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Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

5 from 4 votes
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posted: 02/13/20

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Baked Chicken Thighs make such a great weeknight dinner. My chicken thighs marinade can be made the night before, making this a great 30 minute dinner!

close up of baked chicken thighs on a plate with lettuce and roasted root vegetables

There are so many nights when I just want an easy dinner that I can throw in the oven and walk away from while I help with homework, comb syrup out of hair (true story), and give snuggles.

I’m a girl who always gravitates towards stove top meals and neglects my oven. But these Baked Chicken Thighs are a great reminder of how perfect oven ready meals are.

This chicken thigh recipe can be made the night before. Throw together a simple marinade and refrigerate overnight. The following day, you can just pop them in the oven when you get home from work.

overhead view of marinade for chicken thighs with oil, honey, lemon juice, minced garlic, and seasonings in a large glass measuring cup

CHICKEN THIGHS MARINADE

The marinade for this recipe follows the basic principles of a lot of great marinades, an acid, an oil, some sweetness, and seasonings.

  • Olive Oil
  • Honey
  • Lemon Juice
  • Garlic
  • Parsley
  • Salt
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Pepper

Whisk all of it together and pour over the chicken thighs. I like using a reusable container. I’m so guilty of using single use plastic (like gallon bags for marinating), but it’s terrible for the environment. I’m working on it.

a marinade being poured over skinless chicken thighs in a baking dish

HOW LONG TO MARINATE CHICKEN

Here’s the deal with marinating meat: You are looking to penetrate the surface, but not completely break it down.

Meat that marinates for too long can become mushy because the acid (in this case the lemon juice) in the marinade breaks down the meat.

We are looking to marinate for at least 20 minutes, but no longer than 24 hours.

overhead view of boneless skinless chicken thighs in a baking dish, covered in marinade

BONE IN OR BONELESS CHICKEN THIGHS

Good news! This recipe works for both boneless or bone in chicken thighs.

This recipe calls for 2 pounds of bone in chicken thighs. When you buy chicken thighs with skin on it you get that nice crispy layer of skin.

You can also use this marinade for 1 pound of boneless chicken thighs.

This is a great recipe to double if you are having company over. If you double the meat for this recipe, please also double the marinade.

close up of a recipe for baked chicken thighs on a baking sheet after it has come out of the oven

HOW LONG TO BAKE CHICKEN THIGHS IN THE OVEN

We are baking this at a really high temperature, so this is a fast cooking recipe. We will bake these chicken thighs at 425 degrees. Bone in chicken thighs will take between 20 and 25 minutes, with boneless thighs taking a little bit less time.

Because oven temperatures can vary, the most important thing is that you check the internal temperature of the meat with an instant read thermometer. When you cut into the chicken thighs the juices should run clear.

pulled back view of chicken thighs that have been marinated and baked on a plate with lettuce and roasted rooted vegetables

WHAT TO SERVE ON THE SIDE

Simple dinners make everything better, don’t you think? So to go along with these simple chicken thighs should be simple sides. Thank goodness I’m the queen of simple sides. (Real title, true story.)

I made my Roasted Root Vegetables with this chicken. It is perfect because they both cook for about the same amount of time at the same temperature. And the flavors compliment each other perfectly.

overhead view of baked chicken thighs on a white plater, garnished with fresh parsley on top of a blue cloth napkin on a cutting board

OTHER GREAT DINNER IDEAS

If you are always on the prowl for good dinner ideas for your family, here are some other great ideas:

If you try this awesome chicken recipe or any of my other recipes please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

overhead view of chicken thighs on a plate with roasted root vegetables and salad
close up of baked chicken thighs on a plate with lettuce and roasted root vegetables
5 from 4 votes

Baked Chicken Thighs

Serves: 4 servings
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Baked Chicken Thighs make such a great weeknight dinner. My chicken thighs marinade can be made the night before, making this a great 30 minute dinner!

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds bone in chicken thighs

Chicken Thigh Marinade

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Make the marinade by combinging all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Put the chicken in a sealable container. Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and move the chicken around as needed to ensure they are full coated. Place the container in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Place the marinated chicken onto the rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the chicken reads 165 degrees.
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
close up of baked chicken thighs on a plate with lettuce and roasted root vegetables

did you make this

Baked Chicken Thighs

I’d love to see what you made! Tag me @lisasimplejoy and hashtag it #simplejoyrecipes!

Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

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  1. Annie says

    Sounds good

    • Lisa Longley says

      I hope you love it Annie!

  2. Bev Connon says

    Hi! I have used several of your recipes and love them!! I do have a question for this recipe for Baked Chicken Thighs. In some of the explanations above the actual recipe under the title “Bone in or Boneless”, you say to use 2 pounds of bone-in thighs or use 1 pound of boneless. In the recipe you mention only 1 pound of bone-in thighs. I would like to use the bone-in thighs. Do I use 1 pound or 2 pounds for this recipe?

    Thank you!!!

    Bev

    • Lisa Longley says

      I am nothing but grateful for readers like you Bev! Thank you for catching this! It should say 2 pounds bone in. It’s fixed now.

  3. Dolores says

    Lisa, I need a good chicken enchalida sauce recipe made w soups and different spices. Got any suggestions.

  4. Lynda says

    5 stars
    Made This Chicken and the Root Veggie this week. I normally do not fix chicken thighs but I am now a converted believer. These were wonderful. The skin was nice and crispy, the flavor was awesome and my husband loved them !! The root veggie had a new one for us too. Neither of us had ever had parsnips. I am not sure they will be on our menu again but hey we tried something new. The receipe however was great. My daughter dropped by and of course “hey mom what are you guys having for dinner” . She did love all of the root veggies including the parsnips.
    Thanks for always giving me something new to try each week. Keep up the good work

    • Lisa Longley says

      Lynda, this recipe made my day! I’m so glad that you guys liked it, even if the parsnips weren’t your favorite. I’m so glad you enjoy trying my recipes.

  5. Ginny Gunn says

    Hi making this chicken tonight ! Do I discard the marinade after I put the chicken in the baking dish

    • Lisa Longley says

      Definitely discard the marinade!

  6. Carl Pirro says

    Thanks for the recipes Lisa.

  7. John D Egbert Jr says

    Will this recipe work with chicken breast’s as well? I’m not a fan of dark meat chicken.

    • Lisa Longley says

      Yes! I would just stick with bone in chicken breasts.

  8. Richard olusegun odebode says

    I have very greatful for this food and the recipe thanks and God bless you,you are too good thanks moor help

  9. Mary Celine says

    Do you recommend using chicken legs as well as the thighs?

    • Lisa Longley says

      This recipe was only made with thighs, but legs will work as well. They might have a slightly different cooking time than the thighs, so I recommend using an instant read thermometer.

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MY TOP 10 EASY DINNER EBOOK!