Valentina Ablaev
This baked boneless skinless chicken thighs recipe is the only way you’ll ever want to make chicken again! Not only is this recipe super hands-off, but the result is a dish of tender, flavorful chicken. Use the chicken for salads, pasta, or as a main entrée to serve alongside all your favorite sides!
This baked chicken thigh recipe is the perfect method for cooking chicken thighs. Yes, we love a pan-seared chicken, but when cooking a batch for a crowd, the oven is the way to go! You can even bulk up the dish by adding veggies and potatoes, like in our oven-baked chicken legs!
Ingredients for Chicken Thighs in the Oven
This recipe couldn’t be simpler—just a few ingredients are all you need.
- Marinade – A simple base of olive oil and fresh garlic allows the chicken to get tenderized and crispy.
- Chicken thighs – Boneless chicken thighs make for the best entree!
- Seasoning – We use a blend of salt, pepper, italian seasoning, and paprika.
Refer to the recipe card below for a comprehensive list of ingredients and quantities.
Tools for this Recipe
Shop all of Valentina’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and kitchen must-haves!
- Use a glass baking dish with high sides to hold in the juices. It’s also great for marinating the chicken, so you use fewer dishes!
- When cooking chicken, we love an instant-read thermometer!
Variations of Chicken Thighs
Though we love our simple flavor blend, here are some other seasoning combos:
- Shawarma chicken: We love to add a kick of cumin, coriander, turmeric, and more to turn a simple chicken thigh dish into chicken shawarma!
- Chicken tacos: Season the chicken with a simple taco seasoning to make it fit for homemade chicken tacos.
- Creamy marinade: We love a mayo-based marinade; it’s a classic in Slavic cooking. Our oven-baked chicken thighs are marinated in a flavorful mayonnaise that tenderizes the chicken to perfection.
How to Make Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- Make the marinade. Whisk together oil and minced garlic. In a small bowl, mix the seasoning to create a chicken seasoning blend.
2. Marinate. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in your baking dish or sheet pan. Coat the chicken with oil, then season all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. Bake. Add the baking dish to a preheated oven and roast at 400°F for 35-45 minutes. For a crispy skin, broil on high for a few minutes.
How Long to Marinate Chicken?
We recommend marinating the chicken for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. If you’re on a time crunch, the chicken will still be delicious if baked right away, but we really recommend giving the chicken time to marinate.
Other Cooking Methods
Although we love the ease of oven-baking the chicken, here are a few other methods to make this delicious chicken.
1. Cook the chicken in a hot pan coated with oil.
2. Sear the chicken for 3 minutes per side and cover with a lid.
3. Cook on low for 5-6 minutes, or until cooked through.
1. Air fry the chicken at 380°F for 15 minutes, flipping halfway.
1. Add the marinated chicken to a hot grill.
2. Cook for 10 minutes per side.
Expert Tips:
- Marinade matters. Don’t rush this step, as the marinade helps tenderize the chicken and keeps it juicy.
- Cooked to perfection. Baking time can vary depending on your oven, so don’t rely solely on the clock. Chicken thighs are pretty forgiving, so look for a golden-brown color and make sure the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.
- For extra crispiness. If you like a crunchy crust on the chicken, set the broiler to high for a few minutes after baking. Watch closely to prevent the chicken from burning.
Serving Suggestions
- Chicken bowl: Add sliced chicken thighs to a rice bowl to create your very own Chipotle chicken bowl at home!
- High-protein salad: Add these chicken thighs to a bbq ranch salad to make a protein-packed salad that tastes as good as it sounds!
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days to maintain peak freshness.
- Reheating. Enjoy the chicken cold over a salad, or warm gently in a pan until heated through.
- Freezing. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, then freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, place the frozen chicken in a warm pan, cover it, and cook until it’s hot.
More Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this chicken recipe, be sure to try our other easy main dishes; here are some of our favorites:
One Pan Meals- Casseroles
- One Pan Meals
- Casseroles
- Grains and Pasta
- One Pan Meals
- Chicken
- Chicken
If you’ve tried this baked boneless chicken thighs recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate your feedback!
Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 pounds chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
- 2 tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground pepper, or to taste
- 1 ½ tsp italian seasoning
- ¾ tsp ground paprika
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix oil and minced garlic.
- Arrange the chicken thighs on a baking dish and coat with the oil mixture on both sides.
- Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper, italian seasoning, and paprika.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the ingredients to marinate.
- Transfer the dish to the oven and bake at 400°F for 35-45 minutes. Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before removing it from the oven.
- If you’d like an extra crispy skin, broil the chicken for a few minutes.
- Serve, and enjoy friends!
Notes
- Don’t skip the marinade. You’ll be surprised at how a 2-hour marinade time can elevate your chicken thighs! Even better if you do it overnight!
- Check the temperature. Our instant-read thermometer is our best friend when cooking chicken to perfection. Check that the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F to ensure it’s fully cooked.
- Refrigerate. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days for peak freshness. Reheat in a pan, oven, or air fryer for a crispy chicken thigh.
Nutrition
FAQs
For this recipe, we don’t cover the chicken, which allows for a crispy crust.
You can absolutely use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs. Bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes, checking the temperature of the chicken.
For the best quality of meat, it’s best to limit the marinade time to 24 hours.
