Perfect Baked Chicken Thighs (Bone-In and Boneless)

This recipe for the Perfect Baked Chicken Thighs shows you how to cook juicy chicken, whether you're using boneless or bone-in chicken thighs. 

Tips for perfect baked chicken thighs

Before we get started, I thought I would go over the secrets to getting your chicken thighs just right! These tips apply to both boneless, skinless and bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Keep reading to see more specific instructions on the differences between the two, or to get cooking!

• Whether you use boneless or bone-in thighs depends on your preference. For juicier meat, opt for bone-in. For a leaner dinner, go for the boneless. Personally I prefer boneless as they are less messy to eat and still end up being very tender
• Use a parchment-lined baking sheet as the chicken will produce some juices – you can lay the chicken flat on the sheet or use a wire rack to drain some of the fat
• Don't add extra oil! It's not needed with chicken thighs as they contain enough fat on their own. Parchment paper will prevent them from sticking to the baking sheet
• Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reads 165°F
• You can use the broiler setting on your oven once the chicken are done cooking to get a crispy outside
• Let your chicken thighs rest for 5 to 10 minutes after they are baked to ensure they hold their juices

How long does it take to bake chicken thighs?

The time it takes to cook chicken thighs will vary, based on the oven temperature and whether the thighs are boneless or bone-in.

In general, it does take a few minutes longer to cook bone-in chicken thighs than it does to cook boneless chicken thighs. For this baked chicken thighs recipe, the oven temperature is the same for bone-in and boneless – 425 F. It takes about 20 minutes to cook boneless thighs and 25 minutes for bone-in chicken thighs.

Regardless of what type of chicken thigh you use, always make sure the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165F degrees.

Check the temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. Be sure that the probe of the thermometer isn't touching any bones.

Baking boneless chicken thighs

With boneless chicken thighs, there's a bit less preparation needed. Just coat the chicken in the spice rub, add to the baking sheet with the tops facing up as pictured below. Bake for 12 minutes, then flip and cook another 8 minutes. Let your thighs rest for 5 minutes then you are ready to go!

Because boneless, skinless thighs emit less fat and juices, you can cook your veggies on the same sheet pan as the chicken. I suggest a blend of broccoli, zucchini and sliced carrots. They can be stirred just once when you go to flip the chicken over.

Baking bone-in chicken thighs

Bone-in chicken thighs require slightly more work but not by much! You'll want to pat the skin dry on the thighs then coat in the spice rub just like you do with boneless thighs. This time, you will place the thighs SKIN DOWN and bake uninterrupted for 25 minutes.

How to get crispy skin

If you want crispy skin, you'll throw the chicken SKIN UP under the broiler on high for 1-2 minutes. You will have to pay close attention here and make sure the chicken doesn't burn. I've seen some recipes that say 5 minutes on broil but that is far too long – you need to keep a close eye to make sure you get the perfect crispy skin. This part of optional but makes the chicken so good!

Is it okay to leave the skin on?

Because chicken skin is very fatty, some people prefer to remove it. It really comes down to your personal preference on texture and meat. I was raised not eating a lot of fat or skin so I'm still getting used to more tender cuts of chicken and meat. However, it can be beneficial to leave the skin on because there's often more flavor. This is because the extra fat helps to keep moisture inside of the meat as it cooks.

Also, chicken bones release moisture. As a result, when you cook boneless, skinless chicken thighs, keep in mind that they tend to dry out more quickly. You really have to watch your cooking time with boneless thighs.

How to reduce fat content

Dark meat chicken gets a bad rap for fat content, but it can still be super healthy for you and part of a well-rounded diet. If you want to reduce the amount of fat with chicken thighs, first of all, you will want to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Use the instructions listed below.

However, you can go even further by using a wire rack so any extra fat from the chicken drains from the rack onto the baking sheet. You can employ this method with either boneless or bone-in chicken thighs.

How do you store baked chicken thighs?

Baked chicken thighs can be refrigerated for  four to five days. If you won’t be eating them during that time, you can freeze the leftovers for future use.

Freezing chicken thighs

1. Allow the meat to cool to room temperature.
2. Divide the leftovers into portions and place them into airtight meal prep containers or freezer-safe bags.
3. Cooked chicken can be kept in the freezer for up to three months.

Reheating chicken thighs

If reheating after refrigerating, make sure to sprinkle a bit of water overtop and lay a damp paper towel over the chicken. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes.

If reheating from frozen, you can do the same water and paper towel trick (this reduces the leftover chicken taste), then microwave on defrost mode for 6-7 minutes.

In both cases, this reheat time is for 2 chicken thighs at a time.

What to serve with baked chicken thighs

These juicy, tender chicken thighs would be delicious served with a healthy salad, rice, your favourite vegetables, roasted potatoes or even a simple pasta dish.

In the last 10 minutes of cook time, I usually add a blend of mixed vegetables to the baking sheet. In this case, I used broccoli, sliced carrots and zucchini. Toss the veggies with about 1 tsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

The veggies can be roasted for 10-20 minutes depending on how crisp you like your veggies. Sometimes it's easier to just throw them on the pan with the thighs and stir halfway through, but if you like them less cooked I would recommend adding them during the last 10 minutes of cook time.

How to bake chicken breast

Once you've mastered chicken thighs, you'll want to try your hand at chicken breasts! If you're looking for the perfect baked chicken recipe and a bunch of spice blend ideas, check out my how to tutorial for baked chicken.

Other chicken thigh recipes to try

If you love tender, juicy baked chicken thighs, here are other chicken thigh recipes to try:

• Garlic Sesame Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
• Chicken Shawarma Meal Prep Bowls
• Korean Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
• More Healthy and Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes

Meal prep tools for this recipe

• Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing the leftovers in the fridge
• I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen
• Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through
• Use these Ziploc bag holders if you're marinating the chicken then freezing it

More baked proteins

• Juicy baked pork chops
• Baked salmon