If you want the juiciest chicken thighs ever, these oven-baked ones are it. Plus, the outside is deliciously crispy. With only a few simple ingredients they’re easy enough for anyone to make!.
I love this simple recipe for a super satisfying weeknight dinner idea. You know, when you want comfort food but don’t have a ton of time or energy to spend in the kitchen! They would pair great with these Jumbo Dinner Rolls Recipe , this Zucchini Side Dish , and this Green Bean Salad!.
Have you tried baked chicken thighs before? My goodness, you will fall in love with this super simple, yet versatile recipe.
I’m a fan of this dish when it’s been a long day and I just want a comfort meal, without spending hours putting together something elaborate in the kitchen. Prepping oven baked chicken thighs only takes about 5 minutes, and then they bake for a total of about 50 to 60 minutes. Bada boom, bada bing, you’re all set! I also left notes for how to serve the pan juices with the chicken (it’s so flavorful and hearty thanks to the butter, spices, and chicken juices). For a Southern comfort food, serve with mashed potatoes and green beans. For a Southwestern twist, serve with black beans and corn salad.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: The bones and skin help the chicken become moist and juicy, and they also help the flavors develop. The skin also gets nice and crispy.
Season salt: My favorite season salt is made using salt, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, and optional cayenne pepper and paprika.
Melted butter: Butter helps the chicken to get nice and crispy, and adds an even richer flavor.
Cooking boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the oven can be a bit tricky. You want the meat to come out moist and juicy, but not dry or rubbery. So should you cover the baking pan with foil or leave it uncovered? Here’s what I’ve learned from my trials and errors in the kitchen.
The Benefits of Using Foil
Covering the pan with foil while baking chicken thighs does provide some benefits
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Retains Moisture – The foil traps steam and moisture inside the pan rather than allowing it to escape into the oven air. This helps keep the meat juicy.
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Cooks Evenly—The foil helps the chicken cook evenly, especially if you put pieces on top of each other or stack them in the pan.
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Easy Clean-Up – Any drips or spatters will be contained on the foil, making clean-up much easier No need to scrub baked-on residue off the pan.
If you want chicken thighs that are juicy and cooked evenly and don’t want a lot of mess, foil is a good choice.
Potential Drawbacks of Foil
However, there are a few potential drawbacks to using foil that you should consider:
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Skin Softening – If the chicken has skin on, the foil can make it soggy and less crispy.
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Steaming Instead of Browning—Covering the pan can stop the maillard reaction, which is what makes the meat brown and caramelize so deliciously.
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Loss of Flavor: Cooking the chicken won’t concentrate any juices that come out during the baking process into a tasty glaze for basting.
So if you want crispy skin and rich browned flavor, foil may not be the best choice.
Compromise Solution
My preferred method is a compromise approach:
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and any other spices or herbs.
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Place the thighs in a baking dish in a single layer, skin-side up if using skin-on thighs.
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Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes. This initial uncovered time allows the chicken to brown a bit.
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Then tent the dish loosely with foil and continue baking 10-15 minutes more until fully cooked through.
The brief uncovered baking gives you some nice browning. But the extended covered time retains moisture, allows even cooking, and makes clean-up easy.
Additional Tips
Here are a few more tips for ensuring tender, juicy oven-baked chicken thighs:
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Don’t overcrowd the pan. Too many thighs inhibits browning.
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Brush chicken with oil or melted butter before baking for added moisture and flavor.
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Flip thighs over halfway through cooking if you want both sides to brown.
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Let thighs rest 5-10 minutes before serving so juices redistribute through the meat.
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Bake at a high temp (400-425°F) for best results. Lower temps increase drying out.
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Use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness; thighs should reach 165-175°F.
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Add veggies to the pan to roast along with the chicken.
Recommendation
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Thighs
You can serve SO many things with baked chicken thighs! It’s such a versatile meal. Try serving with:
- Green beans
- Mashed potatoes
- Baked potatoes
- Fresh fruit
- A simple side salad
- Baked beans
- Corn salad
- Cole slaw
- Potato salad
- Roasted beets, broccoli, zucchini, or another favorite roasted veggie
Store baked chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 4 months.
Chicken thighs that have been left over can be used in any dish that calls for cooked or shredded chicken. They taste great in soups, burritos, quesadillas, sandwiches, chicken salad, chicken casserole, etc.
To reheat baked chicken thighs, place them on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Chicken thighs are done cooking when they’re golden brown and crispy on the outside, but 165 degrees F on in the inside. The inside should also no longer be pink when you cut into the chicken.
This recipe automatically yields a nice and crispy skin thanks to the use of butter and finishing the thighs with the foil removed. If you want it extra-crispy, you can remove the foil after 30 minutes and finish the chicken for another 20-30 minutes uncovered.
How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs
Bake chicken thighs for 40 minutes covered with foil on a baking sheet. This traps in the moisture and allows the juices to stay intact. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 to 20 minutes to finish the chicken and allow the skin to get crispy. An instant-read thermometer will register 165 degrees F. when finished.
Is it better to bake chicken covered or uncovered?
FAQ
Should I bake my chicken thighs covered or uncovered?
For crispy skin and even cooking, bake chicken thighs uncovered. Covering chicken thighs while baking will result in a steamed texture rather than a crispy one.
Should I cover chicken thighs with foil in the oven?
But I know you are wondering– should you cover chicken thighs when they are baking? The simple answer is, no. We don’t cover our skin-on chicken thighs because we want that skin to get nice and crispy!.
Do you bake chicken at 400 covered or uncovered?
When baking chicken at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s generally better to bake it uncovered to achieve a crispy skin.
Should I use aluminum foil when baking chicken?
Prevents over-browning: Foil can shield the chicken from direct heat, preventing excessive browning or burning on the surface.