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Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
I make no secret of my unbridled love of chicken thighs, baked and roasted chicken thighs in particular. I have possibly said all I need to say about the tender, moist, forgiving meat. The crackling skin with a generous dusting of salt and pepper, made even crisper with a light rub of olive oil before heading into a very hot oven. The fact that my younger son can make short work out of two or three pieces, and will pilfer any extra crispy skin from any non-alert family member’s plate. I’ve exhausted the topic.
But I have not thus far on this website put forth a plain baked chicken thigh. Unadorned, perfect, delicious. 5 minutes into the oven, the perfect dinner to make when you are simply too tired to think and too tired to cook and not in the mood to spend any money.
The best, the easiest baked chicken thigh recipe—hard to imagine a better (and more economical!) weeknight meal.
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How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs
The baking time for chicken thighs depends on the oven temperature, and also the size and thickness of the chicken thighs, which can vary from 3 ounces to 6 ounces. The below chart is for chicken thighs that weigh about 4 or 5 ounces each. I like to bake the thighs at a high temperature, which is technically more like roasting, to get a crispy skin.
| Oven Temperature | Cooking Time |
| 350 degrees | 1 hour |
| 375 degrees | 50 minutes |
| 400 degrees | 45 minutes |
| 425 degrees | 40 minutes |
How to Bake Chicken Thighs
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or foil, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Rub the chicken thighs with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil. Place them on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.
Bake the chicken for about 45 to 50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (an internal temperature of 165 degrees). Serve hot, room temperature or cold.
Dressing Up Baked Chicken Thighs
And with that said, should you want to add a little something on top, do it, do it. Try drizzling them with green olive tapenade dressing. Other things that have ended up on a roasted chicken thigh in my house are Ramp Chimichurri Sauce, Kale Pesto Recipe, Nut-Free Basil Pesto with Pecorino Romano, Creamy Mustard-Oregano Sauce, Herb Dipping Sauce, and whatever is lurking around in the fridge.
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Thighs
Here the simple chicken is paired up with some roasted brussels sprouts with Parmesan (recipe coming!) and mashed potatoes. In the summer go for something more like Creamy Corn and Potato Salad with Bacon and Lemon Buttermilk Dressing and a salad.
Or just keep it very simple and go for a salad, something like Maple Roasted Butternut Squash or Stewed Tomatoes and rice or mashed potatoes, for the world’s most reassuring dinner.
Now that you have the basic version in your arsenal, give these other recipes a go.
Baked Chicken Thigh Recipes:
- Greek Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Creamed Spinach Stuffed Chicken Thighs
- Rosemary and Lemon Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Thai Chicken Thighs
And keep this link handy (in fact roast extra thighs for this very purpose!): 35 Things To Make With Leftover Shredded Chicken
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How to Bake Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken bone-in, skin-on thighs about 2 ½ pounds
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or foil, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Rub the chicken thighs with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil. Place them on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the chicken for about 45 to 50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (an internal temperature of 165°F). Serve hot, room temperature or cold.
Notes
| Oven Temperature | Cooking Time |
| 350 degrees | 1 hour |
| 375 degrees | 50 minutes |
| 400 degrees | 45 minutes |
| 425 degrees | 40 minutes |
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A reliable, weeknight staple and so comforting!