How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs? The Correct Answer Is Here!

Chicken thighs are dark meat that is naturally more flavorful than other cuts. After baking, their skin is perfectly crisp, while the meat is tender and juicy, making them perfect for any party.

There are various oven-baked chicken thighs recipes on the internet, and each refers to a different cooking time, which can be overwhelming. 

So, how long to bake chicken thighs? This article will provide the exact answer. We will also guide you to bake chicken thighs properly for the perfect taste.

How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs

How long to bake chicken thighs.

According to the USDA, with chicken thighs weighing 4 to 8 ounces, you need 40 to 50 minutes to bake at 350 degrees. Besides, with boneless chicken thighs, you need 25 to 30 minutes to bake at 425 degrees.

How long to bake chicken thighs should depend on the temperature of your oven and whether your cuts are bone-in or skin-on.

Bake the pieces without bones and skin should take significantly less time but will lack delicious crispy skin and are not juicy.

To make things easier for you, we’ll give some estimates for how long to bake chicken thighs through the following tables:

Baking Chart For Skin-on, Bone-In, Chicken Thighs

Oven Temperature	Internal Temp	Average Time
350°F	175°F	From 50 to 55 minute
375°F	175°F	From 45 to 50 minute
400°F	175°F	From  40 to 45 minute
425°F	175°F	From 35 to 45 minute

Baking Chart For Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs 

Oven Temperature	Internal Temp	Average Time
350°F	175°F	40 minute
375°F	175°F	From 30 to 35 minute
400°F	175°F	From  20 to 23 minute
425°F	175°F	Not recommended

You need to remember that the temperatures of your oven may vary, affecting the cooking time it takes to bake your chicken thighs. 

So that’s the reason we always recommend cooking your chicken according to internal temperature instead of time.

Once the internal temperature of your cuts reaches 175°F (or 80°C), you’ll know they’re ready to serve. It is essential to prepare a thermometer that helps you determine when your chicken thighs are well done.

How to Bake Chicken Thighs?

How to bake chicken thighs.

There’s no denying that juicy baked thighs are significantly more delicious than other chicken cuts like breasts. You can add a bit of seasoning, and each of your bites is heavenly.

The Ingredients That You Need to Prepare

You can cook these thighs with your favorite seasoning blends or marinades.

For our recipe, we chose a combination of olive oil, garlic, and Italian seasoning. They will give your dish plenty of flavor.

• Pepper and salt: the essentials.
• Fresh garlic: It will give your chicken thighs plenty of flavors! Another alternative is to use garlic powder.
• Olive oil: With your other seasonings, you can expect it will form a paste, helping your chicken skin bake crispy and nice.
• Italian seasoning: It is available in the pantry staple of many skilled chefs, giving the chicken thigh a delicious taste and aroma.
• Chicken thighs⁠: Skin-on, bone-in chicken breast. 

How to Season Your Baked Chicken Thighs

You can use any combination of spices, dried herbs, and salt to season your chicken thighs. You will want to start lightly drizzling your chicken thighs with olive oil before sprinkling the seasonings and rubbing them into your chicken.

There is no denying that the mixture of dry spices and olive oil is how you can get golden and crispy chicken skin.

We prefer a combination of herbs and spices in a small bowl so that every piece will get an even amount. In addition, unlike marinades, you can bake your chicken immediately after seasoning.

A Step-By Step-Guide

Our recipe calls for skin-on, bone-in thighs, the Italian seasoning rub, and fresh garlic. Yet, you can still follow this tutorial with your favorite marinade or seasonings. Here are the critical steps that you need to stick to:

Step 1: Preheat

Preheat your oven to about 400°F.

Step 2: Create the Marinade

You need to whisk the Italian seasoning, olive oil, and garlic in one large bowl.

Step 3: Brush

Use black pepper and salt to season your chicken’s both sides. After that, put them in one baking dish. Then, use a basting brush or a spoon to distribute the mixture over your chicken thighs’ top. 

Step 4: Bake Your Chicken Thighs

Bake your chicken thighs for forty to forty-five minutes, and make sure their internal temperature hits 175°F. 

Step 5: Serve

You must let the chicken thigh rest for about five minutes before consuming them. Then, it is okay to top your chicken over rice with fresh herbs, and you will have an easy and quick meal.

Watch the next video for this instruction and the best tips.

350°F or 400°F: Which Is Better to Bake Your Chicken Thighs?

The answer depends on how quickly you need to bake your chicken thighs.

At 400°F, your skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs would require approximately 40 minutes. At 350°F, you can expect to cook them for 50 minutes.

In addition to the lower temp will take longer, it also comes with a higher risk of drying out your chickens.

Bonus Tips

• Use evenly sized chicken cuts to ensure that they finish cooking at the same time.
• Do not skip drying your chicken thighs with paper towels, as the extra moisture does not allow the chicken to brown and crisp up as nicely.
• If you want to reduce smoking, you’ll need to place your chicken thighs over a layer of chopped vegetables (such as carrots or cooling potatoes) instead of on the rack. Also, increase bake time slightly.
• Remember to always take the temperature to check for doneness. You need to check the temperature in the thickest area of your chicken thighs.

What Oven Temperature Should We Use for Baking Chicken?

What oven temperature should you utilize for baking chicken?

There is no consistency when talking about oven temp for cooking individual chicken parts or a whole chicken. You can bake or roast your chicken anywhere between 325°F and 450°F. 

When roasting a whole chicken, it is wise to start at 400°F to 425°F. After that, turn your oven to 350°F after about 15 minutes and bake until your chicken’s internal temp reaches 165°F to 175°F (using your meat thermometer).

Cooking your chicken at the high oven temperature would give you crispy-brown skin. However, you should lower it part-way through baking to maintain juiciness in the chicken.

The cooking temperature may vary depending on the specific part if you cook individual chicken cuts. Generally, baking thighs and legs can require between 350 to 425 degrees F. Why do recipes feature different temperatures? 

The first reason is what is being baked with your chicken. Cubes of vegetables such as winter squash and carrots will need a longer time to cook and can burn in the same pan with your chicken at 425°F.

They will get a slower,  longer cooking time if your oven temperature là 350°F. If your chicken is the only stuff in your pan, 425°F is okay as dark meat does not dry out as quickly as white meat.

If you bake chicken wings, the higher temp at 425 is suitable for crispy skin. For your chicken breasts, it is wise to go with the lower temp of 350 and chú ý đến the internal temperature of your chicken.

FAQs

How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs at 350?

If you bake chicken thighs at 350°F, you can expect the cooking process to last from 50 to 55 minutes.

How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs at 375

You will need to cook large, skinless, boneless chicken breasts for 30 to 35 minutes in a 375°F oven. For large skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts, preferably bake them from 40 to 50 minutes in a 375°F preheated oven.

How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs at 400

You can bake skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs at 400 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes without turning or moving them during the cooking process.

How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs at 450

Depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts, baking chicken at 450°F should require a cooking time of about 15 to 18 minutes (depending on the size or thickness of the chicken breasts). It’s speedy and easy.

Conclusion

This article answered “How long to bake chicken thighs” and a recipe to bake chicken thighs the right way. Hopefully, this information is helpful to you.

Thank you for reading!

source https://www.annisarestaurant.com/how-long-to-bake-chicken-thighs/