Baked Chicken Thighs

Boneless skinless chicken breasts seem to get allll the love these days. I get it. They're cheap, they're healthy, and they cook fast. But allow me to make a case for bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. In my humble opinion, they're all-around better. The reason? More fat! As we all know, fat = flavor. Plus, is there anything more delicious than crispy chicken skin? 

For juicy, tender chicken thighs every time, follow the below tips: 

Pat them dry.

This simple step makes a HUGE difference. The reason? Moisture creates steam while baking, which will give you flabby, pale skin instead of crispy golden skin. Give the thighs a dab on either side with a paper towel.  

Use bone-in, skin-on if you can.

Although working with bone-in chicken can sometimes be daunting, we promise that the added flavor as well as the golden-brown crispiness that can come from the skin, is well worth it. Boneless, skinless thighs really shine in stir fries, sandwiches, and stews.

Cook them crispy.

We can all agree that the best part about a roasted chicken is the crispy skin. To make sure that happens, position the thighs skin-side up in the pan and place them over the potatoes so that each thigh has room around it for air to circulate. Pieces that are too close together will cause that dreaded steam that we mentioned earlier, hindering your quest for crispy skin.

Don't be seasoning shy.

Like all meat, chicken thighs are better generously seasoned. Don't forget to season BOTH sides with salt—remember, you're not just seasoning the outside. As the meat cooks, the salt will work its way into the meat, flavoring each piece entirely. (Not to mention the schmaltzy roasted potatoes underneath them.) Bonus: Salt helps the meat retain moisture, meaning plumper, more juicy thighs. Win/win! For every pound of meat you have, plan to use about 1 teaspoon of salt. From there, the other seasonings are totally up to you.

Make it your own.

This recipe doubles as a blueprint for your own delicious chicken thigh creation. Switch up the citrus and herbs, add your favorite dry spices, or load it up with tons of garlic, shallots, or onions, if that's your style.  

Looking for a sauce to serve alongside? Though you often see it with steak, chimichurri also works great with chicken. There's also pesto, tzatziki, homemade bbq sauce...we could go on and on.

As for leftovers, we suggest shredding the remaining meat and making the best chicken salad ever. Until you're ready to do that, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

However you make it, take a pic, post it below, and tell us what you thought!

Editor's note: This recipe was updated on February 13, 2022, with more information.