Crispy Skin Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Thighs
You will create perfectly juicy, flavorful chicken thighs with shatteringly crisp skin using this simple oven-baked recipe. This is an easy weeknight chicken dinner that delivers big flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 lemon, halved (for squeezing)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 Celsius). Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
- Pat the chicken thighs completely dry using paper towels. This step is key for achieving crispy skin.
- In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, and dried thyme until you have a smooth garlic butter mixture.
- Place the dried chicken thighs on the prepared baking sheet. Rub the garlic butter mixture evenly all over the chicken, making sure to get some under the skin if possible.
- Place the chicken thighs skin-side up on the baking sheet. Squeeze the juice from half of the lemon over the chicken.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 Celsius) and the skin is deeply golden brown and crispy.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the chicken before you bring it to the table.
Notes
- For the crispiest skin, ensure the chicken thighs are very dry before seasoning.
- You can swap the bone-in thighs for boneless, skinless thighs, but reduce the cooking time to about 20-25 minutes.
- This recipe works well for meal prep; the leftovers reheat nicely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 thigh
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 0.5
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 16
- Trans Fat: 0.1
- Carbohydrates: 1
- Fiber: 0.2
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 110