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Home » Chicken Recipes » Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs

Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs

A photo of Vered DeLeeuw.
by Vered DeLeeuwUpdated Mar 28, 2025
332 Comments
4.99 from 738 votes

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This is my go-to recipe for boneless chicken thighs. It's incredibly easy, making it perfect for weeknight dinners. Simply apply olive oil and spices to the thighs and bake them for 30 minutes. It's as easy as can be and so delicious.

Baked boneless chicken thighs are served in a white baking dish.

Chicken is easy and affordable, so I make it often for my family, and this recipe is one of my favorites. It has a winning combination of a truly easy recipe that's also delicious. The prep time is 10 minutes and the bake time is 30 minutes, so it's a quick recipe, too. Even the leftovers are good, although I prefer to enjoy them cold rather than risk drying the chicken when reheating it.

Ingredients

The ingredients needed to bake boneless chicken thighs.

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.

  • Fresh chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. It's one of my favorite chicken parts because it's cheap, readily available, easy to cook and eat, and wonderfully juicy!
  • Olive oil: You can use melted butter or ghee instead of olive oil. Melted butter is especially good. You can use salted or unsalted butter - I tried both, and both work equally well. The drawback to butter is that it can solidify on cold chicken pieces.
  • Seasonings: I use quite a few spices and recommend using them all. They add wonderful flavor! I use kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper.

Instructions

Oven-baking is my favorite way of preparing chicken thighs. It's easy, but you don't sacrifice any flavor. The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.

Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and add olive oil and spices. I use my hands to make sure they are well-coated.

Using hands to mix spices into boneless chicken thighs.

Arrange the chicken in a rimmed baking dish. A 9x13-inch pan works well. Bake the chicken in a 400°F oven until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Baked boneless chicken thighs are ready.

Italian Seasoning Variation

Sometimes, when I'm feeling lazy, I spray the thighs with olive oil and sprinkle them with a teaspoon of kosher salt and a tablespoon of Italian seasoning. While not as good as the original recipe, they are very flavorful, and it's a fun variation my family enjoys. Here's a photo that shows what this version looks like:

Boneless chicken thighs seasoned with Italian seasoning.

5 stars rating. My family loved it! I made it again for a potluck, and it was a hit. So easy and quick. I'm so glad you mentioned not needing to trim the fat - that saves time and is my least favorite part of cooking thighs.
Heidi
Read more comments

Recipe Tips

Bake Different Sizes Together

If you buy them in pre-packaged trays at the supermarket, boneless chicken thighs come in different sizes, as shown in the photo below. It's OK to bake them all together until the biggest ones are cooked through. The small ones will still be juicy and delicious!

Different sizes of boneless chicken thighs arranged in a baking dish.

Trimming the Fat

You can trim the fat, but I don't, as shown in the photo below. Most of it melts away during baking, and what remains is delicious - fat adds flavor to food. The fat also helps protect the chicken from drying out in the oven, keeping it juicy.

Raw boneless chicken thighs in a bowl. Fat was not trimmed.

Using a Sheet Pan

I typically use a 9x13-inch ceramic baking sheet. I experimented with baking the thighs on a sheet pan, as shown in the photo below. The result was very good, and the thighs turned out nicely browned and flavorful, but I think a baking dish is better at keeping them juicy.

Boneless chicken thighs on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Serving Suggestions

Since I bake the chicken in a 400°F oven, I like to serve it with a side dish I can cook in the same oven. So, I often serve it with any of the following:

  • Baked shiitake mushrooms
  • Zucchini casserole
  • Broccoli tots
  • Jicama fries
  • Roasted asparagus
  • Roasted carrots
  • Roasted cabbage
  • Mini peppers

It also pairs well with easy stovetop side dishes like creamed spinach (shown in the photo below), zucchini noodles, and sautéed mushrooms.

Two boneless chicken thighs are served with creamed spinach.

Storing and Using Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I usually shred or slice them and add them, cold, to a salad, as shown in the photo below. They go well with arugula salad, spinach salad, and Cobb salad.

A salad with slices of leftover chicken thighs.

If you'd like to reheat them, it's best to do so gently, in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also reheat them in a 350°F oven until heated through. Be gentle - the chicken will dry out if you reheat the leftovers too aggressively, especially in the microwave.

Recipe Card

Baked boneless skinless chicken thighs in a white baking dish.
4.99 from 738 votes
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Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs

This is my go-to recipe for boneless chicken thighs! Simply apply a rub of olive oil and spices and bake them for 30 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 254kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika - not regular paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl.
    Raw boneless chicken thighs in a bowl. Fat was not trimmed.
  • Add the olive oil and spices. Use your hands to coat the chicken.
    Using hands to mix spices into boneless chicken thighs.
  • Arrange the seasoned thighs in a single layer on a rimmed baking dish, such as a 9 X 13-inch baking dish. If there's some residual oil and spice mixture in the bowl, brush it on the chicken pieces.
    Different sizes of boneless chicken thighs arranged in a baking dish.
  • Bake until the thighs are cooked through, juices run clear, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the largest thigh reads 165ºF. In my oven, this takes about 30 minutes.
    Placing boneless chicken thighs in oven.
  • Serve immediately.
    Baked boneless chicken thighs are ready.

Notes

  • If you buy them in pre-packaged trays at the supermarket, boneless skinless chicken thighs come in various sizes. It's OK to bake them all together until the biggest ones are cooked through. The small ones will still be juicy and delicious!
  • You can trim the fat, but I don't. Most of it melts away during baking, and what remains is delicious. The fat also helps protect the chicken from drying out in the oven.
  • The smoked paprika is an important ingredient that adds great flavor. Please don't skip it.
  • You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I usually shred them and add them, cold, to a salad. If you'd like to reheat them, it's best to do so gently, in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also reheat them in a 350°F oven until heated through. Be gentle - the chicken will dry out if you reheat the leftovers too aggressively, especially in the microwave.

Nutrition per Serving

Serving: 4 ounces | Calories: 254 kcal | Carbohydrates: 1 g | Protein: 26 g | Fat: 15 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Sodium: 602 mg

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Terry Taber says

    May 06, 2025 at 9:39 pm

    5 stars
    Great basic recipe!

    Reply
  2. Jaymes + Melissa says

    May 04, 2025 at 10:12 pm

    My wife and I are two classical musicians, and after a long Sunday rehearsal, this recipe, ingredients, and prep tips help us A LOT! The chicken is perfect everytime!.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      May 05, 2025 at 2:49 pm

      How wonderful, Jaymes and Melissa! Thank you very much for the review.

  3. Sandy says

    May 04, 2025 at 4:03 pm

    5 stars
    This has become my go to recipe for chicken thighs. My son likes them so much that this has become his favorite luncheon meat. A couple packages of boneless, skinless thighs and we're all set. I slice the thighs and make sandwiches for his lunch (and mine, too). They are delicious cold and great to have on hand for anyone to help themselves. Of course, they're wonderful hot out of the air fryer also. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. My son is very difficult to pack lunch for - he hates deli meat, not too fond of tuna or egg salad so finding this recipe has truly been a God sent.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      May 05, 2025 at 2:53 pm

      How wonderful, Sandy!
      Thank you very much for the review. I appreciate it!

  4. Abbie says

    May 03, 2025 at 4:41 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely perfect! Both the seasoning and the texture. The chicken is moist and so flavorful! I do have to check it a few minutes early, but probably my oven is at fault.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      May 03, 2025 at 4:56 pm

      I'm so glad you like this recipe, Abbie! Thank you very much for the review.

  5. Chris says

    April 30, 2025 at 8:09 pm

    Have had this several times, it is simple, quick and very tasty.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      April 30, 2025 at 8:28 pm

      I'm glad you like this recipe, Chris!

  6. Karen Crist says

    April 27, 2025 at 10:43 pm

    5 stars
    I also used this recipe (halved) to add potatoes and carrots to my sheet pan. I had leftover green sauce from a chickpea stew recipe and added it to the chicken thighs during the last ten minutes of cooking and also served on the side. It was a great pairing. I plan to make tacos with the leftover chicken thighs and green rice with the leftover green sauce. Win Win all around.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      April 28, 2025 at 10:06 am

      Sounds amazing, Karen!

  7. Rhonda says

    April 25, 2025 at 11:20 am

    5 stars
    Tried this today. It was so delicious. The measurements for the spices were spot on. I do admit, I didn’t use cumin or cayenne pepper. Didn’t have on hand. Plus I don’t like spicy. Cook time was good too. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      April 25, 2025 at 11:44 am

      Wonderful, Rhonda! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you very much for taking the time to review it.

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Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered DeLeeuw. It features real food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.

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