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:
David Friesen says
We loved this recipe. I used fresh thyme and added a few additional herbs. I love the spice mixture. The chicken turned out excellent. I served it with roasted broccoli and caesar salad.
ImmaculateBites says
Glad you did David! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. Love your sides !
Jenene says
Excellent recipe! Thank you… I’ve cooked chicken for many years and wanted to try something new. It was a good choice to pick your recipe. Can’t wait to make them for grandchildren ☺️. I will also try your wing recipe as football season is right around the corner
ImmaculateBites says
Fantastic! Pleased to hear it worked out well for you Jenene. Am pretty sure your grandchildren are going to love them as much as my son does.
Happy cooking .
Tisha P. says
Hi, I didn’t think ahead about tonight’s dinner so I haven’t thawed the chicken. I’m using whole wings but wanted to know if the chicken has to be thawed ahead of time? Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, it’s best thawed before roasting.
Ali says
I made these today and they were amazing. Definitely one of my go to recipes now. Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
My pleasure!! Happy to hear it worked out for you.
John says
Never, EVER wash Chicken. Cooking kills any bacteria that may be on it, washing it just spreads potential bacteria all over your sink, surfaces, hands & clothes.
Lovely recipe though :-p
Brenna says
Timer has 15 minutes left and my house smells absolutely amazing!! The finished product will be soo tasty! Thanks for a great rub!
ImmaculateBites says
My pleasure!!! Glad you enjoyed it.
Brenda seay says
I just fixed these thighs for dinner, I loved them and so did the girls,I fixed scalloped potatoes and broccoli with it,a perfect dinner.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
David says
I’ve made this four times I believe in the last several months, one of my favorites, so juicy, flavorful and easy to make! The first two times I rolled the chicken with the spices in a big bowl, I mean thickly coated, and some was a bit too salty. After that I sprinkled it, not as salty. My son loves it. My daughter cannot eat spicy, but also dislikes skin. So, she removed the skin, and the chicken was infused with the flavor and she liked it, not too spicy. I might try a low salt version, just adding or increasing the ingredients in the Tony Chachere’s, but without the salt.
ImmaculateBites says
WOW! That’s great to know David. Thank you so much for taking the time to provide feedback. Am sure other readers would benefit from it. Happy Cooking!!!
Natalie says
These are so delicious. Perfect combination of spices. Will definitely keep this recipe.
ImmaculateBites says
YES! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
S says
Do you add any olive oil?
ImmaculateBites says
Not really.
Danielle says
This will be my second time making this dish! Absolutely terrific recipe!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!!! I made it last night for dinner too! My son’s favorite.
Carmelita says
Wow, just wow. This was truly amazing. This is definitely a keeper recipe. I made this today and can’t wait to make it again. My family loved it. At the end I did broil it for 3 min on high and 2 min on low and the skin was just as crispy as it could get. Just wow. Truly amazing recipe. Thanks for sharing.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for the tips Carmelita. Glad to hear it was a a success.
Nicole says
I’ve yet to have a bad dinner following your terrific recipes! Big sale on thighs today, so I’ll try this one out tomorrow! Thank you!
Stephanie says
Made this dish tonight for dinner…. OMG the flavor was amazing. The seasoning mixture was perfect. I will season all my chicken this way from now on. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe. And my oven is still clean didn’t have any issues like others, idk what they did wrong. Thanks alot for adding another great recipe to my cook book.
ImmaculateBites says
Virtual High five!!! So happy to know that it worked out well for you stephanie. Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
BrandyB says
Have you used a broiler pan with the broiler rack before? I don’t have a wire rack big enough, and I hate soggy skin.
ImmaculateBites says
It definitely wouldn’t be soggy with the broiler pan- but not as crispy as the wire rack.