Baked Chicken Thighs are wonderfully seasoned with a crispy skin and super juicy! Easy to bake in the oven and taste great with your favorite sides. No marinating needed. Enjoy this delicious chicken dinner!
If you love this chicken thigh recipe, try this Easy Dijon Chicken Thighs Recipe and Chicken Thighs and Bell Peppers Skillet too.
It doesn’t take a lot of fancy ingredients to have a delicious meal. This recipe is a great example of that. I’ve made this chicken recipe so many times, and each time it comes out perfectly.
I always believe that simple is better and can be exactly what you need on a busy weeknight. These chicken thighs in the oven is simple to make but the garlic butter sauce is amazing. This sauce is the base for so many recipes like these ones below:
I think the best part is that butter sauce goes well with any kind of protein too. I enjoy using this sauce with pork chops, rainbow trout, shrimp, and cod recipes. It adds great flavor to my meals.
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 – I like to use crush fresh cloves.
- Butter – I used grass-fed butter. Be sure to use unsalted butter.
- Fresh parsley – or use any fresh herb of your choice or use dried herbs such as Italian seasoning!
How to Prepare Chicken Thighs Recipe
Prep the ingredients
- I always use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken thighs.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Brown and cook chicken thighs
- Add olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in a single layer and cook until skin is golden brown.
- If you’re using a regular nonstick pan, heat oil before adding chicken thighs to prevent sticking.
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. Make sure it’s not on high heat as you don’t want the garlic to burn.
- Place the frying pan in the oven and cook the chicken thighs until they are done. If you don’t have a cast iron pan, transfer everything to a baking tray. If your chicken thighs start darkening excessively while in the oven, cover them with foil until they are fully cooked.
Baste and serve
- Remove from the oven and spoon the garlic butter over the chicken.
- Garnish this oven baked chicken thighs with the chopped parsley before serving.
How To Make Baked Chicken Thighs Video
how long to bake chicken thighs?
1. The cooking time for boneless chicken thighs is about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken thighs.
2. For bone-in thighs, it cooks in about 25 and 30 minutes.
Expert Tips
- I always make sure to heat my oven before cooking chicken. A hot oven helps the chicken cook evenly and makes the skin crispy.
- I love using a meat thermometer to ensure that I cook my garlic butter chicken thighs to perfection without overcooking it. The internal temperature should be at 165°F (74°C).
- 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.
Storage And Reheating
To Store: Transfer the chicken thighs to an airtight container. I prefer to keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Freeze: Simply allow it to cool and then transfer it to a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Thaw it in the fridge overheat and then, I like to reheat in the oven until warmed through. If you reheat it in the microwave, the skin will be soggy.
What Goes With Chicken Thighs?
- Roasted Vegetables – They’re great side dish to go with any kind of protein, especially with this chicken thighs. Or you can always serve it with mashed potatoes.
- I also love to serve this recipe with my Mushroom Cauliflower Rice Skillet.
- Roasted green beans or roasted sweet potato are good side dishes to go with these baked chicken thighs.
- Potato salad – My favorite potato recipe.
- Broccoli salad – Such an easy and flavourful salad.
Recipe Variations
- Lemon herb: Add fresh lemon juice and zest to the garlic butter mixture. Season with a blend of your favorite herbs.
- Spicy garlic butter: Add red pepper flakes, garlic powder or cayenne pepper to the garlic butter for a spicy kick.
- Honey Dijon mustard: Drizzle a bit of the mixture (honey and mustard) before serving for a luscious touch.
Recommended Tools
- Kitchen tongs: Help you flip chicken thighs one by one without touching the others, giving you better control and grip.
- Cast iron skillet: A cast iron skillet will help you get a nice golden sear on the chicken.
Frequently asked questions
Thighs are more flavorful because their higher fat content, providing moisture and more calories compared to chicken breasts.
Yes, they’re considered dark meat as well as drumstick (the legs of the chicken).
You can definitely swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs. But you would not get that crispy skin though! Don’t need to place them in the oven to finish off as they cook in less than 15 minutes on the stovetop alone. Just sear each side for 5 to 6 minutes.
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Thighs
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F degrees. Move oven rack to center. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towel and season all over with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet (10-inch) over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear until the skin is golden and crispy. It takes about 5 minutes to cook them through at this point.
- Flip your chicken over once the skin is crispy. If your chicken thighs releases a lot of fat, dispose it using a spoon.
- Place butter in the same skillet. When the butter melts, add minced garlic. Stir the garlic around the pan for 30 seconds.
- Place the whole skillet in the oven and bake for 30 mins for until chicken gets the internal temperature at 165°F.
- When the chicken is cooked, spoon some of the garlic butter sauce over the top of each chicken thigh. Top with parsley before serving.
Tips
- Click HERE to watch the web story.
- If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the chicken thighs to a baking dish (baking sheet or sheet pan) to bake.
- Make sure to get chicken thighs with the bone in and skin on for maximum flavour.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
SueM says
Amazing how such a simple recipe can be so good. I cooked just 2 thighs so cut back to 3 cloves of garlic but kept the butte the same since I added a russet potatoe cut into 1/8. They absorbed the butter in the oven and the while dish was yummy good.
Olivia says
Right? Totally agree with you.
Jeanna says
I stopped reading after I don’t wash my chicken… Bleach your sink… Wash your chicken with limes or lemons and apple cider vinegar… You should do that with all meat as you have no Idea how many times it has been dropped on the floor or if the people handling it have properly clean their gloves or hands… And remember … You just can’t eat everyone’s food lol
Cal says
This is a joke right?? You know citrus and vinegar aren’t disinfectants right?? “Washing” meat is wholly unnecessary if you cook it correctly and it leads to more germs getting splashed around your kitchen.
Ln says
The National Institutes of Health, as far back as 1998 and as recently as 2019, reference studies on the bactericidal properties of vinegar (5%). In particular, it is effective, particularly when combined with salt, against ecoli, salmonella, and listeria. A 2005 study found apple cider vinegar with lemon juice to be very effective against salmonella. It’s easy to find citations by googling for NIH vinegar ecoli or salmonella.
Also, some cultures require poultry be thoroughly washed before cooking and consumption.
I wipe down my sink area and utensils with a bleach solution after carefully handling raw poultry so I don’t worry about splashes of contaminated fluids.
Melissa says
You do realize that cooking the chicken not only kills the bacteria you think you are “washing off” but also would kills any bacteria that could potentially be on the chicken from being dropped or touched by inflicted hands? That’s what cooking to 165 does.
JMeddleton says
You do not have to wash your chicken. That’s a damn myth, I wish people who have no idea what they’re talking about would stop commenting. Your kitchen is probably filled with salmonella that has sprayed up from you “washing” your chicken.
Misty says
What a joke!
Chloe says
That’s what cooking it is for???
MICHELLE says
I have made this soooo many times.! With chicken thighs being on sale often, this is definitely one of my go-to recipes. I spoon some of the garlic butter over the skin before it goes in the oven. About 3 minutes before finishing, I turn the broiler on to give it a super crispness. My family loves this. Usually serve it with mashed potatoes and broccoli or spinach. Simple and delicious 😋
Olivia says
Glad to hear that.
Laurie says
I’ve baked chicken thighs using several recipes from the internet over the past few months. They were good but not great. Nothing I’d give up space for in my recipe box.
I tried your garlic butter chicken thighs recipe tonight and it was very simple, very basic and tasted wonderfully! Crunchy, savory skin, and moist. It’s earned space in the recipe box. 🤗
Olivia says
Aww that’s awesome. So happy to hear that.
Marguerite says
Wonderful!!!!
Olivia says
Thank you!
Maria says
Now what to cook as a side dish 🤔
Olivia says
Quinoa salad, rice, pasta, green beans and mashed potatoes.
Nora says
have made this twice, first time followed the recipe, second time, added more spices that I enjoy..the hubby & I loved both.
Olivia says
That’s awesome. Happy you and your husband liked this recipe!
Amy J says
Delicious! I’ve made this dish several times just as it is described, and it has been great every time. My nine year old picky eater absolutely loves this chicken!
Olivia says
Awww I’m so happy to hear that your child loves this recipe. It makes me so happy. Thank you for your comment.
Suzy says
The most elegant food truly is the most simply. I’ve made this weekly for the last month. It never disappoints. Thank you!
Olivia says
So awesome to hear that. Thanks for stopping by and for your feedback.
LoriB says
Loved this! Made this tonight, skin was crispy and the chicken was SOOO moist! Will definitely make again, and maybe play with more seasonings for variety <3
Olivia says
Yes you can totally try different kind of seasonings for sure.
Nora says
my fav. recipe for chicken thighs, so good and crispy, made this twice before, making again tonight, I add more spices to it, tonight will be adding potatoes to the skillet, great recipe..
Olivia says
So glad you enjoy this recipe! And yes it is great with potatoes.