This easy chicken thighs recipe baked in the oven makes the best chicken dinner! You only need 10 minutes of prep time; the result is the juiciest, crispy, boneless, and skinless chicken thighs.
This recipe is so easy and foolproof, it definitely joins our list of best recipes of the year.
Chicken is such a classic protein to cook with, and the recipes are endless! We have many chicken recipes, with the pan-seared chicken breast and our crispy chicken wings as reader favorites.
Easy Chicken Thighs
These chicken thighs only need the simplest marinade, and they are ready to be baked into the juiciest, crispy chicken thighs. Boneless and skinless thighs are inexpensive protein to cook with and so versatile.
Do I have to Marinate the chicken?
We recommend marinating the chicken anywhere between 3 hours to overnight. If you are on a time crunch, you can still get great results from marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
How to Make Easy Chicken Thighs:
You can add everything to a mixing bowl or use a plastic bag to marinate the chicken. Then, transfer into a baking dish and bake.
- Prepare marinade– In a small bowl, combine the mayo, olive oil, and minced garlic.
- Make seasoning– In a separate bowl, combine the salt, pepper, chili powder, and paprika for the seasonings. Trip off any excess fat from the boneless skinless chicken thighs and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Coat chicken– Add the thighs to a mixing bowl and thoroughly coat with the mayo mixture. Season the chicken with half of the seasoning, turn the chicken over, and season with the remaining seasoning. Cover the bowl and set aside to marinade for at least 3-4 hours in the fridge.
- Bake Chicken– Transfer chicken to a baking dish and bake until golden and browned. Pour the juices that gather in the baking dish over the chicken before serving; they add so much flavor and keep it moist.
How long does it take to bake Chicken Thighs?
The size of the thighs will slightly affect the baking time for the chicken. It is best to test the readiness of the meat with a cooking thermometer. The thickest part of the chicken should read 165°F internal temperature.
At 375°F
- Boneless and Skinless: Bake at 375°F for 40-50 minutes.
- Skin-on and Bone-in: Bake at 375°F for 50-60 minutes.
At 400°F
- Boneless and Skinless: Bake at 400°F for 35-45 minutes.
- Skin-on and Bone-in: Bake at 400°F for 45-55 minutes.
Reheat Chicken Thighs:
- In the Oven: These juicy chicken thighs are great when reheated. To reheat, cover thighs and bake until reheated,
- In a Skillet: Reheat in a skillet with the extra juicy over med/low heat until reheated.
- Microwave: Cover the chicken thighs and cook until reheated.
Use Chicken Leftovers Like a Pro:
If you have leftovers, shred the chicken with two forks or cut them into cubes or slices. Here are some great recipes the chicken may be used in:
Meal Prep with Chicken Thighs:
All of these meals are great to prep in advance for easy school lunches.
- Chicken rice and broccoli with teriyaki sauce.
- A bowl of chicken, cilantro lime rice, topped with pico de gallo
- Southwest chicken salad with dressing on the side.
Freeze Chicken Like a Pro:
This recipe is excellent for freezing ready-to-cook chicken.
Freeze: Marinate the raw chicken thighs in a freezer bag and place them in the freezer. Store for up to 3 months.
Cook: Take the chicken out to thaw a day before you are ready to cook. Thaw chicken overnight in the fridge. Cook defrosted chicken as usual.
Recipe FAQs
Make chicken thighs even easier using an air fryer! Set the air fryer to 350°F and cook for 20 minutes!
This recipe works great for bone in skin on chicken thighs.
Use this recipe to cook chicken on the pan! Cook on medium to high heat until the chicken is fully cooked. Timing will vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.
Use a meat thermometer to check that the thighs are at 165°F.
More Chicken Recipes:
Here are some of our favorite chicken recipes we regularly serve in our home:
If you tried this baked 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 it!
Easy Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken thighs (boneless & skinless)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground paprika
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine mayo, olive oil and minced garlic. Add chicken thighs and coat with mayo mixture.
- Prepare the seasoning. In a separate combine the salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika.
- Season boat sides of chicken with the seasoning. Cover bowl and allow chicken to marinate 3 – 4 hours (or overnight).
- Transfer chicken to a baking dish 400°F for 35-45 minutes or until top of chicken is crisp areand golden.