These baked chicken thighs have been a staple in my house for years and for good reason. Bone-in, skin-on thighs go into a cast iron skillet with garlic butter, then straight into the oven for 30 minutes. The result is incredibly crispy skin with juicy, tender meat underneath. You only need a handful of ingredients and 45 minutes to get dinner on the table.
The Chicken Thigh Recipe My Family Fights Over
I’ve been developing chicken recipes for busy families for over 10 years on Primavera Kitchen, and I can tell you with confidence that bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are one of the most forgiving and flavourful cuts you can cook.
They stay juicy even if you leave them in the oven a few minutes longer, something you simply can’t say about chicken breast. I’ve made this garlic butter version more times than I can count, and it never fails.
The key is the sear-then-bake method. I always start the chicken skin side down in a hot skillet before finishing it in the oven. This is what gives you that deeply golden, crispy skin that Pierre and Thomas absolutely fight over at the dinner table. The garlic butter sauce does the rest, keeping every single bite incredibly juicy and tender.
If you love cooking chicken thighs as much as I do, my Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs are just as easy and perfect for those days when you want dinner to cook itself. And if you’re more of a chicken breast person, my Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Breast uses the same flavour profile and is one of the most popular recipes on Primavera Kitchen.
For sides, I always serve this with my Creamy Mashed Potatoes cause they soak up that garlic butter sauce perfectly and my Parmesan Green Beans to round out the plate.
Chicken Thighs – I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs to get a crispy outside while keeping the inside moist and tender. Of course, if you only have boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts, you can use those too. Just remember to reduce the baking time to 20–25 minutes. However, after making this recipe many times, I’ve found that keeping the skin and bone in makes the chicken much juicier and more flavorful.
Garlic – I like to use freshly crushed cloves because they have a stronger, more vibrant flavor and aroma compared to store-bought pre-minced garlic. Store-bought garlic usually comes as a paste or finely minced, which means it burns much faster in the pan and can turn bitter before the chicken is done.
Butter – I prefer unsalted butter because it lets me control the salt level and lets the natural flavors of the other ingredients shine.
Olive Oil – I use a small amount of olive oil to sear the chicken before baking. It helps the skin get golden and crispy without burning.
Salt and Black Pepper – Simple seasoning makes a big difference here. I season both sides of the chicken thighs generously before they hit the pan — it’s the foundation of all the flavor.
How to Make Baked Chicken Thighs
1. Season the chicken: Preheat your oven to 400°F and move the rack to the center. Now, before you do anything else, pat your chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. I know it sounds like a small thing, but trust me on this one! Any moisture left on the skin will turn into steam in the oven and you’ll end up with soft, pale skin instead of that gorgeous golden crispy skin we’re going for. Once they’re dry, season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Don’t be shy with the seasoning! This is where all the flavor starts!
2. Sear the skin: Heat your olive oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and leave them alone for about 5 minutes, no moving them around! My cast iron skillet is my best friend for this because it goes straight from the stovetop to the oven, which means less mess. Once golden, flip the thighs over, push them to one side, melt the butter, add the crushed garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Keep the heat at medium here, fresh garlic burns fast and turns bitter!
No cast iron skillet? No worries! Sear in any regular skillet, then transfer to a baking dish to finish in the oven and pour the garlic butter sauce over the top.
3. Bake and finish: Transfer the whole skillet to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest part. If the skin starts getting too dark, loosely tent with foil. When it comes out, spoon all that garlic butter sauce over each thigh. Don’t skip this! Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving, then finish with fresh parsley and dig in!
How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs
Baking time depends on whether you’re using bone-in or boneless thighs, so I always keep this in mind before I start cooking. Here’s a quick guide I go back to all the time:
| Cut | Oven Temp | Bake Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bone-in, skin-on | 400°F | 30–35 min |
| Boneless, skinless | 400°F | 20–25 min |
Olivia’s Best Recipe Tips
Spoon out the excess fat. Bone-in, skin-on thighs release a lot of fat as they sear. If there’s too much fat pooling in the pan, spoon some out before adding the butter and garlic. Too much fat in the pan means the skin fries instead of crisps and it can also cause the garlic to burn faster.
Let the chicken rest before serving. This is a step a lot of people skip because dinner is ready and everyone is hungry. I get it! But even just 5 minutes of resting makes a real difference. It lets the juices settle back into the meat so every bite is tender and juicy instead of dry.
Note: If I have leftover chicken thighs, my next move is almost always my baked chicken thighs and rice. The thighs go straight into the baking dish with the rice and it’s one of Pierre and Thomas’s favourite dinners.
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
Grilled Chicken Thighs
35 mins
Chicken Thighs with Potatoes
1 hr 10 mins
Baked Chicken Thighs and Rice
1 hr 30 mins
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
4 hrs 10 mins
Baked Chicken Thighs (Garlic Butter, Crispy & Juicy)
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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
Follow @primaverakitchen on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #primaverakitchen. We’d love to see your recreation.
looked up for a quick chicken Recipe in the evening. Delicious, !!! Thank you for sharing. My Teen said it was very tender. I loved it. I will cook it again. Thank you.
That’s perfect! I’m so happy to hear you love the recipe!
Just a quick question I’m definitely going to make this tonight however my husband prefers bone in breast so how long should I plan on cooking the 3 thighs and one white large breast seared and baked!? Thanks I’m excited to try this! Usually I try to get crispy via baking on high heat at the end but this sounds better! Easier! Thx!
For bone-in thighs, it needs at least 25 and 30 minutes to be fully cooked. Breast is about 20 mins. The internal temperature should be 165F. You can see all this info in more detail on the post above. Thanks!
This was so easy and delicious. Garlic flavor with the crispy skin made it just right. Yummy!
I am so so happy to hear this. Thanks for the comment!
Easy, flavorful! Loved the crispy skin & tender chicken. I was worries it might be too garlick-y for my picky father in law. Not at all! He turned in a clean plate!
So happy to hear that!
Could I add a bag of frozen green beans to my baking dish while cooking? Do you think it’ll make it too watery?
I think so.
I rarely leave comments for recipes, however the outcome of preparing these thighs was way better than my favorite Italian restaurants Garlic Chicken! So easy, incredibly delicious and I made it, and selfishly ate it with my fingers right down to the bone! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! A “forever” favorite for sure. ~heide
OMG your comment made my day! Thnk you so much for that!!
My husband calls this “tornado chicken” because The first time I used this recipe, Neither of us put our plates down while sitting in the hallway during a tornado . It’s become a regular meal.thank you.
Wow I love this so much. Thank you to share this with me. I appreciate it a lot. Thank you so much 😉
Delish and fast! One of my favorites for sure.
Happy you liked it!
Very easy to make and super yummy! Thank you!
Awesome!
Great recipe. Easy and very flavorful.
Indeed it is!
Fabulous! I used some Italian herbs and spices on the thighs and cooked them in a cast iron skillet. Everyone raved over the thighs!
That’s awesome. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment.
Best chicken thighs in ever!!! Thank you!
Awww thank you! Happy to hear that!
Love this recipe! I put potatoes in with the garlic butter chicken when it goes in the oven, making sure they get coated with the garlic butter mix.
Love that you added potatoes on it 😉
I made this and it turned out great! Hubby says it’s now his favorite 😊
Amazing!
Great recipe!!!
Thanks!
could you use olive oil instead of butter?
Yes you can.
Tried this today and it turned out perfectly
Awesome!!!!
I’ve been so sick and tired of all the old recipes that I made with the chicken. This one was just wonderful. I think everyone should try it and it’s not that difficult to make. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for stopping by!
Are minced and crushed garlic the same? I’m a newbie to coooking with fresh ingredients
To crush garlic, mash the cloves with the flat side of a chef’s knife. To mince garlic, you can chop it yourself or use a garlic press.
I’ve made this recipe about 3 or 4 times now and they always come out excellent! It’s my favorite way to make chicken thighs to ensure a crispy skin!
I’m so happy you enjoy this recipe!