An easy recipe for crispy baked chicken thighs. Crispy skin, juicy meat and flavorful spices combine to create chicken perfection!
“Mom, these crispy baked chicken thighs are just as good as fried chicken!”
Need I say more? 😀
These healthy and crispy baked chicken thighs delight with a super crispy, seasoned skin, and a juicy, succulent meat. It’s chicken perfection!
Baked chicken thighs – tender, Juicy and very flavorful, are my favorite chicken part. Or maybe my second favorite, right after chicken wings. They are so good, that these days, when I buy chicken, I almost always choose bone-in, skin-on thighs.
I don’t buy rotisserie chicken anymore. We just end up fighting over the thighs, and then I get stuck with the dry chicken breast that no one wants. Well, I usually end up using it in this stuffed poblano peppers recipe so it’s not all bad. 🙂
It makes much more sense to just buy chicken thighs and bake a big batch!
How do you make chicken thighs crispy?
It’s so easy. Generously spray the skin with olive oil. Then bake the chicken thighs in a 400°F oven for 45-50 minutes, until the meat is juicily cooked through and the skin is browned and crispy.
If you feel like it, you can go through the trouble of browning the skin in a skillet before baking. But it’s tedious, and I find it’s unnecessary.
How to serve baked chicken thighs?
This is such a versatile main course. It goes with anything! I often serve it with vegetable stew, with cauliflower steak (baking both in the same oven), or with baked pumpkin.
What about leftovers?
Crispy baked chicken thighs keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Although the skin won’t be as crispy. Leftovers are delicious cold, or gently reheated in a low oven. Sometimes I shred cold leftovers and mix them into a salad the next day for my lunch.
Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil spray
- 8 medium chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and fit it with a wire rack. Spray the wire rack with olive oil.
- Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer on the wire rack. Untuck the skin from underneath each thigh and spread it on the rack, to make crispy skin. It's best if the thighs do not touch each other, so if you need to, use two baking sheets.
- Generously spray the tops of the chicken thighs with olive oil. Sprinkle with the seasonings. Lightly spray again, then bake until skin is dark and crisp and an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F, 45-50 minutes.
- Allow the crispy baked chicken thighs to rest 5 minutes on the rack before serving.
