If you've ever made chicken thighs in the oven and ended up with rubbery skin, this method fixes that. I use a simple trick to dry out the skin so it roasts up crispy while the inside stays juicy. It's an easy, repeatable way to get really good chicken without needing anything complicated.
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 and the skin is just as crispy.
How I get crispy chicken thighs in the oven
These baked chicken thighs come out with crispy skin and juicy meat every time using a simple two-temperature method. The baking powder helps dry out the skin so it roasts instead of steaming, which is what gives you that crispy texture without frying. Once you try it this way, it's hard to go back.
This is one of those recipes my whole family will actually eat without complaints. The crispy skin is the best part and it's hard not to pick at it straight off the pan. I usually make extra because it disappears fast.
What you'll need
Here's everything you need to make these crispy baked chicken thighs. It's all simple pantry spices and bone-in, skin-on chicken. Nothing fancy, just ingredients that work.
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (trimmed of excess skin and fat so they crisp instead of getting chewy)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (helps dry out the skin for crispiness)
- Seasonings: ½ tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon onion powder
How I make crispy baked chicken thighs
This is a simple two-step baking method that gives you crispy skin and juicy chicken. Starting at a lower temperature helps render the fat, then finishing at a higher temperature crisps everything up.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray so the chicken doesn't stick.
- Trim the chicken. Use a sharp knife to trim off any excess skin or large pieces of fat. This helps the skin crisp up instead of turning chewy.
- Season the chicken. In a small bowl, mix together the baking powder, salt, and spices. Place the chicken in a bowl or bag, add the seasoning, and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Start low. Place the chicken thighs skin side up on the rack. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes.
- Finish hot for crispy skin. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F and move the rack up one level. Bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crispy.
- Check for doneness. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. I usually let it go a little longer for extra crispiness.
Tips from Jennifer's Kitchen
- This method is what I use anytime I want crispy chicken in the oven. It works just as well for chicken legs and wings, not just thighs. The baking powder is the key here. It helps dry out the skin so it crisps up instead of steaming.
- If you've never tried it before, don't skip it or swap it for baking soda. It won't work the same and will affect the flavor.
- Make sure the chicken has a little space on the rack and isn't crowded. Airflow is what helps the skin crisp up, so if they're packed too close together, they'll steam instead.
- I use this same method for my garlic parmesan chicken wings, and they come out just as crispy without needing to fry them.
How I make my plate
This is one of those dinners I keep really simple. I usually do a couple of these chicken thighs with something easy on the side.
Most of the time, I'll pair it with my cauliflower casserole if I want something more filling, or a simple coleslaw to balance out the richness.
If I'm keeping it really easy, I'll just do a quick vegetable on the side or something I already have prepped in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but they won't get quite as crispy since they don't have the skin. They'll also cook faster, so keep an eye on them.
If you want crispy skin in the oven, I recommend it. It helps dry out the skin so it roasts instead of steaming.
Usually it comes down to moisture or overcrowding. Make sure the chicken is dry, evenly coated, and has space on the rack so the air can circulate.
Yes. Store them in the fridge and reheat in the oven or air fryer to bring the crispiness back.
They're safe at 165°F, but I usually let them go a little longer so they're more tender and the skin gets extra crispy.
Recipe Card
Crispy Chicken Thighs (Easy Oven Baked Recipe)
Ingredients
- 8 Bone in, Skin on Chicken thighs
- 1 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
Method
- 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.
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.