Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs! A simple rub of garlic, green onion, lemon and olive oil is all it takes to bake up these crispy yummy chicken thighs!
Be still my fried chicken loving heart! Check out these crispy little beauties! Baked on a rack to ensure that every last bite is all crispy and crunchy! And did I mention Paleo and Whole30 compliant? Yay!
I wanted to find a crispy chicken recipe that didn’t have to marinate over night. The trick is to combine all your marinating ingredients in a blender or food processor. It makes a super amped up marinade that only needs to sit for about 20 minutes while your oven preheats.
After mixing up your magical marinating brew, get your hands in there! I mean rub a dub dub all over and under the chicken skin. Then just let it hang out for about 20 minutes and off to the oven it goes!
Don’t you love pics of raw chicken with green flecks on it? Yumbo! But I wanted you to see how easy this is, and how just a few ingredients can turn regular chicken into wow chicken!
Not a great pic…some bloggers might not even put it on their site…mmmm, well, I’m doing it for your own good, taking one for the team!
Some Tips to Make Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs:
- If you don’t have a wire rack, don’t sweat it, simply lay it right on a foil lined sheet pan.
- Expect a bit of splatter with this. Just until the fat renders, then it all settles down while it gets all crispy and stuff. I love crispy and stuff…
- I borrowed this technique from nomnompaleo.com. She uses it for her Lemongrass Chicken…but alas, no lemongrass in my fridge so I adjusted the recipe to use what I had on hand. You could easily add grated ginger, rosemary or other herbs to change it up a bit.
Looking for more uses for your sheet pan? Check out my favorite 6 Sheet Pan Dinners!
More Whole30 Recipes! Even if you are not on the plan you will enjoy the freshness of all my Paleo and Whole30 recipes! Who says healthy has to taste like healthy food!
…To healthy meals that don’t taste like healthy meals!
Clink!
Kathi
Oven Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Lemon and Scallion
Ingredients
- 8 in chicken thighs skin on and bone
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1 lemon - zest and juiced
- 4 scallion - green onions rough chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes optional if you like a bit of heat
Instructions
- Line large baking sheet with foil for easy clean up and set rack on top.
- Add garlic, zest of one lemon and juice of one lemon, along with scallions, olive oil, salt and pepper to food processor or blender.
- Blend for about 20 seconds until well combined and a paste forms.
- Pour into large bowl.
- Rinse and pat dry chicken thighs.
- Add to large bowl with marinade and rub into chicken. Getting under skin.
- Cover and let rest while oven preheats.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use convection feature if you have it. No sweat if you don't, just increase cooking time by 5 minutes.
- Lay chicken SKIN SIDE DOWN ontop of rack.
- Cook for 20 minutes and turn chicken over.
- Cook for an additional 25 minutes or until internal temp of chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Let rest for 5 minutes and serve!
Louisa says
I subbed the olive oil for butter. I bit more indulgent but utterly delicious : )
Thanks for the recipe.
Marie says
I found this recipe a few years ago and it was love at first bake! Every time I make it, the chicken turns out so uniquely flavourful, tender, juicy and the crispy skin is delicious. This is one of my fiance’s absolute favourite meals!
Kathi & Rachel says
Thank you Marie! We are so glad you love it. So nice of you to take the time to leave a comment!
Maya says
Can I make this ahead of time and put it in the oven later on ?
LaughingSpatula.com says
Yes! Overnight would be fine.
Peter Moor says
these look great Kathi. I like to cut down on fat so I always buy skinless/boneless thighs. Have you ever tried these without skin? I realize that crispness of the skin is why people rave but still, I’d like your opinion.
LaughingSpatula.com says
Hi Peter! No, I have not tried it. I would say just try not to over cook the thighs. I would cook for 15 and flip, cook for an additional 15. The scallion mixture would make a great marinade…can’t be bad! Let me know how it comes out!
Janelle says
Holy Moly!!! Just found your blog and this was the first recipe I tried- these were unbelievable! My man doesn’t usually like chicken thighs but he gobbled this up! Soooo good and definitely adding to the regular menu rotation! Thanks!!!
T says
I feel like I’m going crazy or the directions and comments are intentionally trying to be cryptic.
The recipe says “10. Cook for 20 minutes and turn.”
And in the comments, Kathi says both:
“Hi Winnie – You start the chicken skin side down (sorry no photo of that). I think you missed step #10 where you turn the chicken skin side up after 20 minutes. Glad you like them though!”
and
“I have read and re-read the instructions and don’t see anything about ‘flipping skin side up’…help me :). I’m probably blind and not seeing it?”
The first time I made these, I turned the pan because I only saw the second comment above. But I think you are actually meant to flip them when it says “turn” based on how they turned out and the picture.
So flip, yes?
Kathi @ LaughingSpatula.com says
Sorry for the confusion. Start the chicken skin side down and turn the chicken thigh over after 20 minutes so the skin side is now facing up. Hope that helps!
T says
Made them for the second time last night, and did just that. Turned out great!
Might be worth it to add “turn chicken over” to step 10 in the recipe to avoid confusion.
Thanks for the clarity!
Kathi @ LaughingSpatula.com says
Done! Glad you liked them and appreciate the kindness and suggestion!
Emily says
Wow! This dish was absolutely fabulous. The skin was so crispy and the chicken in general was so flavorful. Not to mention, this is a whole30 approved recipe! Will be making again….again meaning tomorrow!