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.
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
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.
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.
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:
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
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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.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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Chicken Thighs
Video
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.
- Add the olive oil and spices. Use your hands to coat the chicken.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve immediately.
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
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Adrienne says
Delicious. Moist.
Easy to prepare and cook. The family loved it and so do i.
Vered DeLeeuw says
How wonderful, Adrienne! Thank you very much for this comment.
Joe says
I was not a huge fan of chicken thighs but after this simple and quick recipe, I am loving chicken thighs. I just leave out the cumin (not a fan)
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! So glad you like this recipe, Joe!
Kota says
Really very good. Only complaint was it could've used more sauce.will make again!
Jean Jackson says
Wow! I was looking for something to do with chicken thighs I had in the freezer. Followed recipe to a “t” and voila! Juicy, tasty dinner. Going in my “go to” recipe box for a quick and easy dinner. I will definitely make this agin. And again. And again.
Vered DeLeeuw says
How wonderful, Jean! I'm thrilled that you like this recipe so much. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Julie says
This recipe came up when I searched for Skinless, boneless chicken thighs. It is very good and the thighs cooked very fast. Tender and not too spicy. Definitely putting this in my recipe box. It's a keeper! yum
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank you so much, Julie!
Bicycle Dude says
I made this last night using two thighs and halving the seasoning. I was a little skeptical of the smoked paprika, it did add a nice smokiness but not overpowering. I checked the temperature after about 20 minutes, turning the cooking dish halfway through, the chicken turned out moist and delicious!
Today, I brought the leftover chicken with rice and frozen stir-fry vegetables for lunch. I microwaved my lunch for two minutes, 45 seconds at 60 percent power covered with a damp paper towel to help steam the vegetables and rice. And it was as good as last night.
This recipe is easy, quick, and delicious I'll definitely make this again.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank you for the detailed comment! Much appreciated. I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, freshly made and as leftovers.
Laurie-Anne Ranger says
We grilled the chicken thighs and they turned out wonderfully. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Laurie-Anne! I'm so glad you enjoyed them.
Kelli says
Very good! Made for the family and everyone liked it.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thanks for the comment, Kelli! I'm so glad this was a success.
Jim Heiling says
Best chicken recipe that I have ever tried. Delicious. Easy. Definitely my go to recipe now. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Stayed moist. Sending recipe to my kids.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm glad this was a success, Jim! Thanks for taking the time to write a comment.
Carolyn says
Fabulous
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you like this recipe, Carolyn!