Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs
Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs – loaded with flavor and super easy to make with only 10 minutes prep time PLUS other homemade seasoning variation to try. You won’t believe they are baked! Dinner couldn’t be any easier.
When I am shopping at a grocery store, I usually gravitate towards the poultry aisle to check if there is a sale going on, more often than not there is one. For only $5 you can have enough chicken to feed a family of 4 and still have leftovers. Chicken thighs are always on sale, like once a month or every other week , if you are a super shopper.
So I grabbed a super value pack, stock up and give this chicken try thigh a go.
And since we’re on the busiest time of the year, I’m bumping up this easy baked chicken thighs recipe for more visibility and updated it with other homemade seasonings to try. Yes! You can swap it with other seasonings for a variety. So get ready to rake in all the compliments!
These super crispy creole thighs are super easy to make. Just combine the spices and generously rub on the meat and you’ll have a mind-blowing tasty chicken meal right before your eyes. It is one of my favorite ways of using chicken thighs – you can easily get dinner on the table with minimal prep time.
Other Homemade Seasonings you can use
Aside from my homemade Creole, you’ll also get the same “awesomeness” using my other homemade seasonings below. And trust me, your family will be begging for more of this come dinner time.
- Italian Seasoning – aromatic and more of an herb-flavored seasoning
- Poultry Seasoning – with pine-like aroma and warm, citrusy, sweet notes
- Jamaican Jerk Seasoning – warm, sweet, pungent flavor from allspice with notes of ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg,
- Taco Seasoning – spicy and savory Mexican flair from chili powder, cumin, and crushed pepper flakes among others
How to Get a Crispy Baked Chicken Thigh?
To get really crispy chicken skin, you have to crank up the temperature. Start with 450 F for about 20 minutes then lower it, and finish cooking the chicken. Make sure the chicken is dry – use a paper towel to wipe it prior to seasoning and air drying them in the fridge.
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Thighs?
- Sauteed Kale
- Sauteed Brussel Sprouts
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Green Beans and Bacon
- Oven Roasted Red Potatoes
- Black Beans and Rice
More Easy Baked Dinner Recipes
How to Bake Chicken Thighs
Wash chicken thighs, wipe with a paper towel. Salt chicken.
Combine spices (onion powder, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, white and cayenne pepper bouillon powder). Mix well. OR use any of our suggested homemade seasonings above instead.
Sprinkle both sides with a generous amount of the spice blend.
Place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, you can let them sit in the fridge overnight. Do not cover them; let them air-dry them or proceed with baking.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 475 Degrees F°. Bake chicken thighs in the preheated oven starting at 475 degrees F for the first 20 minutes then drop to 400 degrees F. Bake until the skin is crispy, thighs are no longer pink at the bone, and the juices run clear about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Watch How to Make It
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This post was first published in February 2014 and has been updated with new photos, a video, and some cooking tips and notes.
Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 ½ – 3 pound (1135g-1362g) chicken thighs (about 5-6)
- 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons (7.5g-10g) salt (to salt chicken)
- 2 teaspoon (4g) onion powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5g) dried thyme or oregano
- 1 teaspoon (3g) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon (1g) white pepper
- ½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon (1g) bouillon powder (you may replace with salt)
Instructions
- Wash chicken thighs, wipe with a paper towel. Salt chicken . Combine spices(onion powder, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, white and cayenne pepper bouillon powder , mix well.
- Sprinkle both sides with generous amount of the spice blend place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, you can let them sit in the fridge overnight. Do not cover them; let the air-dry them or proceed with baking.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 475 Degrees F°.
- Bake chicken thighs in the preheated oven starting at 475 degrees F for the first 20 minutes then drop to 400 degrees F. Bake until skin is crispy, thighs are no longer pink at the bone, and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Tips & Notes:
- Other flavors you can try. Aside from the spice blend above, you may replace it with my other homemade seasonings: Italian seasoning, Poultry seasoning, Jerk seasoning and Taco seasoning.
- Can you make this with boneless chicken thighs? Yes you can. Only the time changes – cook for about 20 minutes or more instead or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- What to do if the seasoning burns when baking? Try covering the chicken in foil, as you do a turkey or a pie crust, once it gets as brown as you want and continue baking!
- Can these same instructions be used for other chicken parts on the bone as well? The cooking times would be the same. I usually start taking out the other parts about 5-7 minutes before the chicken thighs, depending on their size. Watch out for the breast it dries out quickly.
- Can I use this on whole chicken? One of our readers has trued using the same instructions for a whole spatchcock chicken (cut open along the spine and laid flat). Cook it at 20 mins at 450 F and 40 mins at 400 F.
- Swap chicken bouillon with salt if you don’t have any.
- You may use regular baking pan without the wire rack and still get crispy skin, but not as much as the version in the photos.
- Make-Ahead Instructions. If it is the same day, I would undercook the chicken and finish the remaining 10 minutes before serving – using the same temperature (400 degrees F works as well), if chicken is browning too fast.
- Can I grill the chicken? You may grill the chicken thighs and get the same flavors (plus that smokey taste), but it wouldn’t be as crispy as the oven version.
- You can cook them immediately after seasoning with skin side up. You may flip them if they are browning too fast.
- If you don’t like spicy, omit cayenne pepper.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
I’m trying this recipe for the first time. Hope my hubby likes it. He is a BIG food critic…
It’s really a crowd pleaser! He sure will.
I just wanna say I love your website
Aww thanks Aisha
Give’n it a try, as a stay @ home (retired) dad and hubby, I’m always looking for a new taste, and by the ingredients, it looks like a little heat comes with it; right up our proverbial alley! In advance of this adventure, I thank you 4 the idea. It will be served with butter bakes shrimp and pickled corn, cold. Give’m hell, life is to short too take the back seat!
CWR,
AIRBORNE!
AGREE! Life is TOO Short! Thanks for taking time out to share your thoughts Charles. SO happy to hear it worked out well for you.
Sometimes, just something simple like oven baked chicken thighs. Spices were on point. Made with sauteed kale with a second side of quinoa. Only had a little bit of both. Thank you.
We made this tonight and it’s wonderful! Crispy skin, great flavor! We will for sure be making this again!
Great! Thanks Kate!
Got this dish in the oven now! Can’t wait to taste it! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
You’re Welcome! Thanks for giving it a try!
Just made this chicken for the third time in 6 weeks….. tastes delicious, and left overs are wonderful for lunch. I make it with a nice slaw.
YESS! Happy to hear it’s working out for you Debra! Thanks for the feedback!
This is the best chicken thigh recipe! It’s flavorful, crispy and the chicken is tender. This is my second time making it and my husband and I love it. It will be a regular meal for sure. I do have to watch it though because it tends to cook a lot faster for me for some reason.
YESS! Doing my happy dance . THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
I love this recipe. I loosen the skin on the thighs and season the upper side of the meat also. Replace the skin and cook by the directions. Don’t be afraid to cook above internal temperature of 165° as the skin keeps the meat juicy. My daughter requested some of my spice mixes for Christmas and this was included! Best Baked Chicken ever!
YESS!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
If you want this recipe to be even crispier, when you salt, also add baking powder. This increases the PH level in the chicken and allows the skin to break down a bit and get very crispy. I lightly sprinkled baking powder on the top, underside and I even lifted up any loose skin and put it between the skin & meat. I used equal parts salt & baking powder and my first time trying this recipe came out great. ***DO NOT USE BAKING SODA***
Hi Phil! Really appreciate you taking time out to share this with us. Thank you so much!!!
Shouldn’t be washing the chicken. All it does is spray whatever is on it around your sink/counters/etc.
Just dust the chicken with your spice mix and bake.
The heat will kill anything that might be there.
Trying the recipe tonite 🙂 That spice mix rates a 5 for me.
Thanks for sharing!!!
Used skinless boneless thighs. Very tasty! I can only imagine how much more delish it’d be w/skin on, but trying to cut down on calories. This one will become a regular.
YESS! Glad to hear it worked out well for you.
I tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago with boneless thighs and they were deeelicious! I am trying them tonight with skin/bone thighs. Just can’t wait to taste that crispy chicken skin. Love your recipe! Thanks for sharing. I’ll definitely be making these for our Holiday dinner. Happy Holidays to you!
Awesome! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! Happy Holidays to you too!!!!
These are SO GOOD! Finally, a recipe that gets the skin crispy. I never could seem to do that. I’ve tried them with different cuts of chicken and different spice combinations and they’re always good. Thank you! I don’t bother washing the chicken as I read on a UK gov’t health site that it’s not necessary.
Awesome ! Thanks for taking the time to share this with us.
Happy Holidays!!!!
Learning how to cook this…Can’t wait to try out. Just been reading through your recipe all day and I must say I am supper excited! it has fired up a passion to cook.
Awesome ! Do let me know how it works out for you. Thanks!
loved it
Making these now! Will it still be crispy in a regular pan without the wire rack? Thanks!
It certainly will but not as much as this version.
This was amazing!! I had tried it tonight!! Let me say
It was just delicious! We are not fans of thighs at all including the kids! But this was all I had so I popped it in and was soooooo good!! Thank you for sharing on the internet!! From Arkansas!!
Hi Kandis! Thanks for taking the time to share this with us. Glad to hear it was a hit with the kids too!
Ok I’m confused.
You use 2 teaspoons of prepared Creole or Cajun seasoning and then you add more of the same ingredients? The only difference I see is you added White pepper and Chicken Bouillon along with the repeating ingredients from prepared seasoning.
I see where you might be confused .I used the creole seasoning to salt it . Then it’s fortified with more seasonings to add flavor without it being too salty. I have updated recipe to make it more clearer.Thanks for bringing this to my attention
Thank you!!!!! You literally saved dinner for me. All I had in the freezer was thighs and I had no idea what to do with them. No one in my family myself included are fans of thighs, but we were needing something cheap. I’m so so glad I came across this recipe. It was incredible! Everyone in my family enjoyed this. Including picky picky kiddos. It’s bursting with flavor! Again, thank you!
My pleasure! Glad it really worked out well for you and the family Michelle. Thank you so much for letting me know.
I would like to make these ahead, but I know the skin will go soft. Any suggestions how I can reheat to restore the crisp? (I can undercook to keep the meat done right.) Thank you.
If it is the same day, I would undercook – and finish the remaining 10 minutes before serving – using the same temperature (400 degrees works as well) , if chicken is browning too fast