Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Dec 8, 2025 
Whenever I make these oven roasted chicken thighs, my entire house fills up with fragrant rustic herb aromas, and I swear it feels like I’m in a gourmet restaurant. Every bite is juicy, tender, and perfectly seasoned.
This recipe for oven roasted chicken thighs is a true go-to dish in my household. I’m not trying to toot my own horn here, but everyone goes crazy for this main dish. The skin is golden and crispy, and underneath is the juiciest and most silky meat ever. Even if you’re a baked chicken cutlets kind of person, you’ll be very impressed with these delicious roasted chicken thighs. I know cooking poultry at home can intimidate even the most confident home cook, but trust me when I say this restaurant-worthy recipe is so simple and foolproof that in no time you’ll be wiping away your fears and feeling like Martha Stewart, or Ina Garten, whichever you prefer.
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Quick and easy – One of the reasons why I love this chicken dish is that it’s essentially impossible to mess it up. All you need to do is season the chicken, sear the skin, and bake it, and you’re ready to chow down.
Meal prep hero – The combo of minimal prep and deliciousness from those herby flavors, are why these chicken thighs are perfect for last-minute weeknight dinners.
One-pan magic – You definitely need a cast iron skillet (or another heavy duty oven-safe pan) for this recipe, and that means, drumroll please, one pan cooking and an easy cleanup!
Budget-friendly – You know why else this recipe is a win in my book? Well, chicken thighs are super affordable, yet feel luxurious, AND everyone goes crazy for this juicy piece of chicken.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Chicken thighs – Skin-on thighs offer the most robust chicken flavor, yet are extremely forgiving. Since chicken thighs are higher in fat than breasts, you can cook them longer (dare I say overcook them) while retaining a juicy interior texture. That means if you go to take a shower while your chicken is in the oven, and the timer beeps an extra 3-5 minutes, it’s not a big deal.
- Fresh herbs – I love using fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary sprigs in this recipe because they add incredible flavor and aroma to the chicken. Plus, using fresh herbs is a form of quality control; add in more for extra flavor, and remove them when the chicken is done to dial it down. With dried herbs, you’re kind of stuck with the flavors once you’ve sprinkled them all over the chicken.
- Lemon slices – Don’t skip out on using fresh lemon slices! Once you’ve tucked them in and around the chicken, they really brighten up the entire dish and add a pop of tanginess.
- Olive oil – And that soggy skin issue? Oh, I’m going to take care of that with good-quality olive oil and a hot, hot cast-iron skillet. I sear the skin first, so it gets a head start on crispiness before going in the oven.
- Tongs – These are a MUST so that you don’t have to touch the chicken.
How To Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Heat up the skillet – To get things started, I crank up the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and I set my cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. I load it up with a serious drizzle of olive oil, and now I’m ready to get cooking.
Prep the chicken – Next, I grab the chicken thighs, and I pat them dry. This ensures that the skin gets nice and golden crispy when it cooks. I sprinkle on a generous serving of salt, some garlic powder, and pepper.
Sear the chicken – Once the oil is hot, hot, hot, I add in the chicken skin-side down. I let that sizzle for about 7 minutes, until the skin is perfectly golden-brown.
Toss in the herbs – Now that the skin is crispy, I flip the chicken thighs to the other side and add in those fresh herbs and lemon slices. Now is when the kitchen starts to smell like a cute little French bistro!
Roast the chicken – Finally, I place the whole skillet into the oven, where the chicken roasts for about 15-18 minutes. Once that’s ready, I serve it up warm with my favorite sides.
Expert Tips
It’s really important to make sure that your chicken is cooked through! Always use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken is done — the thermometer should read at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Recipe Variations
- Herbs – Switch up the herbs and use fresh oregano, basil, and parsley for an Italian twist.
- Fresh garlic – To amp up the flavors of this delicious chicken recipe, you can also add a few smashed garlic cloves into the skillet right before roasting.
- Mustard – This recipe already makes a perfectly crispy chicken thigh, but you can make it bolder by coating the chicken with a thin layer of Dijon mustard just before baking.
Serving Suggestions
Simple, adjustable, and elegant, this oven-baked chicken recipe is truly the best!
And did I mention that skin-on chicken thighs are also nutritious? This recipe is low carb and protein-packed. I love to serve it with a few of the following side dishes:
- Provencal Style Potato Salad
- Perfect Southern Collard Greens
- Fresh Peach Basil Salad
- Southern Tomato Tart
- Oven Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
- Wilted Honey Butter Kale
Frequently Asked Questions
That could be because you didn’t dry the chicken thighs enough. You really need to pat them down to remove all the moisture. Another reason might be that you’ve overcrowded the pan. The chicken needs a little bit of breathing room to get nice and crispy.
Certainly! You can pat it dry and season it in advance. Just make sure to keep it in the fridge before cooking.
Storing
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, leftovers will keep well for 3-4 days. However, when reheated in the oven or microwave, the skin will not be nearly as crispy as when freshly made. But your thighs should still be juicy and delicious. For perfect-skin reheating, use your air fryer!
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More Delicious Chicken Recipes To Try
Help Me Spread the Word about this Fabulous Free Recipe! Sharing this recipe link on Pinterest and Facebook is super impactful, and I greatly appreciate it! Find the share buttons below the recipe form.
Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 large, bone-in chicken thighs, or 8-10 small
- 3-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3-5 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Set a 12- to 14-inch cast iron skillet on the stove top over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil.
- Pat the skin on the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the thighs with garlic powder. Then sprinkle generously with salt and ground black pepper.
- Once the oil is smoking hot, place the thighs in the skillet, skin side down. Sear for 5-7 minutes until the skin in golden-brown.
- Flip the chicken thighs over and add the fresh herb sprigs and the lemon slices.
- Place the entire skillet in the oven and roast for 15-18 minutes. Serve warm.
4 Stars for taste, Zero stars for technique.
I followed the recipe to a T. I am a fairly accomplished cook. Despite my better judgment, I heated the skillet to just below medium-high and used EVOO per the instructions. After 3 minutes of searing the chicken in the skillet, smoke consumed my kitchen and the rest of my condo. EVOO has a very low smoke point and should never be used above medium heat. 5-7 minutes to sear?? It was more like 2.5 minutes. Skin-on chicken thighs sear nicely at medium. After I pulled them off at 4 minutes, the skins were entirely black. A waste of expensive fresh herbs. I have a standard GE ceramic top electric range that I believe to have good temperature control. I used my Le Creuset cast iron skillet.
This was delicious! Thank you for the recipe 😄
That looks really great
Roasted chicken…Loved it. Thanks for sharing.
thansk you
Simple and delicious. My family loved them!
I make baked chicken thighs at least once a week and this recipe is a favorite!
Made this for dinner tonight and came out perfect. Baked at 450 for 15-16 minutes. Never had chicken thighs this good!