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Baked Chicken Thighs

Baked chicken thighs with crackly golden skin and deeply juicy, tender meat—an easy oven chicken dinner you can rely on. Bone-in, skin-on thighs are seasoned thoroughly, baked at high heat, then rested for juicy results.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
resting 5 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 5 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
onion powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
paprika
  • 1 tsp paprika
dried Italian herbs
  • 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
salt
  • 0.75 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
lemon wedges and fresh parsley for serving
  • 1 lemon wedges for serving
  • 1 fresh parsley for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 oven rack

Method
 

Preheat and prep the chicken
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F, then pat the chicken thighs completely dry so the skin can crisp.
Season thoroughly
  1. Rub both sides of the chicken with olive oil.
  2. Mix garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper, then rub the seasoning all over the thighs, including under the skin.
Bake until crisp and done
  1. Place the thighs skin-side up on a rack set over a baking sheet.
  2. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 425F until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165F, with crackly skin visible.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices settle, keeping the meat tender.
  2. Serve with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.

Notes

For maximum crispness, dry the thighs well and keep them skin-side up on a rack so heat circulates under the skin. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat at 425F until hot and the skin re-crackles. Freezing is not recommended for best skin texture. For a gluten-free swap, this recipe already is gluten-free as written—just ensure any pantry spice blends are certified gluten-free if needed.