Crispy Baked Keto Chicken Thighs Recipe

This Keto Chicken Thighs Recipe is 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. 

These keto baked chicken thighs are the perfect comfort food weeknight dinner...and so much easier than pan frying! I can guarantee you the whole family will love this easy chicken recipe.

Chicken thighs are my favorite cut of meat and the best part of the chicken. Unlike chicken breasts, they stay juicy and flavorful, even when they are overcooked.  The crispy skin is like a delicious chip! This keto recipe only has 2 net carbs per serving.

Anytime I buy skin-on chicken, it's going to be used to make these keto chicken thighs recipe.  I might not always buy the ones with the bone and skin on, though.  I do like the simplicity of boneless 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 juicy chicken thighs recipe you will need bone-in and skin on chicken thighs.  If they are frozen, 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!

The remaining simple ingredients needed are salt and black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, and onion powder. This seasoning mix will give the chicken thighs so much flavor.

How to make keto chicken thighs in the oven

This section explains how to make this keto chicken thighs recipe step by step. The full printable recipe card is near the bottom of this page.

1. 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.
2. 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 using an instant-read thermometer.  I check this by inserting an internal meat thermometer probe in the center of the chicken, avoiding the bone.

Expert tips

• Make sure to season the chicken thighs evenly.  You don't want to have a big pile of baking powder on one of your pieces of chicken!
• If your chicken pieces are frozen, you will want to thaw it using a safe method such as leaving them in an air tight container over night in the refrigerator.
• This method is really the best way to get crispy skin. You can also use it 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 on your keto chicken thighs 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 or red pepper flakes 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 airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This recipe is also great as meal prep with a quick side like Parmesan Cheese coated Green Beans.
• Reheating I recommend reheating these chicken thighs either in the air fryer, in the oven, or in a skillet over medium-high heat with a little avocado 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 chicken thigh in the seasonings...like shake n bake?  Definitely!  Many people have used this method and it works great.

Can I use this recipe with boneless chicken breast? You could use this recipe with boneless chicken breast but you will want to skip the baking powder. Also, make sure they do not go over 165F while cooking so they do not dry out. Bake them in a 400F oven for about 25 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chicken.

Serving suggestions

• Zucchini noodles with a creamy mushroom sauce
• Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
• Pressure Cooker Mashed Cauliflower
• Keto Coleslaw

More keto chicken thigh recipes

• Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Thighs
• Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs
• Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
• Instant Pot Chicken Thighs