This is my go-to recipe for boneless chicken thighs. It's incredibly easy, making it perfect for weeknight dinners. Simply apply olive oil and spices to the thighs and bake them for 30 minutes. It's as easy as can be and so delicious.
Chicken is easy and affordable, so I make it often for my family, and this recipe is one of my favorites. It has a winning combination of a truly easy recipe that's also delicious. The prep time is 10 minutes and the bake time is 30 minutes, so it's a quick recipe, too. Even the leftovers are good, although I prefer to enjoy them cold rather than risk drying the chicken when reheating it.
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Fresh chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken thighs. It's one of my favorite chicken parts because it's cheap, readily available, easy to cook and eat, and wonderfully juicy!
- Olive oil: You can use melted butter or ghee instead of olive oil. Melted butter is especially good. You can use salted or unsalted butter - I tried both, and both work equally well. The drawback to butter is that it can solidify on cold chicken pieces.
- Seasonings: I use quite a few spices and recommend using them all. They add wonderful flavor! I use kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
Instructions
Oven-baking is my favorite way of preparing chicken thighs. It's easy, but you don't sacrifice any flavor. The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and add olive oil and spices. I use my hands to make sure they are well-coated.
Arrange the chicken in a rimmed baking dish. A 9x13-inch pan works well. Bake the chicken in a 400°F oven until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Italian Seasoning Variation
Sometimes, when I'm feeling lazy, I spray the thighs with olive oil and sprinkle them with a teaspoon of kosher salt and a tablespoon of Italian seasoning. While not as good as the original recipe, they are very flavorful, and it's a fun variation my family enjoys. Here's a photo that shows what this version looks like:
My family loved it! I made it again for a potluck, and it was a hit. So easy and quick. I'm so glad you mentioned not needing to trim the fat - that saves time and is my least favorite part of cooking thighs.
Heidi
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Recipe Tips
Bake Different Sizes Together
If you buy them in pre-packaged trays at the supermarket, boneless chicken thighs come in different sizes, as shown in the photo below. It's OK to bake them all together until the biggest ones are cooked through. The small ones will still be juicy and delicious!
Trimming the Fat
You can trim the fat, but I don't, as shown in the photo below. Most of it melts away during baking, and what remains is delicious - fat adds flavor to food. The fat also helps protect the chicken from drying out in the oven, keeping it juicy.
Using a Sheet Pan
I typically use a 9x13-inch ceramic baking sheet. I experimented with baking the thighs on a sheet pan, as shown in the photo below. The result was very good, and the thighs turned out nicely browned and flavorful, but I think a baking dish is better at keeping them juicy.
Serving Suggestions
Since I bake the chicken in a 400°F oven, I like to serve it with a side dish I can cook in the same oven. So, I often serve it with any of the following:
- Baked shiitake mushrooms
- Zucchini casserole
- Broccoli tots
- Jicama fries
- Roasted asparagus
- Roasted carrots
- Roasted cabbage
- Mini peppers
It also pairs well with easy stovetop side dishes like creamed spinach (shown in the photo below), zucchini noodles, and sautéed mushrooms.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I usually shred or slice them and add them cold to a salad, as shown in the photo below. They go well with arugula salad, spinach salad, and Cobb salad.
If you'd like to reheat them, it's best to do so gently, in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also reheat them in a 350°F oven until heated through. Be gentle - the chicken will dry out if you reheat the leftovers too aggressively, especially in the microwave.
You can also freeze the cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Recipe Card
Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika - not regular paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl.
- Add the olive oil and spices. Use your hands to coat the chicken.
- Arrange the seasoned thighs in a single layer on a rimmed baking dish, such as a 9 X 13-inch baking dish. If there's some residual oil and spice mixture in the bowl, brush it on the chicken pieces.
- Bake uncovered until the thighs are cooked through, juices run clear, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the largest thigh reads 165ºF. In my oven, this takes about 30 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you buy them in pre-packaged trays at the supermarket, boneless, skinless chicken thighs come in various sizes. It's OK to bake them all together until the biggest ones are cooked through. The small ones will still be juicy and delicious!
- You can trim the fat, but I don't. Most of it melts away during baking, and what remains is delicious. The fat also helps protect the chicken from drying out in the oven.
- The smoked paprika is an important ingredient that adds great flavor. Please don't skip it.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I usually shred them and add them, cold, to a salad. If you'd like to reheat them, it's best to do so gently, in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also reheat them in a 350°F oven until heated through. Be gentle - the chicken will dry out if you reheat the leftovers too aggressively, especially in the microwave.
- Once cool, the leftovers can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition per Serving
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Tina says
This was delicious and so simple. I got home 5:30, had thighs thawed in the fridge. Didn’t know what to do. Found this and voila!! A perfect meal, with left overs for lunch at work. The thighs were juicy and the seasonings were just what was needed for a little kick! Had three small thighs with asparagus and zucchini in butter and garlic. Great.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Tina! I'm really glad you enjoyed this recipe. Your dinner sounds amazing - that side dish sounds yum.
Abbie says
Absolutely delicious!
Teresa says
I love this recipe. It's a quick and easy dinner and, with my arthritic hands, it's a Godsend. I left out the cayenne and cumin since I didn't have any. It turned out moist and delicious. I put the chicken thighs in a plastic bag, toss in the spices and roll it around until all are well coated.
Thank you for sharing such a great recipe.
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Teresa! Thanks you for sharing your method.
Heidi says
My family loved it! I made it again for a potluck and it was a hit. So easy and quick. I'm so glad you mentioned not needing to trim the fat - that saves time and is my least favorite part of cooking thighs. 😉
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Heidi! Thanks for taking the time to write a review - I appreciate it.
Nae Nae says
These were so unbelievably delicious and moist! I took your advice and did not trim the fat, and I think it actually added another level of flavor. I actually mixed the oil and other ingredients in a measuring cup and drizzled and rubbed it in all over the thighs, so quick and easy!My husband, daughter and I just loved them and I will be making this recipe often!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful! I'm so glad your family enjoyed this recipe. Thank you very much for the review.
Dawn says
Wow! I followed the recipe and it was delicious. It was 25 min in my oven and I let it rest for about 5 min. It was flavorful and not too spicy at all.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Dawn! I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for the review.
Kristine says
This was delicious! Very flavorful and tender. Would make again and recommend.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Kristine! Thanks for the review.
Stevie D says
Made this tonight and it was great! I enjoy bold flavors, so I upped the amount of spices to tablespoons instead of teaspoons (approximately tripled amounts, except I had about 2.5 pounds of chicken after trimming fat). I also enjoy heat, and in keeping with the smoky flavor, I added chipotle powder. Lastly, I sliced 2 onions pole-to-pole and added them to the chicken while it sat with the spices for about 30 minutes. I served it over jasmine rice and it was incredible. Thanks for the recipe! It is a keeper for sure.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thanks for the review, Stevie. I love the idea of adding sliced onions!
Nancy Williams says
This is a perfect change for cooking Chicken boneless, skinless Chicken thighs. They are easy to make and my husband loves them, and he isn't easy to impress!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Nancy! I'm so glad you and your husband like this recipe.
kimdearly says
I use and Air fryer for my chicken and it is always moist and delicious I will try your ingredients for something new today thank you for sharing
Jane Czarnecki says
how long in air fryer? what temp?
Alison says
Just made this for supper with my VERY picky husband. It turned out great and he actually ate it.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Alison! I'm so glad this was a success.