Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Today I’m showing you how to make crispy oven baked chicken thighs. This is a super simple way to roast chicken thighs in the oven, and if you’re looking for other flavorful chicken thigh recipes, we have you covered.

Ingredients

To start, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit,

• 6 large chicken thighs (or 8 smaller)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon of onion powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
• 9 by 13 pan

Instructions

1. Prepare the Rub

Then we’re going to put together a quick rub. I think I’ve been making this rub for 10 years now. Our family loves it. You’ll start with two teaspoons of paprika, one teaspoon of dried oregano, one teaspoon of dried basil, half a teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, half a teaspoon of salt, quarter teaspoon of black pepper, and we’ll stir this together.

2. Prepare the Pan and Chicken Thighs

Then you’ll want to grease a 9 by 13 pan. We’ll place our chicken thighs in there. I’m going to use six large ones today, but if yours are smaller, you can use eight.

3. Trim Excess Skin or Fat

Then it’s a good idea to check them all out, and if they have any excess skin or fat, you can use a knife or some kitchen shears to trim that off. The secret to crispy baked chicken thighs is to do this trimming because you don’t want any of that skin sitting on the bottom where it’ll just get soggy.

4. Drizzle Olive Oil

Then we’ll drizzle on about two tablespoons of olive oil onto the top of our chicken thighs, and then either brush or rub that on. Perfection. You’re looking for just kind of a general even coating on that chicken skin.

5. Apply Rub Evenly

Then apply the prepared rub mixture evenly over the chicken thighs.

6. Bake Until Done

In fact, I like to cook my dark meat up to 30-35 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 175 degrees Fahrenheit is reached. For those who prefer lighter meat, we also have an easy garlic butter baked chicken breast recipe for weeknight dinners.

7. Serve and Enjoy

And that’s it. You are ready to eat. See you later!

How I Get Crisp Skin Without Dry Meat

I dry the thighs thoroughly, season under and over the skin, and leave space between each piece. That combination browns the skin while the meat stays juicy; an instant-read thermometer is more reliable than judging by color alone.

For a saucier variation, try these creamy chicken thighs. You can also compare the method with my juicy oven-baked chicken breast or browse the chicken-thigh recipe collection.