the pan, melt the butter.
Add in the garlic and stir to combine. Cook a little longer, until it is fragrant. Make sure it’s not on high heat as you don’t want the garlic to burn.
Then, place the skillet in the oven and bake until the chicken thighs is cooked all the way through. If you are not using a cast iron skillet, transfer everything to a sheet pan so you can safely finish it in the oven. When in the oven, if your chicken thighs are getting very dark, cover it with a foil, until the chicken thighs are completely cooked.

overhead view of Chicken Thighs with crispy skin in a cast iron skillet with butter and garlic

Baste and serve

Remove from the oven and spoon the garlic butter over the chicken a few times to coat it.
Then, garnish with the chopped parsley and serve this chicken thighs recipe with your favorite sides.

Chicken Thighs with crispy skin in a cast iron skillet

how long to bake chicken thighs?

It depends if you have boneless or bone-in chicken thighs.

1. For boneless chicken thighs, it cooks quickly, in about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken thighs.

2. For bone-in thighs, it needs at least 25 and 30 minutes to be fully cooked.

3. How do you know when this chicken thighs recipe is cooked? Just use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the thighs, which should be 165°F. We want to have a tender chicken, so don’t overcook it.

Recipe Tips

Preheat the Oven: Make sure your oven is fully preheated before putting the chicken in. A hot oven ensures that the chicken cooks evenly and the skin gets crispy.

Use a Meat Thermometer: To ensure that the chicken is cooked to perfection without overcooking it, invest in a meat thermometer. Chicken thighs are done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Allow Resting Time: After you’ve baked the chicken thighs, let them rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in tender and moist meat.

baked chicken thighs in a skillet with butter sauce

Storage And Reheating

To Store: Transfer the chicken thighs to an airtight container within 2 hours for proper food safety. How long will baked chicken thighs last in the fridge? You can keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Be sure to store this juicy baked chicken thighs with the garlic butter pan juices so it stays moist and flavourful when reheated.

To Freeze: You can definitely freeze baked chicken thighs. Simply allow it to cool and then transfer it to a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, all you have to do is thaw it in the fridge overheat and reheat it. The skin might not be crispy when thawed and reheated but you can always place it under the broiler to crisp the skin back up.

To Reheat: I like to reheat in the oven until warmed through. Or, cut the meat off the bone and heat in a pan on the stove in a little bit of oil. If you reheat it in the microwave, the skin will be soggy.

What Goes With This Recipe?

Because this chicken thighs recipe is made with a simple garlic butter sauce, the side dish possibilities are endless! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Roasted Vegetables – They’re great side to go with any kind of protein, especially chicken.
I also love to serve this baked chicken thighs with my Mushroom Cauliflower Rice Skillet. This is my most popular cauliflower side dish and I know why. It’s so good!
Roasted green beans is a good side dish to good with these baked chicken thighs.
Potato salad – My favorite potato recipe, because it’s super flavourful and goes well with anything!
Broccoli salad – Such an easy and flavourful salad. My kid loves it with baked chicken thighs.
Cauliflower potato salad – Also it’s a delicious salad and it’s low-carb. Even better!

Try!

Meat Thermometer

We absolutely love this meat thermometer as it ensures that meat is cooked to the right temperature and achieves the desired level of doneness.

Check it Out

Frequently asked questions

What Is The Difference Between Chicken Breast And Chicken Thighs?

The biggest difference between the two is the fat since chicken thighs are fattier than the breasts. You probably know that fat adds a lot of flavor and that is why thighs are more flavourful than breasts. Chicken thighs are also moisture and have a bigger amount of calories than chicken breast.

Are Chicken Thighs Dark Meat?

Yes, chicken thighs are considered dark meat as well as drumstick (the legs of the chicken). The chicken breast and wings are classified as white meat.

Can Chicken Thighs Be Shredded?

Yes you can, but you need to use boneless skinless chicken thighs. The thighs are usually more moist than chicken breast but it works.

Can I Use Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs Instead?

You can definitely swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs. You would not get that crispy skin though!
If swapping for boneless skinless thighs, you can skip putting it in the oven to finish off as they cook in less than 20 minutes on the stovetop alone. Just sear each side for 5 to 6 minutes. Again, you can use a meat thermometer to check that the thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165F.

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

If you liked this baked chicken thighs recipe, try one of these other easy to make dishes. Plus, they’re all one pan recipes just like this one!

Did you make a recipe? Tag @primaverakitchen on Instagram so we can find you!

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