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Baked Chicken Thighs

Baked chicken thighs with crackly, golden-brown skin and deeply juicy, tender meat—oven-roasted bone-in, skin-on thighs cooked on a rack. A simple baked chicken method with an easy spice rub that seasons down to the skin for crispy oven chicken every time.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rest 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 1 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs Use 4 to 6 thighs depending on size.
Seasoning and rub
  • 2 tbsp olive oil Helps skin crisp and carries seasonings.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Serving
  • 1 lemon wedges Serve alongside to brighten the roasted flavor.
  • 1 fresh parsley Chopped or whole sprigs for garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 baking rack

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 425F and place a rack over a baking sheet.
  2. Pat chicken completely dry so the skin can crisp.
Season
  1. Rub both sides of the thighs with olive oil.
  2. Mix garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper, then rub all over the chicken including under the skin.
Bake
  1. Place chicken skin-side up on the rack set over the baking sheet.
  2. Bake 35-40 minutes at 425F until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165F, with visibly crackly skin.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the chicken 5 minutes before serving to keep the meat tender and juicy.
  2. Serve with lemon wedges and fresh parsley for a bright finish.

Notes

For extra crisp skin, keep the thighs skin-side up and use a rack so rendered fat drips away during baking. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days; reheat at 400F until warmed through. Freezing is yes—freeze cooked chicken in an airtight container up to 2-3 months and reheat gently. Dietary swap: use bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs if you want the same method with a slightly different flavor.