These Keto Chicken Thighs are super crispy and so easy to make and with no dirty skillet or grease splattered all over your kitchen! They are a frequent weeknight meal in my house because everyone loves baked crispy chicken thighs and it is definitely kid friendly. They are the perfect chicken dinner...and so much easier than pan frying!
Chicken thighs are my favorite cut of meat. They stay juicy and flavorful, even when they are overcooked. When the skin gets nice and crispy, it's like a delicious chip!
Anytime I buy chicken it's going to be chicken thighs. I might not always buy the ones with the bone and skin on, though. I do like the simplicity of boneless skinless chicken thighs and then I will use my recipe for Baked Boneless Skinless Chicken thighs. Also, when I am in a time crunch, I will opt for my Air fryer Chicken Thighs recipe because it can be finished in around 40 minutes.
Ingredients needed
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this keto chicken thighs recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Chicken thighs - Of course for this recipe you will need bone in and skin on chicken thighs. They will need to be thawed and trimmed of any excess fat. Sometimes the chicken comes in the package with a lot of excess skin and fat. You will want to trim that off.
Baking powder - This might be a surprise ingredient for a crispy chicken thigh recipe but trust me! The baking powder (not soda!) helps the chicken skin get super crispy! You will not be able to taste it after cooking, promise!
Smoked paprika - Beautiful smoked paprika can sometimes be harder to find but I have always had luck at large grocery stores. It really gives these chicken thighs a great smoky flavor without having to pull out the grill.
Kosher salt - I always use kosher salt when cooking. I love the big pieces and it seasons food perfectly. If you opt for table salt, you would want to use half as much.
Garlic powder, dried oregano, and onion powder - my favorite seasonings for nicely seasoned chicken.
How to make keto chicken thighs in the oven
This section explains how to make this keto chicken thighs recipe step by step. For a full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
- Our first step is to preheat our oven and line a sheet tray with foil (to avoid the most mess) and then top the sheet tray with a baking rack. This will help the juices drip from the chicken so they can get nice a crispy.
- I like to put all of the chicken thighs in a zip top bag (these bag holders are great for that!) and then pour all of the seasonings on top. Zip the bag closed and then shake the bag for a few minutes to make sure all of the seasonings are evenly distributed. You really want to focus on this step, especially with that baking powder!
3. Now we place the chicken thighs on the baking tray, evenly spaced. Bake them in the pre-heated oven at 250F for 30 minutes to start rendering the fat from the skin without smoking up your house. Then we are going to crank up the heat to 425F for 25 minutes and let the chicken skin get nice and crispy and the inner meat will be so juicy. Make sure the internal temperature of your chicken is 165F. I check this by inserting an internal meat thermometer probe in the center of the chicken.
Expert tips
- Make really sure you coat all of the thighs evenly with the seasonings. You don't want to have a big pile of baking powder on one of your pieces of chicken!
- These crispy chicken thighs are definitely budget friendly. I bought a 5 lb bag of frozen chicken thighs at the grocery store for $6.49. That was cheaper than the fresh chicken thighs. You will want to thaw your chicken using a safe method such as leaving them in an air tight container over night in the refrigerator.
- This method can also be used to make really crispy chicken legs and wings! I also use the baking powder method to make my Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings.
Swaps and substitutions
- Baking powder This ingredient can just be skipped if you want. The skin will not get as crispy but it will still be amazing! You can also use arrowroot powder as a replacement.
- Seasonings Feel free to use whatever seasonings you want for this recipe! You could add a little cayenne pepper for spice!
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs I would not recommend this recipe for boneless skinless chicken thighs. Use this recipe instead.
Keto Chicken Thighs Storage and reheating instructions
- Storage Store these in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Reheating I recommend reheating these chicken thighs either in the air fryer or in the oven. You can also heat them skin side down in a skillet with a little oil. I do not recommend the microwave as the skin will become chewy and not very appetizing.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my house fill with smoke? This is more than likely from a dirty oven...no offense, my oven is dirty too! The old baked on stuff in your oven is more than likely smoking under the high temperature.
Can I just mix the seasonings beforehand and then coat each thigh in the seasonings...like shake n bake? Definitely! Many people have used this method and it works great.
Serving suggestions
- I love to make some thing on the stovetop like Fried Cabbage with Crispy Bacon, or keto creamed spinach since we are already using the oven.
- If you have a double oven, you could make Roasted butternut squash with Brown Butter walnuts (my fave!) or Garlic and Thyme roasted Mushrooms.
- If you have an air fryer, you could make Air fryer cheesy asparagus or Brussels sprouts!
- For a cold side dish I would go with my keto coleslaw recipe!
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Keto Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 Bone in, Skin on Chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoon baking powder (not baking soda!)
- ½ tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and a wire rack. Spray the wire rack with cooking spray.
- Trim each chicken thigh of any excess fat or skin with a sharp knife.
- Combine all of the seasonings and baking powder in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken in a bag or a bowl with a lid and top with the seasonings. Secure the bag or bowl and shake vigorously, being sure the chicken thighs are evenly coated in the seasonings. Remove the chicken from the bag and place on the rack, skin side up.
- Bake the chicken in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Increase the heat of the oven to 425F and move the oven rack up one spot then bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until brown and crispy. Chicken is cooked through when an internal temperature of 165F is reached.
Jennifer's tips
- The baking powder is essential to making these chicken thighs extra crispy. I like to make sure it is distributed evenly by shaking the chicken with the baking powder and seasonings in a bag or a large bowl with a lid.
- I have made this recipe with frozen and fresh chicken thighs. The frozen chicken thighs are more wet before cooking than fresh but they yield the same crispy results.
- I have also used this recipe to make crispy chicken legs. They were just as amazing! Just make sure you keep an eye on them in the final cook because they can cook a little quicker than the thighs.
- Storage Store these in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Reheating I recommend reheating these chicken thighs either in the air fryer or in the oven. You can also heat them skin side down in a skillet with a little oil. I do not recommend the microwave as the skin will become chewy and not very appetizing.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy only. Please re-calculate on your own with the ingredients and amounts you used for the most accurate data.
Terri says
This was good but I think I would rather have just added salt and pepper to my chicken. They were very crispy but didn't like the season you have used. I'm going to try next time to use the baking power and salt. Thank you for the recipe.
Renee says
Love this. I did use Arrowroot in place of baking power. Nice crispy mmmm
Roz Naber says
I left a comment but it didn’t post, anyways my husband and I agree this is a ten star recipe!
Roz Nabe4 says
I left a comment but it didn’t post, anyways my husband and I agree this is a ten star recipe!
Roz Naber says
I just made this recipe and my husband and I ate the skin for the first time in years. He LOVES it and this will be our new go to baked fried chicken from here on out. I did bake it at 400 degrees for 45 minutes and then turned it down to 275 for the last ten minutes. Cooked it in our convection oven…best chicken recipe ever. Easy and no mess! I never tasted the baking powder and I only used 2 tbsp for five bone in chicken thighs. High praises to you. This is our new favorite chicken recipe. Thank you.
Ronnie says
SO crispy and delish! I followed your recipe to the letter and the most crispy, delicious, oven baked chicken was happily devoured!
This was my first time using baking powder and I will always use it when I want extra crispy skin. This satisfied my craving for “fried” chicken. Thank you so much! It truly was delicious!
Steven says
My family and I love these Crispy Chicken Thighs. Thank you for the recipe as they have become a staple of our weekly dinners.
Ocampo says
Can I use frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs?
jenniferbanz says
Those will not work for this recipe
Mae Kleinheksel says
Love this! Share it all the time with friends on all diets.
Georgia Abela says
Tried this recipe tonight. I was skeptical at first with the oven temperatures but they turned out very crispy and delicious. My kitchen was filled with smoke in the last half hour of cooking but I now know my smoke detectors are fully functioning!!
Lauren says
I've made this now a few times and it's delicious every time! Tonight I'm trying it on drumstick, can't wait!
VASILIKI chios says
This was delicious. Turned out perfect. For sure mind the baking powder. Thank you very much.
VASILIKI chios says
This was by far the best oven fried chicken ever. For sure you have to be careful with the baking powder; Thank you very much.
Grace says
Wow, what easy recipe and delicious. Who would of ever thought using baking powder. Next I’ll try with chicken drumsticks.
Peggy C. says
I just used your recipe and it was amazing. So glad I tried it. It will go in my Keto binder for future reference. Thank you so much for sharing. I loved it!
Paula says
Ok I have to say this was an easy recipe to follow and the only thing I did different was to mix the chicken in the seasoning after I shook the bag to mix it up. I put them in one at a time and shook them off to get rid of the extra. All I can say is it was one of the most delicious chicken thighs I had ever eaten!!!!!!!!! My whole family loved it!!!
Kat says
I’ve been using baking POWDER to get that crispy crunchy skin for several years! It really works. For air fryer…375 skin side down. 13 min. Turn skin side up and 13 more minutes.
BEEF: ie, fajitas, Philly cheesesteaks etc. rubbing a pinch or two of baking soda on the meat tenderizes.
Tora says
This is my go to. I literally make it every week and we aren’t even Keto. So easy. Thank you
Angele Robillard says
Really enjoyed this. Love crispy chicken skin. Will definitely make it again
Thank you
Melody says
I just sat down to eat and I have to say, delicious! Very flavorful and moist chicken with a nice crisp skin. I will for sure make again. Thank you!
Angie G says
Thanks Jennifer. I followed your instructions exactly. My husband ate more than his share............ It was easy to follow and ingredients that we have on hand and tasty too. I will definitely use your recipe again.
Kristy Cardin says
Can you cook with skinless boneless thighs? It looks well!
jenniferbanz says
I would skip the baking powder and then just bake them at 400F for about 20 minutes
Bonnie says
So crispy and delicious
Jill Heun says
Could you use this method on a whole Chicken?
jenniferbanz says
I have not tried it so I cannot say.
Jenn S. says
Yes you can but you have to take the back bone out and flatten the chicken like you're making chicken under a brick.
Julie says
This was so delicious and easy to make! The whole family loved it.
Stephanie says
This is a great recipe! Super easy and super crispy! I’ve pinned this and will definitely make this again! ?
Thanks!
Linda Buchanan says
I have a helpful hint. If you will mix all the seasonings together in the bag before you add the chicken there will be a lot more even distribution of flavors and a lot less chance of tasting the baking powder .
Alayna Bean says
You posted this over a year ago, but I just found it. And I have to say...I wasted that ear! It was a whole year I could have been eating this chicken!!! Absolutely love this, it's a new go-to for my house!
Julia says
We loved it!! I also worried about the initial low temperature as I needed an extra 10 minutes at the 425 to cook the chicken, but the end result was excellent. I think the next time I will pump up the spice, but will certainly make this again. Thanks!
Carol Dees says
Going to give this a try on de-boned thighs, but mine doesnt have the skin. Darn! Think I'll add some pork rind crumbs!
Virginia says
You need to make a cookbook. Your recipes are so good!
tora says
I have made this twice this week. Totally amazing and so crispy!
Gina says
They definitely looked and felt crispy at first, but, I don't know. Maybe the baking powder feeling whenever taking a bite made it feel off? I can't explain it, but the crispy chicken I was longing for was disappointing, and I ended up removing the skin all together.
Evelyn says
Can i use air fryer instead of oven for this
jenniferbanz says
yes
Alexis says
My absolute go to for chicken. love love love!! Thank you!
Elina says
Loved it!
Pat Greene says
I’ve made these multiple times. They are very crispy and tasty..
dehmom says
Next time I will double the baking powder and spices, coat half the chicken at a time, and use breasts instead of thighs.
THANK YOU!
Susan McKinnon says
I love this recipe but the first time I made it I used too much baking powder by mistake and Jennifer is right-it alters the taste. The second time I used the right amounts and the thighs were wonderful!
Heather says
I loved this chicken. Thank you for the recipe. I’d like to try the same thing on chicken wings. Have you tried that or do you have a best guess on what the cooking times might be?
jenniferbanz says
Yes, it works just as well on wings but I am not sure of the time
Cheryl Citron says
Susan, this is the basic method we use for wings, the instructions say put the rack in the bottom third of the oven at the lower temp for about the same amount of time, then use the rack in the top third of the oven, again as in this recipe. I will never make wings another way! For 2 pounds of wings we use 1 TBL baking powder and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt. The wings need to be very dry, and it helps to put them uncovered in the fridge to dry for a few hours... They come out great. We do turn them at least once on the second cooking on the top rack.
Brunella Brunet says
protein powder does well also.
Jenn G. says
I'm making this today, for my weekend food prep. I only have three chicken thighs, so I'm going to cut the seasonings in half. I hope it works! This looks delish!
Karen says
This was Amazing❣️ Crispy fried chicken without the mess.
I reduced the salt to 1 tso based on other comments. Loved it.
It is a keeper.
Minette Satterwhite says
I made it as directed and it was good. I think the chicken could use a brine to lock in moisture. Watch the last 10 mins bc my was a little dry and powdery. Overall, it was tasty...I used a homemade taco seasoning and legs/thighs my fam loved it! Play with it.
Dot says
I have to apologize - I used the wrong chicken thighs.. skinless no bones! What was I thinking- I will try again with bone-in skin on....never try what I did(very dry crust).... sorry..
Flabl says
Can you BBQ instead of baking in oven?
jenniferbanz says
That should work!
Alexis says
At first I didn't think I was doing it right!?! But them Bam... it turned out amazing! My husband couldn't wait for me to pull the chicken out of the oven. Thank you, this will be added to our monthly menu for dinner.
Kimberlee Joyner says
This recipe was amazing! I did just as you said and the skin was so crispy and the chicken was very juicy and cooked completely! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Lisa says
I can’t tell you how glad I was to find this recipe! The chicken comes out perfect every time (I’ve made this four or five times now) and is delicious! My four and six year old super picky eaters will scarf this chicken down. Thank you for a super easy and crunchy baked chicken recipe!
Katie says
Can I use boneless/skinless thighs?
jenniferbanz says
This really wouldn't be a good method for boneless skinless thighs. You could use the seasoning but don't use the baking powder. Bake them in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165F
Danielle says
I am truly impressed with this recipe. Chicken was crisp and juicy. So delicious!
J Hall says
First time using baking powder and made this last week. Did not change a thing DELISH! Crispy and tastee Skin, juicy and tender chicken. Made a salad and Cauliflower Mash, I was the low carb hero. Jennifer, Thanks so much for the recipe!!!
Shawn Creitz says
My husband and I are new to keto (5weeks) and this is a great addition to my sad little keto recipe book. We love crispy skin and this was such a good find!
Brett says
Worked perfectly! They were so tender and the skin was crispy. This will be a semi monthly standards for me.
Side note: I took 3 leftover thighs and microwaved then for about a minute to warm the insides. Then I put them under the broiler for about 8 minutes and BAM! Crispy skin again!
Lisa Long says
Amazing! I was afraid that I would taste the baking powder, but I did not. The skin was so crispy that it actually did seem like it was breaded and fried, Kentucky style. I used the hot Slap Yo Mama seasoning in place of the listed seasonings because that’s how I normally season them. The baking powder is a game changer! Thank you!!!!
Michelle says
Hi Jennifer, I made thighs according to your recipe and they were excellent! Thank you! How about breasts on the bone? I'm wondering about cooking time and temp. Thanks!
Kathy Bowlin says
Hi Jennifer, I'm getting ready to make the crispy chicken thighs and am worried there's a typo in the directions. In the beginning, it reads "Preheat the oven to 250F. .....
Bake the chicken in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Increase the heat of the oven to 425F and move the oven rack up one spot then bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until brown and crispy. Chicken is cooked through when an internal temperature of 165F is reached." Do I bake it at 250F for the first 30 minutes, or should it be 350F? Please let me know so I don't munk it up : ) Super thanks! Kathy
jenniferbanz says
The instructions are correct, bake at 250F to start rendering the fat in the skin. Then cook at 425F to get them crispy
Erica Moreland says
I added a little cayenne because we like things spicy, but otherwise made it exactly as directed-perfect! My husband raved over how juicy and crispy it was. Thanks for this incredibly easy and delicious recipe!
Stella says
I added almond flour to achieve something closer to a breading and it worked out great. My husband declared he’s never going back to eating chicken breast if we can make thighs taste this good!
Suzy says
I made this with Slap Your Mama seasonings and 1 tbsp of salt which was a bit much salt for the 4 lg thighs that I had, but it still came out really crispy and tasty.
And my almost 17 y/o DD, whosa a "sometimes" vegetarian ate & loved the chicken. We generally don't eat chicken on the bone but she ate it up.
Perfect recipe. Thank you
Beth says
I bake these once a week. LOVE these!
Andrea says
I made these in my Air Fryer! SO delicious! Had to make in 2 batches 4 at a time. They came out perfect! 400 degrees 20 minutes! Excellent!
April says
Andrea, I just got my Air Fryer as an early Christmas gift. I'm SO going to try your suggestion!! Thanks for posting!!
Lori says
WOW WOW WOW WOW!!! This recipe was amazing. I'll never go back to regular fried chicken. The flavors were mouth watering. My husband gave it an A+ and hes very picky about his fried chicken. It was easy as well. I feel now I've perfected the fried chicken issue Ive had. Thank you for sharing this. I will be making this weekly.
Lori D says
WOW WOW WOW WOW!!! This recipe was amazing. I'll never go back to regular fried chicken. The flavors were mouth watering. My husband gave it an A+ and hes very picky about his fried chicken. It was easy as well. I feel now I've perfected the fried chicken issue Ive had. Thank you for sharing this. I will be making this weekly.
June says
Made these tonight! OMG perfect in every way. Crispy like you said. I told my husband to eat the skin and he wouldn't (old school, no skin). So I ate his since I am doing Keto. Just delicious. I will be making this again and again. Even though I used a rack my chicken on the bottom wasn't crispy. Do you have any advice about this. Made lots of juice in the pan which I also like. Thanks again
.
Michelle says
This recipe is delicious!! My son told me it was the best chicken he’d ever ate!
Barbara says
1/2 tablespoon of salt? All we tasted was the salt
jenniferbanz says
Did you use kosher salt? 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt for 4 pounds of chicken thighs is pretty standard. 4 pounds of chicken thighs would be about 8 thighs.
Jody says
Nani, did you increase the temp in the oven after the first 30 minutes? It goes a second half hour but at 425 degrees. Should work brilliantly. I did let mine go a little longer because I was waiting for another dish to cook.
Martha says
Love this recipe, crispy perfect every time! Using baking Powder on buffalo or hot wings works well too!
Jody says
I made this last night and my family LOVED the chicken thighs. My son said several times how much it tasted like KFC. LOL I will definitely be making this again - even for the simple fact that I'm not eating meat protein for two weeks and missed out on it. Thanks for the recipe!
Diann says
This was a great recipe. I had two lbs of chicken and I tweaked the recipe accordingly. I didn't have smoked paprika (out), so I used regular and the liquid smoke tip. I had another casserole in so I couldn't do the temps the same, so I did 350 until temp, and we loved it. It takes a little longer to cook that way, but it was fine. Love this recipe!
Nyoka says
I'm wanting to make this with leg quarters. I'll probably have to play with the baking time but I'm excited to make it. My mom use to pretty much make the same thing but with cornstarch instead of baking powder. I didn't know baking powder would crisp up. Thanks for the tip!
Peter says
Are you using a conventional oven or a convection type?? Does affect temperature setting.
I made this dish and everyone loved it.
I think that I would use parchment paper versus foil next time. The other thing that I should have done is remove the chicken when increasing the oven temp t0 425. I left the chicken in the oven and found that I had to shorten the final bake time to prevent burning.