Baked Chicken Thighs

By Lidey Heuck

Updated Jan. 3, 2024

Baked Chicken Thighs
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(3,593)
Comments
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Chicken thighs have all the makings of a weeknight staple: they’re inexpensive, they cook quickly and they are dependably moist and flavorful with the simplest of seasonings. In this hands-off recipe, the thighs are baked at a high temperature until the skin is crisp and the meat is tender. If you have time to marinate the thighs for a few hours, the chicken will be even more flavorful, but even 30 minutes will do the trick. Consider the herbs and seasonings in the marinade a starting point, but feel free to use what you have on hand. If you want to brown the chicken skin further, place the pan under the broiler for a minute or two at the end of cooking.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ⅓cup olive oil
  • 1tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)
  • 1tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2teaspoons dried thyme, rosemary or oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh), or 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1½teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more for serving
  • 1teaspoon black pepper
  • 1lemon
  • 6 to 8skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), patted dry
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

701 calories; 58 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 30 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 40 grams protein; 902 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper. Zest the lemon over the bowl, reserving the rest of the lemon for serving, and whisk until combined.

  2. Step 2

    Add the chicken thighs to the bowl, tossing until fully coated in the marinade. Cover and let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees and lift the chicken thighs from the marinade, letting any excess drip into the bowl. Place the thighs on a sheet pan and let them sit at room temperature while the oven heats. Bake until fully cooked and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. An internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat should read 165 to 175 degrees.

  4. Step 4

    Cut the lemon in half and squeeze over the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,593 user ratings
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Comments

Bree La Fin

This is lovely as written but I did an experiment: half as stated, half adding plain yogurt to the marinade as fermented dairy works wonders with poultry. Marinated 8 hrs. We enjoyed both but the yogurt addition pieces were fought over, literally with snarls. So, so tender. My advice: add a very generous dollop of yogurt (5% fat is ideal but do you). Listen to the wise people saying to cook to at least 180°. Unlike white meat, thighs need extra heat to break down the connective tissue.

Zips

We eat a lot of Chicken thighs and I always cook them to 195°. Thighs can take the higher temp and it just about gets rid of all the unagreeable tough textured parts and are much more enjoyable to eat.

Raba Zaki

Maybe you have a magic oven, but mine at 425 still leaves the meat too pink to the bone at 30m. 40-45 is more like it.

Michelle

Amazing! I followed the suggestions to reduce olive oil to 1 tbsp and added a cup of Greek yogurt in the marinate. I only had a half hour to marinate but these were really delicious! Will definitely make them again!

EastNashLeigh

5 STARS! Thanks to a previous comment, I used yogurt and 1 T of olive oil for the marinade. I also used the suggestion to thinly slice the lemon and placed under the chicken thighs while they cooked. In a pinch, I've used boneless, skinless thighs. Although not as tasty as skin on, they were a good, healthier alternative. ( try first with bone-in, skin-on....soooo yummy). Also, I placed under the broiler for 1-2 min to add a small amount of browning to the skinless thighs. FANTASTIC!!

Jesika

I just made this for my parents and it won rave reviews. My dad, while always grateful and enthusiastic for any food I make has a pretty limited compliment range from “ok” to “very good” (with at least one “excellent” that I can remember). He called this chicken “perfect.” So, there you go. I agree with everyone about upping the cook time, I did the first temp check at 45 minutes and then let them cook about 10 minutes longer.

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