Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
These crispy baked chicken thighs are juicy, golden and almost effortless. A one-skillet, low carb dinner that’s big on flavor and short on prep.
There are few things in life more satisfying than biting into a perfectly crispy chicken thigh. You know the kind—golden brown, juicy as heck, and seasoned like it actually wants to be eaten. This is my favorite way to cook chicken thighs, and I’ve tried more than I care to admit.
It’s easy, almost lazy, and it tastes like you worked hard. Most of the magic happens in the oven, so you get all that flavor without babysitting a pan for 45 minutes.
I use my trusty cast iron skillet for this one—straight from stove to oven like a champ. No transferring. No extra dishes. No drama.
These thighs crisp up beautifully, and the skin? Oh, it’s next-level. You’ll want to eat it like chips. Let’s not act like we haven’t.
Gather Your Ingredients
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Olive oil
- Seasoned salt
- Parsley
How to Make Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. This is not optional if you want crispy skin.
- Rub the thighs all over with olive oil, then sprinkle generously with seasoned salt.
- Heat a cast iron skillet (or any oven-safe skillet) over medium-high heat.
- Place the thighs skin-side down and brown them for about 5 minutes. Don’t move them around. Let the skin do its crispy thing.
- Flip the thighs, then immediately transfer the whole skillet to the hot oven.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken hits 165 degrees inside and the skin is crispy enough to make noise when you tap it.
- Pull it out, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and try not to eat one straight from the pan while it’s lava-hot.
Recipe Tidbits
Get the best chicken you can swing—trust me, it matters. Cheap chicken tastes like it grew up sad. Bone-in, skin-on is where it’s at. Boneless is fine, but it won’t give you that rich, flavorful bite you get from meat cooked on the bone. Plus, crispy skin is basically the prize at the end.
If you’re feeling fancy, use a little chicken broth and cornstarch to make a quick gravy right in the skillet. Scrape up those brown bits with a wooden spoon and pat yourself on the back. You just made sauce like a grown-up.
And don’t even think about dirtying another dish—serve it right out of the skillet. Just don’t let anyone touch the pan/handle unless you like dinner with a side of ER.
Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 6 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp seasoned salt
- fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Rub the thighs all over with olive oil, then sprinkle generously with seasoned salt.
- Heat a cast iron skillet (or any oven-safe skillet) over medium-high heat. Place the thighs skin-side down and brown them for about 5 minutes without moving them.
- Flip the thighs, then immediately transfer the whole skillet to the hot oven.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
- Pull it out, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and enjoy!