Brown Sugar Baked Chicken Thighs - The Recipe Rebel (2024)

The Recipe Rebel / Dinner

written by Ashley Fehr

4.93 from 14 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

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Last updated on February 1, 2024

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These Baked Chicken Thighs are juicy, flavorful, and versatile! They’re made with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and a simple spice rub. Just 5 minutes to prep!

Brown Sugar Baked Chicken Thighs - The Recipe Rebel (2)

Table of Contents

  • Ingredients needed for Baked Chicken Thighs:
  • How to make Baked Chicken Thighs
  • Baked Chicken Thighs FAQs
  • Tips and tricks
  • Serving suggestions
  • More baked chicken recipes
  • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

Cooking chicken thighs is never that complicated. Whether it’s Grilled Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, or Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs, they’re pretty hard to mess up!

But let’s be real. It just does not get simpler than Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs. And they’re pretty darn delicious too. Tender and juicy with just the right amount of crispiness!

This recipe is made up of just 6 ingredients, takes 5 minutes to prep, and makes a perfect entree next to any of your favorite side dishes!

You can find more easy Baked Chicken Recipes here.

Ingredients needed for Baked Chicken Thighs:

  • Chicken Thighs: I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe, but you can definitely make baked boneless chicken thighs if preferred. They won’t need as long to cook and may not be quite as juicy.
  • Canola Oil: rubbing the chicken with oil adds moisture and helps the seasonings stick.
  • Spice Rub: we’re using a simple blend of brown sugar, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
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How to make Baked Chicken Thighs

This oven-baked chicken thighs recipe takes just 5 quick minutes to prep!

  1. Season the chicken: Rub the chicken thighs with oil. Combine brown sugar, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a bowl, then rub that mixture all over the chicken.
  2. Bake: Place the chicken in a large baking dish and bake at 425ºF for 30-40 minutes.
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Brown Sugar Baked Chicken Thighs - The Recipe Rebel (5)
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Baked Chicken Thighs FAQs

How long to bake chicken thighs:

The skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs we use in this recipe will need anywhere from 30-40 minutes to bake, depending on the size of the thighs. The best way to check that they’re done is to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It should be 165ºF!

Should I cover chicken with foil when baking?

There’s usually no need. I leave the chicken thighs uncovered and they come out great. However, if you notice the tops of the thighs starting to brown before the cook time is up, you can cover them with foil to prevent them from burning while they finish baking.

Can you make baked boneless chicken thighs?

Yep! If you’d prefer to use boneless chicken thighs, that works too, they will probably take closer to 20 minutes to cook all the way through.

How to store baked chicken:

Leftover baked chicken thighs will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To freeze, I recommend pulling the meat off the bone and storing in a freezer bag.
To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then microwave or warm in the oven until heated through.

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Tips and tricks

  • Preheat the oven. If the oven is heating up while the chicken is inside, the outside could burn before the inside is cooked through.
  • Use evenly sized thighs. You want chicken thighs that are roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
  • If you prefer an even crispier skin, broil for a 1-2 minutes after baking!
  • Check the temp. The minimum internal temperature of chicken should be 165ºF.
  • Let it rest. I recommend letting the chicken sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing into it to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
  • Play with seasonings. You can absolutely get creative with the seasonings you use depending on how you want to serve these. Try Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, Cajun seasoning, etc.
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Serving suggestions

These Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs are a super versatile entree, so serve them up with any of your favorite side dishes! A few of my favorites are roasted green beans, mashed potatoes, garlic parmesan orzo pasta, and roasted vegetables.

You can also chop the chicken up and add it to salads, soups, or pastas!

More baked chicken recipes

Dinner

Baked Chicken Caprese

Dinner

Baked Tuscan Chicken Breasts

Dinner

Baked Honey Lemon Chicken

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Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

written by Ashley Fehr

4.93 from 14 votes

These Baked Chicken Thighs are juicy, flavorful, and versatile! They're made with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and a simple spice rub. Just 5 minutes to prep!

Brown Sugar Baked Chicken Thighs - The Recipe Rebel (15)

Save

Review

Print

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Course Main Course

Servings 4 servings

Calories 250cal

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs bone in, skin on chicken thighs (about 6-8)
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons seasoning salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.

  • Rub chicken thighs with oil.

  • Combine brown sugar, seasoning salt, garlic powder and pepper in a small bowl. Rub over chicken thighs.

  • Place chicken thighs in a large baking dish (it's okay if they touch slightly — they will shrink as they cook) and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads a minimum of 165 degrees F. If the skin is browning too quickly, you can cover with foil.

  • Serve.

Notes

Tips:

  • Preheat the oven. If the oven is heating up while the chicken is inside, the outside could burn before the inside is cooked through.
  • Use evenly sized thighs. You want chicken thighs that are roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
  • If you prefer an even crispier skin, broil for a 1-2 minutes after baking!
  • Check the temp. The minimum internal temperature of chicken should be 165ºF.
  • Let it rest. I recommend letting the chicken sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing into it to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat.

Storage:

Leftover baked chicken thighs will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To freeze, I recommend pulling the meat off the bone and storing in a freezer bag.

To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then microwave or warm in the oven until heated through.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 250cal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1286mg | Potassium: 354mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Keywords baked chicken thighs, oven baked chicken thighs

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

Read More

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nancy says

    Can I use frozen boneless thighs for this recipe?
    Thanks

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Nancy! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so can’t say for sure how the frozen chicken would work. If you decide to experiment with it, let me know how it goes! Enjoy!

      Reply

  2. Tammy says

    Hi Ashley, could i use skinless boneless for this recipe? What adjustments could i need to make if so. Thanks in advance
    Love your recipes

    Reply

  3. Rose says

    Made this as is – love simple and easy especially when it is delicious! Love the spice mixture so I doubled it for using it later.

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Rose! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!

      Reply

  4. Ian says

    Hello Ashley, can you list a few alternatives to the canola oil for me please?

    I just love the versatility of this recipe. My stomach thanks you for all your time and effort!

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Ian! Any oil that you have on hand should work. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!

      Reply

    • Bayla Meltzer says

      Made this tonight for the family and aside from being fast and easy to throw together, it was absolutely delicious and everyone loved it. I followed the recipe exactly as written with no changes.

      Reply

      • The Recipe Rebel says

        Hi Bayla! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this review!

  5. Cathy Cunningham says

    I learned by trial and error an easy way to get chicken thighs so nice and veery crispy. I heat my oven to 425. Sprinkle some coarse salt in cast iron skillet. Add thighs, bake for about 20 minutes and turn skin side up. Bake until done. We get really big thighs here, so I’ve baked them anywhere from 50 to 60 mins. Just until skin is cracklin’ crisp to your liking and chicken is not overdone.

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Cathy! Well I hope you give this recipe a try, we love it!

      Reply

    • Ian says

      Hi Cathy,

      Does the chicken taste better well cooked? Do you have a rule of thumb about how long to leave them in the oven?

      I was thinking about making them spicier! I’m now wondering if that is such a good idea.

      Reply

  6. Karen Bailey says

    Hi Ashley, I would to try todays recipe but not sure where to get the Canola oil from, can you help please? Thank you, Karen

    Reply

    • The Recipe Rebel says

      Hi Karen, canola oil is sold on the grocery aisle with all of the other oils. If you can’t find it, it’s ok to use an alternative oil. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

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