Make the best oven baked chicken thighs without marinade. See the right temp and how long to roast chicken thighs so they’re tender, juicy, and crispy. Let’s prep this recipe and bake ‘em!
Why this baked chicken thighs recipe is amazing…
- Makes tender and juicy chicken thighs, everytime.
- Fast – this recipe is my answer to “no marinade needed” chicken thighs!
- It’s a delicious way to use bone in or boneless chicken thighs.
- Great for entertaining.
- Easy family dinner.
Why I love chicken thighs
- They’re a meaty cut of chicken that’s juicy (it’s considered dark meat).
- You can buy them boneless or bone-in.
- They’re readily available at the grocery store and a pretty inexpensive cut of meat.
- They can handle a lot of flavor.
Ingredients
What you need to make this easy chicken thigh recipe.
For baking chicken thighs
- Chicken thighs (bone in or substitute boneless chicken thighs)
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- Paprika
- Rosemary
For the crispy chicken thighs glaze
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
How to bake chicken thighs in the oven
It’s easier than you’d think. Now I’ll walk you through making chicken thighs in the oven.
Quick recipe overview
- Coat chicken thighs with seasonings.
- Transfer chicken thighs to a baking dish.
- Bake chicken thighs in the oven for about 35 minutes total.
- Make honey mustard glaze.
- Broil chicken thighs with glaze.
- Rest and enjoy.
Detailed instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set out a large oven safe baking dish. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the chicken thigh seasonings (olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika, and rosemary). Add chicken to the liquid and toss it to coat it evenly. (Note – You do not have to marinade chicken thighs in this recipe, but if you are meal prepping and making this ahead of baking, you can marinade the chicken in this liquid.)
- Transfer chicken thighs to the baking dish (skin side down) and add liquid from the previous step to the bottom of the pan. (This will help keep chicken thighs juicy as they cook.)
- Bake chicken thighs in the oven, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F with a meat thermometer. (The total time for baking chicken thighs shown in the Sip Bite Go demo was 35 minutes.)
- While the chicken thighs roast in the oven, make the honey mustard glaze. Whisk together mustard and honey.
- When chicken reaches the safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F, turn the oven broiler to high. Brush honey mustard glaze on baked chicken thighs skin and broil the chicken on high for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Let chicken thighs rest 5-10 minutes, garnish with lemon slices and roasted red pepper if desired, and serve.
See how to make grilled chicken thighs
FAQs
You can find both bone in and boneless chicken thighs. You can also find them with and without skin.
Yes, chicken thighs (and chicken drumsticks) are dark meat. You should also see this tasty slow cooker recipe for crock pot bbq chicken drumsticks.
When your oven baked chicken thighs are ready the skin will be beautifully browned and crispy and the meat will no longer be pink at the bone. If you’ve got a meat thermometer, you can check that the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F. Here’s another way to tell they’re done: the juices will run clear.
I like to cook my chicken thighs at 400 degrees F— this higher temperature gives me the crispest thighs and allows the chicken to cook quickly without drying out.
If you follow this recipe as needed, you shouldn’t need to! The exception is if you have an older oven that heats unevenly. If that is the case and you feel your chicken is browning on the outside long before it is ready, feel free to cover with a piece of foil till the meat is almost done, then remove the foil for five minutes so your chicken can fully crisp.
Serve crispy oven baked chicken thighs with rice and a fresh salad— strawberry feta salad, for instance, brings with it a splash of brilliant color. Chicken also pairs well with many of my pasta sides and potato side dishes.
Why I wrote this recipe
I’m always trying new recipes to see what my family loves. And a lot of time, that means making chicken breast. But after buying some chicken thighs in bulk, I started thinking up easy recipes and different ways to cook chicken thighs (my husband loves them). We love low and slow sous vide chicken thighs and crock pot chicken thighs, but were looking for something a little different to make. So I brainstormed and landed on this baked chicken thighs recipe.
Anyways, when you’re looking for something to make with chicken thighs with the skin on them, it’s a great idea to use high heat. You want tasty, super crispy skin! So that’s where grilling or choosing to make oven roasted chicken thighs comes in.
One of my favorite ways to crisp up the skin of chicken is to use a sticky glaze on top and crank up the heat of the broiler. So once I decided on the main flavors I wanted in this recipe (chicken thighs, lemon, and fresh rosemary), I started dreaming about the glaze. Honey was a natural fit, so I went with it and added dijon mustard.
Now I love this recipe because you can make it for an easy weeknight chicken dish, but it’s so pretty, it’s a great holiday chicken dish as well. I serve it in my favorite light blue baking dish.
Have a pellet grill? See how to make smoked chicken thighs.
Side dish ideas
- Air fryer chicken wings
- Potato recipes
- Stuffed shells
- Sautéed onions and peppers
- White sauce
- Baked chicken wings
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Spinach pesto pasta
- Make ahead Mexican salad
- Best Caprese salad
- Creamy pesto pasta salad
- Roasted cherry tomatoes
- Focaccia bread
- Sausage stuffing
- See all side dishes
Are you a foodie, too?
Hey home chefs, I think this dish can easily become one of your favorite baked chicken thigh recipes. Let me know how yours turns out. If you’re looking for more baked chicken recipes, check out my favorite recipes for chicken spinach pizza, BBQ chicken pizza, and chicken al pastor tacos.
To get my latest and greatest creative recipes before they’re shared on the site, connect with me on Instagram @sipbitego. And for more deliciousness, subscribe to the Sip Bite Go channel.
To find more delicious recipes to try on your culinary journey, scroll through the Sip Bite Go recipe collection.
Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Without Marinade Recipe | Sip Bite Go
Ingredients
For baking chicken thighs
- 1.5 lb chicken thighs about 3 bone in chicken thighs – substitute boneless
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- ⅛ tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp rosemary fresh needles
For the crispy chicken thighs glaze
- 1 tbsp mustard dijon
- 1 tbsp honey
For serving (optional)
- ½ medium lemon slices
- 2 tbsp roasted red pepper (marinated from the jar)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set out a large oven safe baking dish. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the chicken thigh seasonings (olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika, and rosemary). Add chicken to the liquid and toss it to coat it evenly. (Note – You do not have to marinade chicken thighs in this recipe, but if you are meal prepping and making this ahead of baking, you can marinade the chicken in this liquid.)
- Transfer chicken thighs to the baking dish (skin side down) and add liquid from the previous step to the bottom of the pan. (This will help keep chicken thighs juicy as they cook.)
- Bake chicken thighs in the oven, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F with a meat thermometer. (The total time for baking chicken thighs shown in the Sip Bite Go demo was 35 minutes.)
- While the chicken thighs roast in the oven, make the honey mustard glaze. Whisk together mustard and honey.
- When chicken reaches the safe internal temperature of 165 degrees F, turn the oven broiler to high. Brush honey mustard glaze on baked chicken thighs skin and broil the chicken on high for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Let chicken thighs rest 5-10 minutes, garnish with lemon slices and roasted red pepper if desired, and serve.
Video
Notes
See the recipe video for baked chicken thighs on Sip Bite Go’s YouTube.
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