Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

There are two things I always have stocked in my freezer, homemade dumplings/potstickers and chicken thighs. They’re two of the easiest and most perfect things to pull out of the freezer, thaw and cook up to make a delicious, protein packed meal.

These Oven Baked Chicken Thighs are one of my favorite dinners to make during the week. They’re super low maintenance and taste so good! Our version is a simple honey mustard version studded with garlic and thyme for an extra savory flavor. It’s seriously the best and easiest chicken thighs recipe ever!

How to Make Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

Process

Honey Mustard Sauce

1. In a mixing bowl, combine mustard, honey, stock, and garlic.
2. Whisk together.

Prepping and Cooking the Chicken Thighs

3. Season chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
4. Heat a skillet with olive oil and sear chicken thighs skin side down in a skillet for about browned. Flip each thigh over and continue to cook for a couple minutes. Remove from heat. (this can be done in batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet when searing). Once all thighs have been seared, drain almost all fat from skillet and fit all thighs into skillet, if done in batches.

5. Pour sauce over chicken thighs and add thyme sprigs.
6. Place skillet in oven and bake until the internal temperature of chicken reaches 175˚F and juices run clear when pierced with a knife. Remove skillet from oven and allow chicken to rest, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken thighs, season with a little more salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.

Tools You Will Need

• cutting board
• knife
• measuring spoons
• dry measuring cups
• mixing bowl
• whisk
• liquid measuring cup
• skillet or braiser or sauté pan

How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs?

Since chicken thighs are dark meat, they are more forgiving when it comes to cooking than chicken breasts. They also take longer to cook through. I generally say it’s a good idea to bake chicken thighs (that are bone-in) at 375˚F for at least 30-40 minutes, after searing them, to make sure they’re completely cooked through. Again, they’re more forgiving so if you end up baking them for up to an hour, you should still be okay without the meat getting dry or tough.

For baked boneless chicken thighs, you need less time. I usually bake boneless chicken thighs at 375˚F for 25 to 30 minutes, after searing them off.

Tips and Tricks for Oven Baked Chicken Thigh Success

• We love searing the thighs before pouring the sauce over them and baking. This will render some of the fat as well as help the skin get nice and crispy.
• If you want extra crispy skin, avoid pouring the sauce directly over the seared thighs and just pour the liquid around the thighs. Alternatively, remove the seared thighs from the skillet/braiser, pour in the sauce and then nestle the thighs (skin-side up) back into the sauce.
• Pat the chicken thighs dry before seasoning and searing them to further help optimize the crispy skin.
• If you’re unsure about the doneness of the chicken just use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.

Storing, Reheating and Freezing Leftover Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Storing and Reheating

This dish will keep for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, transfer thighs and sauce to a baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350˚F for 10 to 15 minutes or until just heated through.

Freezing and Reheating

To freeze leftovers, place thighs and sauce in an airtight, freezable baking dish, tightly wrap in foil and freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, place frozen, covered baking dish in a 350˚F oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through.

Variations for our Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

• You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer, just reduce the baking time by about 10 minutes.
• Boneless, skinless (or bone-in and skin-on) chicken breast can also be used in this recipe, just reduce the baking time by 15-20 minutes.
• We mentioned above that searing the thighs before baking them will help the skin stay crispy, but if that isn’t important to you and you want to save a bit of time and effort you can definitely just bake the thighs in the sauce without searing them. You can also use a baking dish instead of a skillet if you take this route. You may need to add a few minutes to the overall baking time, but that’s it!
• Add some spices to the chicken thighs before searing them for even more added flavor like smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, cumin or garlic powder.
• We call for stone ground mustard in this recipe because we love the gritty texture. A great substitute is whole grain mustard, and our Homemade Whole Grain Mustard is so easy to make and a delicious condiment to keep in your refrigerator!

What to Serve with Our Baked Chicken Thighs?

• Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin
• Cauliflower, Parsnip and Roasted Garlic Mash
• Creamed Kale
• Grilled Avocado and Gem Salad with Herb Yogurt Dressing
• Watercress Salad with Green Apple Vinaigrette
• Lightly Roasted Green Beans
• Roasted Radishes
• Balsamic Grilled Carrots
• Aromatic Roasted Root Vegetables

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