Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs (Oven, 45 Minutes)
Bone-in chicken thighs with shatteringly crispy skin, baked in a hot oven with a simple spice rub. Temperature and timing that always work.
Published
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
How long to bake chicken thighs? At 220 °C (425 °F), bone-in thighs take 35–45 minutes and boneless thighs 20–25 minutes. Thighs are better cooked a little past the minimum safe temperature: the connective tissue melts and the meat gets more tender.
Serve with crispy roasted potatoes or a green salad.
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.2 kg / 2.6 lb)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme or oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220 °C (425 °F). Line a tray with foil and set a rack on it if you have one.
- Pat the thighs very dry with paper towels. Dry skin is the key to crisp skin.
- Mix the salt and spices. Rub the chicken with the oil, then the spice mix, including under the skin.
- Arrange skin side up with space between pieces.
- Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the meat reaches at least 75 °C (165 °F); thighs are most tender at 80–85 °C (175–185 °F).
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- kcal
- 470
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 31 g
Tips
- For extra-crisp skin, salt the thighs and leave them uncovered in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
- Boneless thighs cook in 20–25 minutes at the same temperature.
- Roast potatoes or vegetables on the same tray for a one-pan dinner.
