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Crispy Oven Baked Chicken with juicy meat and crisp, flavorful skin can be on your dinner table with about 5 minutes’ worth of effort!
This crispy chicken is made in the oven without any breading at all; the only ingredients you need are the chicken, a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.
Crispy Baked Chicken
I am so very happy to have finally recreated our favorite chicken recipes, without the mess on the stove-top and with minimal cleanup.
I’ve been making these Pan Fried Chicken Thighs and Pan Fried Italian Chicken Thighs at least once a month ever since I first made them several years ago. The recipes are crazy easy and my whole family loves pan-fried chicken. (Who doesn’t?!)
Crispy Oven Baked Chicken
If you haven’t tried that very simple cooking method yet, you should, because you simply have to taste it to understand how amazing a single piece of chicken can be.
Over the past few years, I’ve tried a few different methods to recreate that flavor and crispiness in the oven and I am giddy to have finally nailed it.
I’m dubbing this the easiest dinner recipe ever because it requires no prep, no marinade, no special anything at all in advance.
How To Make Crispy Chicken in the Oven
Grab your chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then bake. Seriously. That’s all the effort it requires.
Once you have that chicken in the oven, I highly recommend taking just FIVE minutes to stir together a batch of Corn Pudding.
Pop it in the oven and it will be ready when the chicken is. You’ll have dinner ready to go all at once and your family is sure to love it!
You’ve literally just gifted yourself an hour to crash on the couch, read a book, watch a show, and in general ignore everything else; while the chicken sizzles in the oven and fills the house with delicious smells.
This Oven-Baked Crispy Chicken will fool everyone into thinking you are actively cooking dinner. I realize that it almost sounds too good to be true, but the chicken really is amazing without anything extra needed at all!
Chicken Recipes
Want a few more dinner ideas that require almost no effort at all? This Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner is an all in one meal that family and friends all rave about every time they make it.
Southwest Chicken Salad with Spicy BBQ Ranch Dressing is a fantastic salad that is sure to satisfy the heartiest of appetites.
Chinese Beef and Broccoli Soup by The Food Charlatan comes together in minutes and this Cheesy Ranch Chicken and Potatoes by Taste and Tell is a kid-favorite that requires little more than slicing the potatoes.
These Stir Fry Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables happen in my kitchen on a regular basis. Once you’ve tried them, they’re going to be on regular rotation for you too.
This Southwest Beef and Potato Skillet by Aggie’s Kitchen is on regular rotation in my house as well. I LOVE the easy weeknight dinners.
Oven Baked Chicken Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking tray or half sheet pan with foil and place all the chicken pieces on it, skin side down.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and flip each piece skin side up. Drizzle about a teaspoon of oil over the skin on each piece of chicken and rub lightly to coat. Sprinkle again with salt and pepper.
- Bake for one hour, until most of the fat has rendered out of the chicken and the skin is golden brown and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and let rest about 5 minutes before serving.
Oven Baked Crispy Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 – 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: ground paprika and/or granulated garlic
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking tray or half sheet pan with foil and place all the chicken pieces on it, skin side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and flip each piece skin side up. Drizzle about a teaspoon of oil over the skin on each piece of chicken and rub lightly to coat. Sprinkle again with salt and pepper.
- Bake for one hour, until most of the fat has rendered out of the chicken and the skin is golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and let rest about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 10/9/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/11/21}
Do you cover or not cover the chicken
Do not cover the chicken.
I ate it at the restaurant and enjoyed it. I tried many times but failed. Today saw your guide I learned a lot and drawn many useful things. I believe this time I will succeed. Thanks a lot!
Very useful info, thanks!
It was so good and super easy!
Thanks
The chicken thighs were delicious and tender. Made them this evening. Yesterday I was looking for a recipe for baked chicken thighs and came across yours. Thank you for sharing.
Can you use vegetable oil instead of olive oil for the chicken?
Sure. That will work fine.
Amazing!!! Best I’ve ever made! Family loved it. Will be a weekly dinner item now.
I’m excited to try this recipe tonight. Can I bake the chicken in a le creuset/dutch oven?
You’ll want to bake the chicken uncovered in order to achieve a crispy skin.
Simple and perfectly crispy! I actually did it in my oven on “convection roast” @ 400 for 45 min. Also seasoned with a beer can chicken rub I make. Thanks Mary!
Yummy! The skin gets nice and crispy. This will be my new go to for a good chicken dinner.
Did you put it directly onto the foul or on a rack?
Hi. Should this be on a baking rack with a pan underneath so chicken isn’t sitting in the fat or just right on the foil? Hope this makes sense.
It will work both ways. It’s slightly crispier on a baking rack, but I often skip that to avoid cleaning it later. It will still be crispy when cooked directly on the foil. enjoy!
I am making this TONIGHT!! I can’t wait to bite into this 😊 I’m also making Asparagas wrapped with bacon and crescent dougn spirals.
Sorry I don’t have a picture, they all disappeared before I got a chance to take I used Himalayan pink salt cause I was out of kosher salt, plus fresh ground pepper, garlic salt, & paprika. They were done before my side dishes were so I turned the oven off & left them in the oven. The skin was so nice and crispy. These are better than fried chicken and juicier too . Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe!!
So excited can’t wait to make this tonight!!!
This makes the most tender delicious chicken thighs. So good
So simple and delicious thanks barefeet
A great and new dish from the familiar ingredients. Most importantly, you teach very detailed and easy to understand. Thanks a lot. I will cook for my family.
Mary,
I made this recipe for the first time and followed it exactly and it turned out just perfect! ( I baked only 4) The skins were crispy and delicious!
I made them again today exactly the same way, but the skins were not crispy.
How can that be??
My guess is that the chicken wasn’t quite finished cooking. Is there any chance it was extra cold when it went into the oven? Sometimes, if I start it straight from the refrigerator OR if the pieces are extra large, it requires a few extra minutes. I just let it cook until crispy.
I did put them in right from the fridge and I did notice they were a bit larger than the first ones. I wouldn’t have taken them out except I checked the meat temp and it was 195. Don’t they get more dry the longer you leave them in? Do you check temp and go by that, or just wait till crispy?
I typically judge that particular recipe by how crispy the skin looks. I’ve never actually tested the temperature. Even when I’ve accidentally browned them too long, they haven’t been dry.
I made this recipe and it was so delicious! And perfectly crispy!!!
How would the cooking temperature or time differ if I used boneless thighs??
The cooking time would be dramatically reduced for boneless pieces, at least by half. You’ll want to watch them closely the first time and note the different times.