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Why You’ll Love My Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients & Substitutions
How To Bake Chicken Thighs
My Recipe Tips
How Long To Bake Chicken Thighs?
Storage Instructions
Serving Ideas
More Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes
My Tools For This Recipe
Oven Baked Chicken Thighs (Crispy & Easy) Recipe card
Recipe Reviews

I’ve been making my healthy baked chicken breast and chicken legs for 2 decades, but chicken thighs were a cut I only got into in my 30s. Let’s just say I’m glad I did — and you will be too, once you try my oven baked chicken thighs recipe. These are so crispy… and juicy… and flavorful… and easy… and I just can’t stop talking about them. Give them a try and you’ll see what I mean.

Why You’ll Love My Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

Crispy, crispy, crispy – I can’t get enough of that crisp skin. Why bother with skin-on chicken if you don’t get to the best part?
Juicy and tender inside – Let’s be real, dark meat is hard to dry out. But my method here gets your baked chicken thighs extra juicy. It’s what I put under the skin that makes all the difference. 😉
Loads of flavor with simple ingredients – You can make simpler chicken thigh recipes using just oil, salt, and pepper, but you can’t beat the flavor you get from my recipe using butter, garlic, and fresh herbs. The ingredients are simple, but these taste special.
Versatile chicken dinner – They go with everything! I love the flexibility to choose sides from whatever I have on hand. And if you want to turn your crispy baked chicken thighs into a whole meal, just make my easy sheet pan chicken dinner with veggies!

Crispy baked chicken thighs piled on top of each other. - 3

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my baked chicken thighs recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .

Chicken Thighs:

I use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe, because… hi, crispy skin? Make sure to thaw them first if they are frozen. Feel free to mix the thighs with drumsticks too, as they have a similar cook time (I do this often for mixed baked chicken like this , which has an extra trick for crispy skin).

My method here won’t work with boneless chicken thighs, sorry. If you want to use boneless ones, try my recipes for balsamic chicken , garlic chicken thighs , or Mediterranean chicken instead.

Compound Butter Underneath The Skin:

Butter underneath the chicken skin is my secret for flavorful, juicy chicken! (I use the same method for my spatchcock chicken , Instant Pot turkey breast , and air fryer chicken legs .)

Mixing and rubbing the garlic butter under the skin takes a tiny bit more time, but it’s so worth it to add flavor and lock moisture in the meat. You’ll need:

Butter – I use unsalted butter , but you can use salted and just reduce the amount of added salt.
Garlic – Normally you’d never be able to roast chicken with garlic on top because it would burn, but the skin protects it from burning. I use whole garlic cloves because I crush them for my baked chicken thighs recipe, but you could use minced instead.
Fresh Herbs – I used fresh parsley and dill this time. You can experiment with other fresh herbs — see variations in my compound butter recipe .
Sea Salt

Seasoning Over The Skin:

Don’t forget to season the skin itself! I use oil instead of butter for this part, since it can handle the direct heat.

Avocado Oil – Sometimes I use olive oil instead. Any heat-safe oil you have is fine.
Spices – I keep it simple with just smoked paprika and garlic powder , since I’ve already got plenty of garlic and herbs under the skin. But feel free to add other dried seasonings here, such as dried oregano, dried rosemary, onion powder, chili powder, and/or cayenne pepper.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Bone-in chicken thighs on a plate surrounded by butter, oil, garlic, fresh herbs, and spices in small bowls with labels. - 4

How To Bake Chicken Thighs

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

Make the compound butter. In a small bowl, mash the butter with a fork. Mix in the crushed garlic, fresh parsley, fresh dill, and sea salt.
Season the chicken under the skin. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture on the surface. Run your hands under the chicken skin to separate it from the meat, then place the butter underneath. (See my tips below for how I do this.)

Compound butter mashed in a bowl with a fork. - 5

Compound butter rubbed underneath the skin. - 6

Season over the skin. Place chicken thighs on a rimmed baking sheet, either plain or lined with foil. Drizzle the olive oil onto the chicken on both sides. Sprinkle with sea salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Bake chicken thighs. Place the chicken skin side down on a baking sheet (or in a baking dish), and bake. Flip and continue baking, until the inside is cooked through and the skin is crispy and golden brown. (See my tips below on doneness.)
Let them rest. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. This will allow the juices to settle in the meat, so that your oven baked chicken thighs stay juicy. I garnish with fresh parsley, or just herbs I already had for the compound butter, but you don’t have to.

Finished oven baked chicken thighs on the baking sheet. - 8

Baked chicken thighs on a platter garnished with fresh parsley. - 9

My Recipe Tips

To deal with sticky butter, place dollops under the skin and press down. It always sticks to my hands if I try to spread it with my fingers. So instead, I just push pieces of the garlic butter underneath in a few places, then press on top of the skin to make it spread out. So much easier!
Try not to get much butter on top of the skin. If you do, it will burn when you bake the chicken thighs in the oven. I just wipe off with a paper towel if I get too much butter on top.
For extra crispy baked chicken thighs, use an oven-safe rack. I didn’t do it this time, but I often use this set with many of my chicken recipes (like baked chicken legs ). Placing the chicken on the rack instead of directly on the sheet pan allows for more airflow, so the skin crisps up even more.
Don’t crowd the pan. Make sure that the chicken pieces are not touching each other, or they will take much longer to cook and won’t crisp up well. Pay attention especially if you use a baking dish instead of a sheet pan.
Bake chicken thighs skin side down first. The side that touches the pan last will be a bit less crispy than the side facing up, so I always start skin side down and then flip after 10 minutes.
Want some tangy flavor? Instead of just oil on the skin, mix it with a tablespoon of lemon juice and brush the mixture over the skin instead.

How Long To Bake Chicken Thighs?

At 450 degrees F (my preferred temperature because it’s fast and works great), it takes anywhere from 22 to 28 minutes to bake chicken thighs . The time will vary depending on their size.

Oven baked chicken thighs are unlikely to dry out, but measuring their temperature can be the difference between juicy tenderness and your average chicken. This is my favorite meat thermometer for quick readings, but I usually use this probe thermometer that just beeps when it’s ready.

Unlike chicken breast that tastes best at 165 degrees F, I always cook my chicken thighs to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. This is when the collagen in the dark meat starts to break down and they get so juicy.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The skin will soften, but you can easily crisp it up again.
Meal prep: You can make the compound butter a few days in advance, or even place it underneath the skin and season the top if you like. Then bake when ready to eat. If I want lunches ready to go, I make my baked chicken thighs recipe ahead of time completely and portion into containers with a healthy side dish .
Reheat: Warm up baked chicken thighs in the oven at 350 degrees F. If the skin isn’t crispy enough at this point, you can broil for a few minutes at the end. When I don’t want to worry about crisping up the skin, I remove the meat from the bones and use it in my buffalo chicken soup or chicken bacon ranch casserole .
Freeze: You can keep the cooked chicken in a zip lock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before you reheat.

Oven baked chicken thighs on a platter sprinkled with parsley. - 11

Serving Ideas

When you’re making an easy chicken dinner, you want an equally easy side dish, right? Yeah, me too. Here are some of my simple options:

Roasted Vegetables – Always my first choice, ha! Although I roast most of my veggies at 400 degrees F and these oven baked chicken thighs roast at 450 degrees F, you can easily just roast cauliflower , brussels sprouts (even frozen brussels sprouts !), or root vegetables at the same temp as the chicken (and even in the same pan). They get a little darker than normal, but… so what? If you prefer to make a quick side on the stovetop instead, try my green beans almondine or sauteed broccoli .
Potatoes – You can make my oven roasted potatoes , but they aren’t ideal for the high temperature I use for crispy baked chicken thighs, so I usually make my crispy air fryer potatoes when I want some. You can also make my healthier mashed cauliflower or roasted rutabaga instead.
Salad – For a light and fresh meal, healthy salads always pair well with chicken! My cucumber tomato salad or arugula salad make simple I-don’t-know-what-to-make options. But you can also go seasonal with asparagus salad , Caprese salad , or beet salad , depending on the time of year.

More Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes

I make chicken thighs all the ways! If you don’t feel like baking them, here are other ways you can cook them:

My Tools For This Recipe

Sheet Pan – Once I got these sheet pans, I never looked back. They’re awesome for everything and never stick!
Alarm Thermometer – I use it for virtually all my proteins that go in the oven, including these baked chicken thighs. It takes away the stress of wondering if they are done.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

Compound Butter:

1/4 cup Unsalted butter (softened) ▢
2 cloves Garlic (crushed) ▢
1/2 tbsp Fresh parsley (chopped) ▢
1/2 tbsp Fresh dill (chopped) ▢
1/8 tsp Sea salt ▢

Chicken:

3 lb Bone-in chicken thighs (with skin) ▢
2 tbsp Avocado oil ▢
1/2 tbsp Sea salt ▢
1 tsp Smoked paprika ▢
1 tsp Garlic powder ▢
1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil, or use a quality non-stick pan ( I like this pan with silicone coating).
In a small bowl, mash the butter with a fork. Add the garlic, fresh herbs, and salt. Mash again.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and place on the baking sheet, skin side up. Run your hands under the chicken skin to separate it from the chicken underneath. Place dollops of compound butter all over underneath the skin and then press down over the skin to spread around underneath.
Drizzle or brush olive oil onto the chicken on both sides. Sprinkle both sides with sea salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Bake chicken thighs in the oven, skin side down, for 10 minutes .
Flip the chicken thighs, so that the skin side is up. Roast for about 15 more minutes , until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (77 degrees C). Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 chicken thigh

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Ebook Bundle and Fall Ebook Bundle !

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Crispy baked chicken thighs recipe pin. - 12

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
The Basic Keto Meal Formula
Understanding Macros
Keto Food Swaps
Keto Food List
Electrolyte Basics
Keto Diet Types
Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Keto Cheat Sheet System - printable pdf's and ebooks - 13

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)

The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Pick A Protein	Pick A Veggie	Add Fat
Beef Chicken Pork Eggs Lamb Turkey Fish Shellfish Protein powder Venison	Cauliflower Broccoli Zucchini Leafy Greens Cucumbers Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Asparagus Radishes Bell Peppers Jicama Celery	Butter Avocado Oil Cheese Bacon Avocado Lard Ghee Mayo Nuts MCT Oil

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Instead Of This…	Eat This
Pancakes	Almond flour pancakes or coconut flour pancakes
Oatmeal	Keto oatmeal with hemp seeds
Cinnamon rolls	Fathead cinnamon rolls
Cereal	Keto nut granola
Muffins	Almond flour muffins or coconut flour muffins
Donuts	Almond flour donuts
Scones	Almond flour scones
High-sugar smoothies	Smoothie with berries or avocado
Hash browns	Cauliflower hash browns
Breakfast casserole	Breakfast casserole with no potatoes
Egg whites	Whole eggs
Turkey bacon	Bacon
Waffles	Chaffles

Keto Swaps For Bread

Instead Of This…	Eat This
Bagels	Fathead bagels
English muffin	Almond flour English muffin
White bread	Keto white bread
Multigrain bread	Coconut flour bread with seeds
Tortillas for wraps	Coconut flour tortillas
Corn taco shells	Cheddar cheese taco shells
Burger buns	Oopsie rolls , portobello mushroom caps
Breadsticks	Cauliflower breadsticks
Biscuits	Almond flour biscuits
Cornbread	Almond flour cornbread
Croutons	Parmesan crisps
Rice	Cauliflower rice , konjac rice

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Instead Of This…	Eat This
Breaded wings	Crispy air fryer wings (unbreaded)
Low-fat meat & poultry	High-fat cuts, or cook low-fat cuts with fat
Mashed potatoes	Mashed cauliflower
Roasted potatoes	Roasted or fried radishes
Tacos	Taco salad
Pizza	Fathead crust , chicken crust , or cauliflower crust pizza
Lasagna	Eggplant lasagna
Potato salad	Cauliflower “potato” salad
French fries	Jicama , rutabaga , or zucchini fries
Tater tots	Cauliflower tots
Wraps	Lettuce wraps , almond flour tortillas
Sushi	Naruto-style or homemade rice-free sushi
Breaded chicken or fish	Breaded cuts with almond flour or pork rinds
Spaghetti	Zoodles , spaghetti squash , shirataki noodles, kelp noodles

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Instead Of This…	Eat This
Nachos	Cheese crisps
High-sugar fruit	Berries & other keto fruits
Crackers	Almond flour crackers
Hummus	Cauliflower hummus
Soft pretzels	Fathead pretzels
Popcorn	Puffed cheese
Granola bars	Grain-free granola bars
Jam	Sugar-free berry chia jam
Sweet fruity yogurt	Full-fat plain Greek yogurt with berries
Sweet salad dressing	Ranch , blue cheese , or plain vinaigrette
Ketchup	Mustard and/or sugar-free ketchup
BBQ sauce	Sugar-free BBQ sauce
Sweetened peanut butter	Natural, sugar-free nut butters
Light mayo	Avocado oil mayo
Maple syrup	Sugar-free, maple flavored syrup
Potato chips	Zucchini chips , pepperoni chips , pork rinds

Keto food swaps - snacks and sauces - 17

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Instead Of This…	Eat This
Sugar	Monk fruit or allulose
Powdered sugar	Powdered monk fruit or allulose
White flour	Almond or Coconut flour (use in tested recipes)
Making baked goods soft/chewy	Xanthan gum, flax seed meal, psyllium husk powder
Breadcrumbs	Pork rinds or almond flour
Margarine	Butter, coconut oil, or ghee
Vegetable oil	Olive or avocado oil
Bananas	Banana extract
Chocolate chips	Sugar-free chocolate chips
Cornstarch or flour roux	Xanthan gum or gelatin powder (used at the end)
Simple syrup	Dissolve monk fruit allulose blend in water over heat

Keto food swaps - baking and cooking - 18

Keto Swaps For Drinks

Instead Of This…	Eat This
Lemonade	Water with lemon
Soda	Flavored sparkling water
Milk	Almond milk, coconut milk, heavy cream
Latte	Butter coffee
Coffee creamer	Heavy cream
Sweet wine	Dry wine
Beer	Ultra light beer
Mixed drinks	Hard liquor with soda + lemon

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Keto foods to eat and avoid summary - 20

Foods To Eat On Keto

Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
Avocados
Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
Almond flour and coconut flour
Eggs
Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

White flour & sugar
Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
Cereal
Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Keto Cheat Sheet System - printable pdf's and ebooks - 21

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Sodium	Magnesium	Potassium
Bone broth Boullion cubes Bacon Salted nuts Pickles	Seaweed Seeds Nuts Avocado Leafy greens	Potassium chloride Avocado Bone broth Spinach Broccoli Mushrooms Beef Pork

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!