Oven-fried chicken thighs, that taste just like pan-fried or even deep-fried, but without all the greasy mess and a boatload of extra calories and added cholesterol. And there is no breading involved either. Is that even possible? Yes!!! Are you interested? No doubt, you are. Keep reading. I am certain that once you try them you will be making them again and again. I know I am.
After much success with my extra crispy baked chicken wings, I've been experimenting with chicken thighs. I wanted my oven baked chicken thighs, or more precisely, oven-fried chicken thighs, to have the same delicious, extra crispy skin and the tender, super moist interior. Frankly, it did not take much work - I applied the same approach that I used for chicken wings and got the similarly textured, extra crispy chicken thighs that tasted practically like deep-fried. I did make a few tweaks to this recipe based on lessons learned while making extra crispy wings. These tweaks made my chicken thighs even better.
The skin on these chicken thighs is superb - it's thin, crackly and exceptionally crispy. I can't imagine thighs getting much crispier than this, even if you deep-fry them. Seriously, it can't get any better than this.
The secret to the crispiest oven-fried chicken thighs
The approach to making these amazing oven-fried chicken thighs is based on the solution prompted by Serious Eat’s The Food Lab: In Search of the Best Oven-Fried Buffalo Wings article. A similar approach is used in the Cook’s Country Oven-Fried Chicken Wings recipe. As I mentioned in my chicken wing post, these sources suggest using baking powder to get crispy skin along with a lo-o-o-o-ng, well over an hour, bake at two different temperatures. I am not patient enough for that, so I set out to find a quicker solution with similar or better results. And I found it.
My approach is much simpler and much faster. The thighs are done in just 30 minutes. A little longer if you want additional crispiness. The trick is to use baking powder in combination with convection baking and high heat. I am talking about 425F on convection. The 30-minute blast of high heat will make the skin so crispy that it will look and taste like deep-fried or pan-fried. The baking powder draws the moisture out and aids with crisping up skin.
According to Cook's Illustrated, tossing chicken wings or thighs with baking powder and salt helps break down the proteins within the skin, as well as aiding in browning. This also aids in obtaining dry skin that crisps up nicely in the oven. While I can confirm 100% that baking powder does help with getting a dry, crispy skin, I am not totally sure about the salt. My recent experiments proved that putting salt on chicken thighs before baking indeed helps achieve much better browning. However, I think the salt make the skin just a tad less crispy. You can see the results with salt (picture above) vs not salt (second picture below). In the end, once you put hot sauce on either, they will taste identical, and absolutely amazing.
A few words on chicken thigh baking time and internal temperature
To get that amazing crispy exterior you need to bake chicken thighs for about 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven and the level of crispiness you desire. They are done when you get a golden brown, super crispy skin and the internal temperature of around 185F. Yes, it's well above the recommended 165F but trust me, that's what you want with skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. They taste so much better when cooked to a higher temperature. The meat inside will be very moist and succulent.
Chicken thighs are forgiving and can be cooked to well above 165F and still be very juicy. As a matter of fact, bone-in, skin on thighs taste under-cooked to me when cooked to just 165F. I like them at about 185F or even a little higher as at that temperature the dark chicken meat becomes fall-off-the-bone tender yet still very, very moist.
Other benefits of this chicken thigh cooking method
At one time I used chicken thighs that had a thicker skin with a noticeably thicker fat layer underneath. I was afraid that they would not crisp up as well as I wanted them to. To my surprise, most of the fat rendered out during baking, leaving a paper-thin, crispy skin behind. So, no matter what kind of chicken thighs you pick, they will be great for this recipe.
Here is another significant benefit of this baking method. Not only do you get a chicken thigh that tastes like deep-fried but without any oil, but you also get significantly reduced amount of skin fat. This is one of the healthiest ways to cook chicken thighs. There is no oil added whatsoever and most of skin fat is rendered off during cooking. Just make sure to use a cooling rack to keep the grease off.
Personally, I sometimes use a cooling rack and sometimes I don't. Cleaning the rack after cooking is my main reason. It's a pain. If you don't, set the thighs on a paper towel to soak in the grease. Here is how they look when cooked without a rack. Note that this picture is from earlier experiments, where I did not season the thighs with salt, pepper or paprika prior to baking. You can definitely note less browning on them.
The best way to season these oven-fried chicken thighs
Salt, pepper and paprika are all you need for the initial seasoning. I added some paprika for better color. This is not necessary but I appreciate the difference and like the color. After they are done cooking, I let the thighs rest for 5 minutes. This helps them retain their crispiness better. I then toss them with three tablespoons of Buffalo wing hot sauce. It gives the thighs added flavor, a touch of spiciness and a beautiful color, just like on the photo below.
Feel free to increase the amount of hot sauce, or toss the thighs in a 50/50 mix of hot and BBQ sauce. I love this combinations. Or just serve them as is, with your favorite white dipping sauce. One of my favorite fried chicken dipping sauces is this homemade ranch sauce. It goes so well with this chicken.
Looking for more crispy chicken recipes? Check these out:
Extra Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 10 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lbs, trimmed)
- 1 Tbsp BAKING POWDER (do NOT use baking soda, it's NOT the same)
- 2 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 Tbsp Buffalo wing sauce (plus more to taste; see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F
- Dry chicken thighs with paper towels really well. Try getting them as dry as possible. Sprinkle on salt, paprika, pepper and baking powder and gently rub with your hands all over, ensuring even coverage. (See note).
- Lay the chicken thighs on the coking rack, leaving a little space between the pieces. You may want to spray the cooling rack with PAM or rub it with some oil to minimize sticking.
Note: you can skip using a cooling rack, but that will result in the bottoms of the chicken thighs becoming a little greasy. In that case, place the thighs on paper towels after baking to remove the grease.
- Transfer the thighs to a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and/or parchment paper. Either is optional, or course, but makes cleaning much easier.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven. Switch the oven to 425F convection. This is very important. You must use convection to get the same crispiness.
- Bake for 30 minutes for moderate crispiness and supreme juiciness.Bake for 35 - 40 minutes for ultimate crispiness and fall-off-the bone tenderness, with perhaps a tiny bit reduced juiciness.
- Remove the thighs from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. This will ensure that the skin on the thighs retains much of its crispiness after tossing in Buffalo wing sauce.
- Toss the thighs in Buffalo wing sauce, or any other sauce, or a combination of hot wing and BBQ sauce and serve. Alternatively, serve with a dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Connie says
For folks concerned about oven messes: I have found that laying a piece of parchment paper loosely over the top of things like this will really cut down on the grease spatters without affecting crispiness much. I do this when I cook bacon in the oven. Works great! Hope this tip helps!
victor says
That's a cool tip, Connie. Thanks for sharing.
Janie says
I made this recipe for 25 family members this eve. It was a success. I was attracted to the recipe because there is no breading/gluten. Our family trys to eat healthy and we have a family member who needs a gluten free diet. It worked out well. I did a combination of thighs,legs and some breasts.
Thanks for the recipe
victor says
You are very welcome, Janie. Glad your family liked my recipe. Enjoy!
Dandan89 says
So delicious!!!!!!!!! Like FR!!!! I did have to bake it longer 15min probably could have done 20-25 as some meat at the edges of the bone needed Just a tad bit more. Delicious seasoning. I added onion powder and Trader Joe’s 21 seasoning salute. I did use the convection setting as well. The meat was sooooo juicy and tender I was in heaven! Like no joke I thought my stove cooking chicken was legit this was way more juicier 🥵🥵🥵 this is a keeper!
victor says
Glad to hear it, Dan. Enjoy! It's one of my favorite recipes.
Melissa R says
This chicken was flavorful, juicy, With such wonderfully crispy skin! I don't have a convection oven so I made it using the instructions for a confection and it turned out amazing!
victor says
Good to hear it. Enjoy!
Molly Hodge says
Can this be cooked on an Air Fryer? I don't have a confection oven.
victor says
Yes, absolutely. You can also use my Air Fryer Chicken Wing recipe. Those are fantastic too.
Margaret says
I followed your recipe almost exactly in our convection oven. (Only added some garlic powder) This turned out perfectly. Crispy skin, juicy tender meat. Delicious!
victor says
Glad to hear it, Margaret. Enjoy!!!
Jody Foster says
Perfect chicken and not as much guilt. My to is clean up. After 40 years of cooking chicken, with in the last 6, I finally tried the cooling rack. Broke down hit up Amazon and got a 3 pack of pans with racks at a reasonable price. Also came with the cookie mats for them that my wife will enjoy. After your done with your evening kitchen clean up, remove the foil and put pan in sink, add little dish liquid and hot water and place your rack up side to soak in pan over night and wash in morning. Will come clean with a paper towel😁
victor says
Great to hear! Enjoy!
tom says
One question - will making this leave my oven a mess?
I'm done with having to clean chicken grease - it's almost impossible to get 100% results.
victor says
It works in my oven fine. I always buy thin-skinned, bluish color chicken. No mess. Yellow, thick-skinned chicken has a lot of fat under the skin, that one tends to be messy. Hope this helps.
Lynn T says
These are amazing! This has become my go-to recipe and method for all types of bone-in chicken pieces with just a slight adjustment in cooking time. Everyone loves them!
victor says
Glad to hear it, Lynn. Enjoy!
Rose Steele says
This worked really well. The skin was crispy and the meat juicy as promised - I'll use this technique again, thanks!
Meike says
The chicken thighs are wonderfully crispy when prepared this way. We enjoyed them greatly! And it is easy to make.
Thank you for the recipe and greetings from Germany!
victor says
You are very welcome, Meike. Glad you liked my recipe. Enjoy!
Betty says
Very good. Cooked according to recipe.
victor says
Enjoy!
Vikki Taylor says
Have made this 3 times in the last two weeks. We absolutely love it! Had never really used the convection on my oven but I sure do now. Best recipe on Pinterest.
victor says
Glad to hear it, Vikki. Enjoy!
Ron says
Really good and crisp but! The salt is too much. It needs to be significantly reduced.
victor says
Tastes differ. Adjust to your taste.
Nancy N says
FINALLY! Real crispy chicken skin!!👏🏻 I could not get it right before.🫤 My husband said I have to cook chicken this way from now on.😊
victor says
LOl Happy to hear it. Enjoy!
Bonnie Bos says
Nice and crispy without the oil, yum.
victor says
Glad to hear it, Bonnie. Enjoy!
Jane says
Tried it once and I’m making again for about the fourth time. It’s the way I do chicken now.
victor says
Enjoy!!!
Celeste says
These are the MOST amazing chicken thigh recipe Ive ever had. I make them all the time! they are a HIT at our house!
victor says
Glad to hear it. Enjoy!
Robert Steinberg says
Best thighs ever. Used everything bagel seasoning.
victor says
Enjoy! I love everything bagel seasoning though I make my own as I like it less salty.
Diane Hui says
Wow! I remember hearing my grandmother say 'add a little baking powder ' and I didn't listen until I came across your recipe! Made it today for the family (super bowl) and they loved it. I tossed the thighs in both teriyaki bbq sauce and a little sweet chili sauce to give it the sweet and sour.
victor says
Glad it worked out well for you! Thanks for your feedback.
Gary says
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I'm a 68yo husband with a southern wife that has fried chicken in her DNA. I don't bake much, but had to try this simple recipe.
YES YES YES! The skin is unbelievably crispy and the thigh is unbelievably tasty. But here's the nice surprise. The skin is STILL CRISPY even after frozen ! Used a toaster oven to warm and crisp it, it was just like fresh out of the oven.
This recipe is a keeper - thank you so much for healthy, just as good as fried chicken !
victor says
Happy to hear it, Gary. You are very, very welcome! I am glad you liked my recipe. We love it here. Enjoy!
Tava says
Wow!!! This recipe for crispy skin and delicious chicken did not disappoint!! It was exactly as the author said, just as crispy as fried! Will definitely use this method over and over again! Thank you!! So glad I tried!
Side note, I was wanting jerk chicken, so I did a dry rub ahead of time, and instead of the hot sauce, I used a jerk paste that I mixed with honey (sweet and spicy) to brush on after. But I did use the baking powder with jerk seasoning before the oven. Even though I had the dry rub on the chicken for 2 days prior. Skin turned out crazy crispy!! Can’t wait to try this method again!
victor says
Happy to hear it, Tava. Thanks for you feedback and the tips. Enjoy!
Shannon says
I had two people tell me it was the best baked chicken they’ve ever had. Thank you.
victor says
You are very welcome. Enjoy!
Morgan says
I would like to try new recipes, in all they seem like they have some really nice ones, different recipes for each dish, a new way of cooking them is the inspirational. When something comes up, I’d like to share some recipes that is different, more delicious for everyone to know what they’re looking for, different ways makes different dishes. Thanks
victor says
Enjoy!
Betsey says
Great recipe! I only have a regular oven and a toaster oven that is convection, but with all the grease these chicken thighs give off I do not think a toaster oven would be good. What do you think. Also the grease started smoking in my regular oven at 35 minutes so I removed thighs from oven and turned oven down to 350 degrees. I then basted the crispy- skin thighs in my homemade honey mustard BBQ sauce and returned to oven for 15 minutes in open 🥘 casserole. The thighs are yummy 😋
victor says
Glad to hear it. Enjoy!
Jean says
Tried this tonight. Very good!!!
victor says
Glad to hear it. Enjoy!
Lesa Jodoin says
I made this recipe without a convection oven, they came out wonderful. Nice and crispy skin and the chicken was wonderfully moist. I added just more spice with onion and garlic powder. Thanks for the recipe
victor says
You are very welcome. Enjoy!
Kris says
Did you use the same temperature in your non convection oven as the the recipe suggests?
Condoleeza says
Made this recipe several times. It is awesome. I have just brined some drumsticks and want to grill them. Do you think this rub with the baking powder work on the grill? Also because of the brine, there's a lot of salt. Would you recommend eliminating the salt in the recipe or substituting it with something else? In addition to your recipe, I always add a few herbs to it such as thyme anyways
victor says
You do not need to use baking powder when grilling, I find that it's only helpful when baking. You can adjust the salt to your taste. Good luck!
Wanda says
Can the air fryer with trays be used instead of a convection oven?
victor says
Yes, it will work in an air fryer. I actually have a similar recipe for an air fryer on my blog.
Evie B says
Journeyman cook:. Your "in the oven"" directions were a new technique for me (!!!), and it made the thighs perfectly. My household is low-salt, so I used half the amount of kosher salt the recipe asked for. Very glad I found this recipe.
Can the technique be applied to other meats? (Low oven - low rack for 1/3 the cooking time, then higher oven, higher rack, for 2/3 cooking time, with a 180 degree turn?
Thanks, ECB
victor says
Glad to hear it. Haven't tried this on other meats so can't comment on it. If you do, please let me know how it turns out. Good luck!
Judy says
I didn’t read the recipe closely and used too much baking powder. I’ll make it again but with just tiny bit of baking powder!
Jean says
I've also read that it's important to preheat the convection oven before use.
Leigh says
I completely forgot about the baking powder! Cooked as directed and they were perfectly cooked, crispy, moist and delicious!
Thank you so much for the recipe. I did marinade the for a couple hrs in Italian dressing.
victor says
Yeah, it's a combination of baking powder and the cooking method at high heat with convection. Convection cooking alone will produce good results.
Debbie says
Can I make these Saturday to search Sunday as part of appetizers. Just reheat?
victor says
They won't be the same but, yes, you can. Also depends on how you will be reheating them. They cook so quickly that reheating may not really save you any time. Just a thought.
Leslie says
I’m about to try this recipe and I’m wondering if an air fryer would produce the same results with these same instructions. Please advise. Thank you! Sounds delicious!
victor says
Yes, I make air fryer chicken wings the same way too. Here is my air fryer thigh recipe, you may like this one too.
Dave says
Great recipe! Seasoning was good, just needed more salt so added more to taste! Used broiler pan! Baked @ 425 for 50 min flipping twice!
victor says
Enjoy!
Sharon says
Have you tried this recipe using an air fryer? If so, what changes, if any, did you make? Thanks in advance!
victor says
In a way. Here is my go-to air fryer drumstick recipe that I love.
Cindy says
I think the last paragraph containing the Americas cooking recipe has an error in the 2nd time. Not 40-50 minutes but should be 4-5 minutes.
victor says
No, 40-50 is correct. Tested many times by myself and many of my readers. The same temps apply to my extra crispy chicken wing recipe. Enjoy!
Steven says
I’m gonna try this tonight. Do you use baking powder on just the skin side or the whole thigh?
victor says
Sorry for the late response. Yes, I put it on the whole thigh.
Ashley says
Hi!
Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for this recipe- I have made this about 4 times so far, and making it again today- so crispy and juicy and just plain wonderful! This recipe is bookmarked for me- definitely a winner and healthier than fried chicken too- thanks again!! 🙂
victor says
You are very welcome, Ashley. Enjoy! Be sure to try my other recipes; plenty of great ones here.
Ashley says
Can I use boneless chicken thighs?
victor says
The cooking method in this recipe will dry them out. I'd use this recipe instead. Or use the seasonings from this recipe but cook as in the linked recipe.
Ron says
Can this recipe be used with chicken leg quarters?
victor says
Yes, you can. Enjoy!
Kimberly says
Great recipe! I’ve made it several times, and the whole family loves them! ❤️
victor says
Happy to hear it. Enjoy!
Ellie Bradley says
Great recipe without added oil and turn out perfectly. For lovers of very hot sauce I recommend: PIP'S HOT SAUCE (U.K) many different flavours and fantastically hot; brilliant on this delicious recipe!
victor says
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback. Happy cooking!
Km Billhimer says
Sounds good and delucious.Love crispy skin
ccmomma says
I'm going to try this with wings, any suggestions?
victor says
I have the wing recipe using this technique on my blog, check it out. Enjoy!
Stacey says
Very good - I just tossed them around in a bowl to get covered. I used larger chicken pieces and cooked them for about 50/60 minutes.
TkY says
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! Thanks.
I just dry my thighs in the refrigerator on the racks overnight and the next day I add the seasonings to a 2lb glad bag. Add the chicken and shake. It's so easy. I have a regular oven so I cook at 425 for 35 min. Perfect and juicy. My husband thinks I'm a genius! 😁😍😘
victor says
Fantastic! Enjoy!
Naomi B says
Fantastic! Like a giant Buffalo wing with more meat. Will definitely go into rotation.
I don’t have a convection oven, so I just cooked in a 450 degree oven for 50 minutes and they were awesome!
victor says
Enjoy!!!
Bobbi PRIDDY says
I am a very experienced cook and very fond of chicken thighs ...
This is one of the best chicken recipes I have ever made !!!
I did brush on some homemade BBQ sauce and broiled them quickly on both sides.
To Die For !
victor says
Thank you for the kind words, Bobbi. Anything crispy chicken is my addiction;) Enjoy!
Sharon says
I used the non-convection oven directions and our thighs were DELICIOUS! Best oven-fried chicken thighs I have ever made!
Brian says
Solid recipe.
Crispy as promised
I needec to cook them longer.
No big deal
victor says
Thanks for the feedback, Brian. As they say, everyone's oven bakes differently and adjustments may be necessary. Glad you liked my recipe. Enjoy!
Angela says
Tried this recipe on a lower temperature setting, baking only as I do not have a convection oven. I experienced the same as the comment or “Victor” with the smoking. Luckily the smoking start when there was less than 10 minutes left on cooking time. I removed the chicken and finished in an already heated deep fryer for 5 minutes to complete the cooking process. I lt still turned out great.
Patricia Zake says
I'm just curious, what is the purpose of the baking powder?
victor says
You probably missed it, I provided the details on that in the post above the recipe.
Patricia Zake says
Yes, I did miss it! I normally don't read the beginning, and just go straight to the recipe. I bought the baking powder today. Thank you for your response.
victor says
You are welcome.
Luc says
Hi Victor,
I have been using a conventional oven to make this wonderful recipe of yours. I decided to buy a new convection oven and of course my first recipe was your crispy chicken. As this is a new experience for me, the drippings ended up all over the oven and smoked my house to the point where my fire alarm was activated.
This was undoubtedly caused by the fan of the convection oven. The day after I received my new convection oven, guess what? Lol. I had a major clean up to do including ventilating my house. Do you have any suggestion in preventing the incident from reoccurring? Actually, as I am writing to you, I am cooking the same recipe, but just on « bake » without convection. The oven just reach the second step to 425*F and I’m noticing smoke coming out of the oven, spilling drippings all over the oven and smoking. Oh! I’m so confused. I need to learn how to use this oven. Thanks in advance for your response Victor.
victor says
Oh-oh... sorry to hear about your mishap. I've never had that problem... I do get some splatters here and there but nothing major. It can totally depend on the oven - some oven just bake better. I would try baking at a lower temperature, say drop the temp by 25F and see how that works. Another thing is - the fat. Fatty chicken will release a lot of fat during high heat baking and will cause a lot of splattering around. I typically trim off excess skin and most of the fat is I see it. The kind of chicken you pick helps too. I like to use the thin-skinned chicken, which has blueish skin, not the thick-skinned, yellow chicken with big blobs of fat. I hope this helps, Luc. Enjoy!
victor says
Oh, another thing I like doing is pan-searing the chicken skin-side down. That melts off most of the fat, then finish in the oven. You get even better flavor, less fat and much less splattering, if any.
T says
made these tonight followed the directions except, i used boneless thighs- reduced the cooking time. they were delicious.new family favorite
Rylee says
What did you reduce the time to? I can't find that answer anywhere!
Baby Kato (Ger) says
Delicious, simply delicious. It doesn't get any better than this. Quick and easy with excellent results. This is my family's new go to recipe for chicken thighs. Thanks so much for sharing this lovely recipe. The chicken was perfect, crisp and tender.
victor says
You are very welcome. Enjoy!
Heather Lohnes says
I used a whole, cut up chicken to make this recipe last night and, WOW! It came out so crispy and flavorful! We didn't even bother with the buffalo wing sauce, as it was delicious all on its own. I never would have imagined that something with so few ingredients could be this tasty. We will definitely be making this often!
Zakir Ali says
Brilliant! Another 5 star.
Question: Is there a spatter screen solution for a convection oven with similar results? Cleaning the oven later was a small challenge.
Thanks a million.
victor says
YOu are very welcome. Enjoy!
victor says
I don't use anything like that but I find that using less fatty chicken thighs gives me no problem. I pick those thin-skinned, bluish colored thighs with barely no fat and they works very well. I've tried yellow fatty thighs and those, yeah, they can be messy.
Zak says
Aha! Many thanks!
Off to trying your pulled pork next....
victor says
You are welcome. Enjoy!
Patricia A Potts says
I scaled back for a 1/4 recipe and used what we call a Maryland cut of chicken (thigh and drum left intact) and cooked at 200C fan forced and the chicken was perfectly cooked with crispy skin and juice meat in 25 minutes and I served some b-b-q sauce on the side to dip the chicken into and thoroughly enjoyed with a garden salad for a wonderful dinner. I did mix up the spices together including the salt and thoroughly rubbed into the chicken before cooking. Also to thoroughly dry the chicken I wrapped it in paper towel and left in the fridge for a couple of hours before rubbing the the spice mix. Thank you to Chef PotPie for the recommendation made for Best Of 2021 tag game at FF&F.
Kathy D says
This was delicious! I had to use the alternate method since I don't have a convection oven, and it worked out great! The skin was really crispy while the meat stayed moist and tender. We love Frank's Red Hot Sauce and I used it here with great results. Thank you for this great method!
victor says
You are very welcome. Enjoy!
Stephen says
Is it safe to assume that if this method works with either thighs or drumsticks, that it should also work for chicken leg quarters? I have done this with the thighs and it is fantastic.
victor says
Yes, it will. Tried that myself.
Leila says
Thanks for posting this wonderful recipe! I enjoyed it.
victor says
You are welcome.
Noreen Gamble says
I just made this recipe tonight for about the 20th time and it never disappoints.. So crispy and juicy! My husband & I say, it's is as close as we will get to KFC
victor says
Very happy to hear it, Noreen. Enjoy!
Viesnta says
Wow This was the BEST I've Done my Chicken This has turned out just like Your Picture Thank You so much. The SMELL IS SO Wow.
victor says
Thank you for the kind words, Viesnta. Enjoy!
Tresa says
Okay. I’m new to this whole confection thing.
I put the confection oven to 425 and it automatically made it 400. So is that what you wanted for the recipe?
victor says
I'd avoid confection as it will make the chicken too sweet:)
On a serious note, my oven doesn't change the temp when in convection mode so 425F is 425F. If yours does, turn it up to 450F. Keep an eye on them the first time you cook and check periodically as everyone's oven bakes differently.
Chef Potpie says
I first tried your recipe for wings, and we loved it, so I decided to try it on chicken thighs. It is just my husband and me, so I only did 2 thighs at once. The skin was wonderfully crispy and the thighs were cooked through in 30 minutes. I used your suggestion of seasoning the first time, and the second night I used our favorite Johnny's seasoning. The baking powder method is a keeper. Thank you for both of these recipes.
victor says
You are very welcome, enjoy!
Nancy says
How would I adjust the temperature if I were doing 4 bone in skin on chicken breast?
victor says
Nancy, you'd want to use a BBQ thermometer and pull the chicken breasts out as soon as they hit 160F. You don't want to dry them out. Cooking this way you may not get really crispy skin though. For chicken breasts, I recommend this recipe - extra crispy baked chicken breasts. The process is different but the results are very similar and the meat is very moist and tender.
CC says
Made it! Family loved it, who doesn't care for hot flavors - used BBQ sauce and Honey as the sauce
Thank you!
victor says
You are very welcome.
Sharon Corcoran says
Can I adapt this recipe to use chicken breast?
victor says
For chicken breast, I recommend using this recipe.
Rusty M says
I cooked this recipe twice, both were 5 star in my opinion. The second time I added 1 Tbsp of garlic powder in with other ingredients before rubbing onto the chicken. Easy to prepare.
Neva Dugan says
Can this be made in an air fryer?
victor says
Absolutely.
Emma says
No convection oven here, but I've made this twice in the last week because it's so good! I've been making chicken thighs for years with a simple dry rub, and cooked quickly at a high temp which gives a nice crispy skin. But I tried this with the chicken on a cooling rack, used your spice/baking powder blend, and then tossed in a sauce at the end. First time I used half hot sauce, half BBQ sauce. The second time I made it we didn't have any hot sauce, so I tossed it in a Jack Daniels BBQ sauce and it's amazing. Definitely a new favorite around here!
victor says
Glad to hear that. Happy cooking!
Lily Baker says
So excellent and easy! I'm gonna start exploring this site for more gems!
Heather Berger says
I added a bit of Cajun spice to the dry rub and followed all the directions for convection roast. EXCELLENT!
Fran says
The last time i used a similar recipe with an egg & flour; the chicken stuck deplorably to the wire rack, so eager to try this one. I like the idea of using a ranch sauce afterwards rather than the BBQ sauce.
Lily says
I’m contemplating about leaving the chicken marinating over night with the baking powder. Any advice?
victor says
Hi Lily, sorry for the delayed response. I've never done that but I think the baking powder will get soggy and will prevent proper crisping up. It only takes a minute to add the baking powder, I'd do it right before baking.
Jill says
What do you think about just cooking the thighs in a conventional oven until done take them out toss with the barbecue and hot sauce and then throw them under the broiler for 5 minutes or 10?
victor says
This sounds like a really good method to me. Sorry for the late response, this comment was lost in a huge pile of spam.
Yulia says
The best recipe for crispy chicken thighs! I didn't use Buffalo sauce, just added oil to the rub. I baked them in regular oven on the rack, followed instructions and they turned out perfect. It took over an hour but it was worth the wait.
victor says
Happy to hear that, Yulia. Enjoy! Be sure to try my other recipes.
Bobo says
Go to week night dinner! I have a regular oven and up the the heat to 475. Broil a few minutes at the end. I use skinless, boneless thighs. We don’t add the buffalo sauce - it’s great without it. Makes great sandwiches with avocado and alfalfa sprouts. Been using this recipe for two years - never fails!
Lauren says
So I came home to make this and realized I only had baking SODA and not powder, oops. Instead, I used 2 tsp cornstarch for a little over 2lbs chicken thighs. Accidentally did 1 TBSP of salt but it turned out fine LOL. Added garlic powder as well. Didn't have convention oven so used the other method, and tossed in 3 TBSP Frank's hot buffalo sauce. Let me tell you, WOW! They turned out so good! Had some jasmine rice and veggies. Skin was crisp and so delicious I wanted to tear it all off and eat it alone!
Will be my go to recipe for thighs now!
Lindsay Ann Lorang says
This recipe is AMAZING! My kids don't really do spicy so I didn't toss them in sauce at them end, I just put them on the table in their golden crispy goodness. I had also put ranch and a couple of types of BBQ sauce on the table - no one even touched the sauces, the meat was so flavorful on its own. Thank you so much for this amazing alternative to chicken breasts/FRIED chicken! My husband asked that I make this at least twice a month!
Valerie says
I read this receipe and also the one for chicken legs ..I did thighs and legs with the baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika..convection oven...no rack...took 40 min. but that could be because my oven took longer to get up to temp ...the skin was very crisp and the meat was good. I understand about the rack...baking sheet was hard to clean...will try rack next time.
Sandra says
Have you tried this with skinless, boneless thighs?
victor says
No, not this recipe. This one works best with skin on, but boneless should be fine.
Kate Walker says
Really delicious
Danette Issac says
Loved this recipe, will definitely make it again with a few adjustments. I found it way too salty, I would definitely cut the salt by half. I also added garlic powder which we really liked. Chicken turned out so juicy and crispy!
Joan says
These look so good and perfectly seasoned. Definitely one to try and love how flavourful they are, nothing bad than unseasoned chicken.
Karla says
So good and easy! Thank you so much for this recipe! I have a super picky family and they all enjoyed it!
June says
THIS IS AWESOME, BUT WAY TOO SALTY FOR MY LIKING. I WOULD HALF THE SALT NEXT TIME.
Dylan says
You sure you didn't use table salt? Table salt has approximately double the density as kosher salt, so when you're using it in a recipe you have to half the dose.
Brad says
What are your thoughts on convection ovens? Mine has a setting for convection that when I use it, it will adjust the temp down 25 deg to adjust the cooking time to be the same as non convection. I can turn this setting off it wanted. Should I use the setting or not?
victor says
Brad, I bake mine on convection, that's how I get them very crispy. I bake at 425F convection. If your oven adjusts down by 25 degrees, bake at 450F. Keep in mind though that different ovens bake differently so keep an eye on the chicken the first time around. You may have to adjust the time or temperature.
Graceann Pepe says
Can you combine the thighs and drumsticks together. If you should you still use the rack?
victor says
Yes, you can combine both. I would definitely use a rack for fattier chicken (thick yellow skin) but I stopped using a rack when cooking chicken with blue-ish thin skin (almost no fat).
VSO says
This chicken turned out amazingly, over the top with flavor, juiciness, and looks so delicious with the brownish crispy skin. It is the best of any other oven chicken recipe I've ever tried for a basic Crispy chicken.
My only worry while it cooked is the grease smoking. Myself, along with my house smelling like greasy chicken after. I'm sure my dinner guests smelled the grease before they got to the front door... Not sure if this has happened to anyone else. The chicken didn't look fatty before I cooked it. But not sure if I'll ever make the recipe if having Dinner guests, but definitely will make it for the Family.
Penny Fritz. says
Victor this really sounds fantastic. Can't wait to try. My question is will there be enough of an oil and crispy pieces left to make a homemade gravy. I would like to make a homemade family and friends Fried ( oven baked ) chicken dinner for them all . I have Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Haven't done much cooking or eating. But this has my mouth watering .Thank you so much
victor says
Hi Penny, there won't be a whole lot if you pick chicken with thin skin (blue-ish color). Thick-skinned yellow chicken has more fat so there will be more fat left in the pan, but also more splattering in the oven... Enjoy!
Barb horvath says
The chicken stayed extremely moist, but the skin was too tough. Parts couldn’t even be chewed. Any suggestions
victor says
Hi Barb, I have never experienced this problem myself so I can't be 100% sure on this... I would suggest trying a different kind of chicken. I like the one with thinner skin that has a blueish tint rather than the thick-skinned, yellow one.
Debbie says
LOVE finding you and your recipe for crispy thighs ! It’s one of my husbands favorites! Especially in the Michigan winters when we MISS grilling outdoors!
( I want to share what I do now...... I had An empty spice bottle and I made up a batch of the baking powder and my favorite spices and then labeled it crispy chicken thighs and now I can just reach for it with no muss no fuss!😊
Tyra Oliver says
I loved this recipe easy and delicious thank you for sharing
Gg says
This is my new favorite
Karen Lewis says
I fix this at least twice a month. It's really quick and easy, and my family never gets tired of it. They are sooo good!
Eloise says
I made this recipe last Friday evening . . .they were wonderful!!!! The only change I made was, I cut down on the paprika, then added garlic powder in its place. Yummy, will make these again. Thanks for all the wonderful tips.
victor says
You are very welcome!
Lisa Young says
Absolutely love this recipe.ty
victor says
You are very welcome, Lisa. Thank you for your feedback. Enjoy!
Lucille says
Can you make these chicken thighs without skin on or bone in? I only buy boneless, skinless.
victor says
No, boneless will dry out in this recipe. I have a few very good boneless, skinless thigh recipes on my blog, check them out.
Sandy says
Can I do this with breasts? How long would it take to cook breasts?
victor says
I wouldn't do this with breasts, they will dry out. Instead, I highly recommend my crispy roasted chicken breasts.
Mary Ellen says
Love this recipe. The first time I used the similar recipe for chicken wings. I have since used this recipe with thighs a few times. It’s a fantastic recipe and the chicken really does turn out super crispy. This is definitely a favorite. Thank you!
Jan says
The best recipe! Soooo yummy!
Pat Woodruff says
Turned out great!
Jerry says
This is the best chicken recipe ever. Better than KFC and so much healthier. Definitely making this again.
Jerry says
I just made these thighs today and used oven method as I have no convection oven. I never ate chicken skin before as I just did not like the taste.
This chicken I cleaned the bones it was so good. Will never make it any other way!!
Michael S. says
I’m really glad I followed this recipe, cause the chicken came out perfectly. Nice and crispy on the outside and very juicy inside. The baking powder really did the trick, as did cooking it with convection heat on a cooling rack. My family was really pleased and wants me to make it again ASAP!
Allie C. says
I followed this recipe exactly as printed, even using suggestion to cook thighs to 185 degrees, and it was a big hit with the family. My son-in-law said it was better than KFC. My husband said it was the best chicken recipe I've made. My picky daughter even said it was really good. As a bonus for me, I oven roasted broccoli at the same time with the chicken. This recipe is a definite keeper. I'll try this recipe no salt next time. Thanks!
victor says
Glad to hear that, Allie. Enjoy!
Linda says
Cooked this for dinner 2 nights ago and regretted not cooking more. They were delicious - crispy on the skin and juicy on the inside. Best of all, the recipe is so easy to follow. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!
MonA says
I made this recipe last night. I scaled it to work with three thighs since there are only 2 of us, but it was so good I wished I had made 4! (he got 2!) The results were excellent! I used my Wolf countertop oven to convect/bake them and went the entire 40 minutes. The thighs were rather large. Next time I'll take them 35 minutes because in my opinion, they could have been a little juicier. My husband thought they were perfect and literally devoured his. Thank you so much for the great recipe and tutorial. I'll be making this a lot. Thighs are our favorite and this is fast, easy and delicious without any cleanup. I used foil to line the pan and stuck the rack in the dishwasher!
Rhonda says
I have made these several times so good! Thank you for the recipe. I also have put honey (about 2 tbsp) in the sauce.
rgm541 says
Excellent flavor! Easy to make.... juicy inside..... crispy outside.... what more could we want? My whole family loves this chicken!
Cassie says
I’ve come back to this recipe 6 or 7 times and they only get better and better!
Kristie says
Wow! Thank you so much for the tips!!!!
The skin was fabulous and crispy! I cooked them on a rack and there was sooo much fat drippings in the pan! My whole family loved this! I used ground sumac, sea salt, and paprika along with the baking powder. It was mazing!
Cindy says
So delicious. Will definitely keep this recipe.
Barbara says
I made these last night in my convection oven. Added red pepper to the mix for a little zing. They turned out delicious. Used a combo of cinnamon honey and soy to dip them in before serving. My husband loved them. Thanks for this great recipe.
victor says
You are very welcome! Happy cooking!
Mona S Wachsler says
Barbara, I tried tossing in your cinnamon honey and soy with a little toasted sesame oil and it was fabulous!
Noreen Gamble says
This is my new go-to thigh recipe. Absolutely delicious & crispy.. This is the second time I've made them in 2 weeks. Thanks, Victor!
Noreen
victor says
You are very welcome, Noreen! Happy cooking!
Noreen Gamble says
Hello, again Victor! I have a bunch of drumsticks because that's all I could find at Costco. Could I use this same recipe, and if so could you guide me on the bake time & yes I do have a convection oven.
Thank you,
Noreen
victor says
Hi Noreen, drumsticks work really well with this recipe... I even made a post on how to bake them (drumsticks) this way... use it as a guide... Let me know if you have any questions.
Noreen Gamble says
Thank you for the link, I will definitely be using this recipe!
Thanks for getting back to me,
Noreen
victor says
You are welcome.
Laura says
Since my family is not a fan of Buffalo sauce we brush these with a garlic butter sauce and they are absolutely divine. Though maybe not as healthy as your original version. 🙂
Chez says
I made this last night and was amazed at how crispy the skin was. My whole family loved this. It did smoke up my house with such a high temp but it was totally worth it. I've always struggled with skin on thighs. Not any more. Thank you for an awesome recipe. I can't wait to make this again.
Ciara says
Turned out fantastic and was gone in 10 minutes. Will be making again.
Jessica says
These were fantastic, I am limited on what I can get for chicken at the market right now with the Coronavirus happening, so I ended up with a lot of bone in skin on chicken thighs. These were so juicy and crunchy and I did end up way over 165 internal temp (which is always a huge no no for me I always check my chicken temp ) and they were perfect. The whole family loves them and it was so easy. Pay dry ,season throw in the oven... work done. Thanks for this easy recipe !
Kristin Coombs says
Highly recommend! Best baked chicken ever.
Steph says
This was absolutely delicious!!!!! I made it for dinner tonight and my picky boyfriend said to add it to the list of regular meals. He loved it! I will definitely be making it again.
Lisa says
Hi can I do this with a cut up whole chicken? Thanks Lisa
victor says
I don't see a problem doing that except that white meat may get a little dry using this method. I would keep the breasts whole with bones inside and with skin on. That will help them stay moist.
Miracle says
I made this the other day, I loved the flavor and so crispy and juicy!
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
Shana says
Made these tonight and they are great. I don’t have a convection oven, so I used my normal cooking method (see below). I did use the cooling rack to eliminate grease.
Turn oven to 500 degrees then cook for 15 min
Turn down to 375 and cook for another 20min. Then I tent loosely with foil for the remaining 15min.
Super crispy and couldn’t taste the baking powder at all!
Miralce says
Can I marinade it overnight with baking powder?
Thanks
victor says
I wouldn't as that will defeat the purpose of this recipe.
Miracle says
Thanks, a lot!
Ellie says
I am curious about that reply.... what would you suggest doing if the thighs were seasoned with the salt and powder and then left to air dry overnight ?
victor says
Never tried that so I can't really say but doesn't seem like a bad idea to try to me.
Deb Bauer says
Made these tonight and they were better than the pictures! So crispy and juicy - we didn't even use additional sauce they were so flavorful. Thank you for an excellent and delicious recipe. Clean up was a breeze which made it even nicer.
Kathleen says
Tried this last night with our local 'Front Street Heat" sauce, and this chicken was a huge success! Great technique, my spouse loved this chicken. I will follow this again, and again!
Meredith says
I don't have a convection oven, so I used your alternate directions, and the skin was still super crunchy and delicious! My picky seven year old had two pieces and declared it the best chicken I've ever made...and I agree. Thank you for the great recipe!
William Drucker says
This is William. I forgot to add my "five stars!".
victor says
Thank you, William. A five-star rating is much appreciated.
William Drucker says
I never comment on "food" sites BUT ….
This chicken was the easiest and best-tasting in its category. Plus, cleaning was super-easy!
Note: I don't have a rack, so I doubled-over some aluminum foil, and made a "fan" design, to simulate a rack, and it worked perfectly!
Amanda says
Hi there! Would this work for chicken drumsticks as well! We love this recipe for thighs!! You think 35 mins as well? Can’t thank you enough for this delicious recipie! My kids devour this chicken!
victor says
Amanda, it works on drumsticks just as well, I've actually made a post on it as well, extra crispy chicken drumsticks. Happy to hear that your family loved the recipe. Thank your rating and feedback.
Leigh says
Hi Victor, I have been reading the comments and can't wait to try this recipe! I would like to ask your opinion. I noticed you also have made these in an air fryer. I've been toying with the idea of buying one but isn't it basically the same as as using a convection oven? I don't want to invest in one if there isn't much of a difference. Thanks!
victor says
Hi Leigh, yes, it's very similar to convection oven, and I can get similar results from both. That said, I think air fried food is a bit more flavorful. Essentially, it's a broiler with convection, not oven with convection. As well, an air fryer uses a lot less electricity, doesn't warm up kitchen as much, and doesn't require preheating. My wife and kids prefer using an air fryer, finding it easier to use. We love ours so much, and use it so often, that we got it a friend, in case the original one breaks or when we need more cooking surface.
linda Mathison says
I am soooooooo excited to try this. I know that someone asked about cooking in a gas oven and you weren't sure if gas had convection bake, but it does. So I am making this on Sunday for our football party at our house, GO PACKERS, and I will let you know how it works in a gas oven on convection bake.
victor says
Glad to hear it, Linda. I'd love to hear how it turns out.
Lori says
I very much liked this! I’m not much of a baked chicken fan, nor a meat-on-the-bone fan, but this was so good. It even looked like your picture (crispy, beautifully browned, and mouth-watering). I had to follow the regular oven instructions—you should put those into the recipe itself—since I don’t have a convection oven and it still worked. I needed slightly less time on the second part. Also, it needs so little sauce to cover it at the end, it’s great (I don’t have to drown my chicken in bbq sauce). Thanks!
victor says
You are very welcome, Lori. Thank you for your feedback. I will put the alternative instructions on the body of the recipe. Be sure to check out my other recipes, I am sure you will find quite a few more that will surprise you.
Melissa says
what is the point of starting oven at 450? im worried i am missing a step. i am reading that you start oven at 450, but you drop it to 425 before you actually put anything in the oven. am i overlooking something or why not just start at 450? note: i am using a convection oven. thanks!
victor says
The temperature drops when you put cold food in the oven. I start at 25 degrees higher to account for that.
Melissa says
Great tip! Thank you for that! Also really appreciated the comment you made about making sure to leave in long enough and that the thighs are giving. I have made similar yep things in past and worry so much about setting out. This time I didn't let that stop me and left it in longer and the result was super moist with a magical level of crisp. I then put homemade teriyaki sauce. Delicious. Thank you for those fabulous tips, they made all the difference m
victor says
You are very welcome, Melissa, glad I could help. Thanks for the feedback!
Susan says
The chicken was pretty good - the skin was crispy but the baking powder/seasoning mix burned black on top. I will try it again.
victor says
Everyone's oven bakes differently as they say. You may want to adjust the time and/or temperature and it will be perfect.
RAMON MARIO MUNOZ JR. says
Would you be so kind as to send me the extra crispy chicken recipe to my email and sign me up for futter recipes please!
victor says
Hi Ramon. Sent you the recipe but you will need to subscribe yourself as you will be asked to confirm subscription via your email.
Ann says
I was good til I got to the convection part. I do not have a doggone convection oven!
victor says
Darn! Convection makes a huge difference. Though, you could try making these without the convection following the instructions in the comments.
Leslie Mertens says
Please add regular oven instructions.
victor says
Added in the notes of the recipe. Enjoy!
Sarah says
I do not see any instructions in comments for cooking in regular oven. Please explain
victor says
Comment dated Oct 28 2018. But I added them in the notes of the recipe. Enjoy!
Nova says
I don’t have a convection oven. Will this not work for me?
victor says
Added instructions for regular oven in the notes of the recipe. Enjoy!
Betsi Bauer says
This turned out perfectly! I followed your instructions and cooked 3 thighs and a breast for 40 minutes in convection! Next time I will add cayenne to the rub as was previously suggested. Thank you for an easy and quick chicken dish!
Linda says
I made this last night and it was very good only thing I changed was what I seasoned my chicken with. Thanks for sharing this.
Brenda says
What if I don’t have a convection oven? What temp to use on conventional?
victor says
Hi Brenda, please check my response from October 29 2018, someone has already asked this question. Hope it helps.
Sarah says
So simple and so delicious! Definitely will be making on the regular!
Carolyn says
WOW. Made this tonight, and they were AH-MAZING. So quick and easy, and even my 1yr old and 3yr old loved it. I’ll be trying this out with some different spice rubs, but this method is truly life-changing! Thanks for sharing!
Candace Joseph says
How can I prepare boneless and skinned
Melissa says
I have a gas stove, is going to come out the same? I'm getting ready to try it. Looks do yummy.
victor says
Melissa, I don't have a gas stove so I can't say. I suspect that by virtue of it being a gas stove it won't have a convection function. If so, the results will be different.
Sarah fletcher says
Has anyone tried the non-convection recipe? And if so how did it turn out.
Patty says
What if you don't have a convection oven?
victor says
Hi Patty, please check my response from October 29 2018, someone has already asked this question. Hope it helps.
Melinda says
Delicious, juicy and easy to make. Trying your pork chops next😊
Beverly Morton says
I wonder if this can come out the same with a regular oven?
victor says
Hi Beverly,
No, they won't be the same but you can get close. Check my response from October 29 2018, someone has already asked this question. Hope it helps.
Nancy Brousseau says
Recipe sounds great but I don't have a convection over, guess I will skip trying this.
whitney says
hi! we don't have a convection oven... thoughts on temperatures and timing?
victor says
Whitney, I responded to this questions above, on October 28th, 2018.
Nakita says
These were absolutely delicious. Added my famous homemade barbecue sauce after and my boyfriend has already asked for them again this week!
victor says
Good to hear that, Nakita. Enjoy!!!
Susan says
I used this recipe tonight and it was a hit! I generally don’t even like thighs 😊 They tasted so good I didn’t use any sauce at all. Like I said, I don’t even like thighs and I ate two!! Just wish I would have read your comments on keeping the thighs more towards the center of the rack. My brand new oven got blasted, more on one side than the other. Oh well, self-clean it is! Now my family wants the wings!
victor says
😉 You must try those wings. Just make sure to buy enough.
Sherry says
We tried your Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Wings amd love them. I'm interested in trying this recipe in the air fryer and read above where you said it'll work. At what temperature and length of time should the thighs be cooked in the air fryer? I'm looking forward to trying this recipe! Thanks!
victor says
Sherry, I just made these chicken thighs in my air fryer the other day. I cooked at 400F, 10+10+5, flipping twice. Turned out great. Most of my cooking is done at higher temps, 400F-410F, it makes food crispier on the outside and more juicy inside. There are some exceptions of course.
Jessie says
So awesome - so crispy. Husband says def going into the rotation!! Can’t wait to try the chicken wings !!
Jess says
Outstanding! So crispy inside and so succulent inside. Will be making again soon for sure.
Melinda says
This chicken was crispy and juicy. Dipped it in buffalo wing sauce and ranch, Double delicious 🍗🙂
Bev says
I've made these thighs fives times, exactly as written. They are amazing and addictive. The recipe now owns a spot in my favorites file!. Thank you.
victor says
Wow, it's an honor for me, Bev. Thank you so much for the kind words. So happy that you liked my recipe.
Sylvia says
The thighs, and drumsticks, were absolutely delicious! This is my new go-to chicken recipe! I was really surprised at the crispiness of the skin with the use of baking powder. Excellent!
Vickie says
Very moist and crispy skin but you could taste the baking powder and left a horrible after taste.
victor says
You are sensitive to aluminum. Some people are, like some are sensitive to gluten. I suggest using aluminum-free baking powder or skipping it altogether.
Dee says
Yep, I made these last night and the guys loved them. They were crispy on the outside and incredibly juicy inside!!! Next time I will add a little cayenne to the rub and make sure to coat each piece really well.
I served with a choice of Ranch, Buffalo Hot Sauce and General Tso sauce. It was a big hit!
This will be my "go to" chicken dinner.
Patti says
Hi .. I plan on trying this recipe it sounds delicious.. Can you use boneless chicken thighs also and the convection oven ?
victor says
I never tried but boneless should be OK. Skinless - those will dry out when cooked on convection.
Colleen says
I made these chicken thighs tonight just as the recipe is except I didn’t toss it in any sauce afterwards & it was delicious!!!! My husband who is very picky really likes it and said I could make this again!!! I baked mine 35 minuets and they were crispy & moist! Thanks for a great recipe!
victor says
You are very welcome. These chicken thighs are some of my all time favorite.
Jane says
I made this last week. After the chicken was finished baking ( I don’t have convention oven, but I did use wire rack.) I put aluminum foil on sheet pan and poured bbq sauce in a thin layer then placed cooked chicken on top, then poured bbq sauce on top. Baked for approximately 20 min more at 350. My family is still talking about it. They say it’s the best chicken they’ve ever tasted. I think the baking powder was the secret the chicken was juicy inside and even with the bbq sauce the crust was still nice and crunchy. Definitely a keeper!!!!
victor says
Thank you for posting your feedback, Jane. I am so glad to hear every time someone makes my recipes and finds them enjoyable.
Steve says
Thanks for what looks to be an amazing recipe. Do you think I could do this in either my gas or charcoal (Weber) grill? Both can be used with indirect heat and have lids.
victor says
No problem. I don't think you will get the same results as this method relies on convection, i.e. high velocity heat to get the level of crispiness that it gets. My favorite way to cook chicken thighs on a charcoal grill is to grill them over direct heat with just enough charcoal to not burn the meat too quickly. I would spread red hot charcoal on the bottom of the grill and grill for 15 minutes, covered, then flip and grill for 15 minutes more. Depending on the heat level, this may be enough or I can continue for a little longer. This make a wonderful crispy skin and a juicy interior. Not the same, not as crispy, but exceptionally tasty.
Cynthia Borst says
Hello I cannot wait to try this recipe. However I have chicken dummies and could not find the temp to oven bake them on convection setting? I want to use this exact recipe but with dummies can you give me a convection cooking time? Thanks!
Cindy
victor says
Cindy, here is the same recipe modified for drumsticks: https://ifoodblogger.com/buffalo-style-baked-chicken-drumsticks/
KAREN JORDAN says
I made this and it was really nice, quite easy to do crisp up nicely in the convection oven, it's a keeper for me.
victor says
Great to hear it! Thank you for your feedback.
Julie says
Amazing recipe, my family loved it. Will be making again for sure.
Monique says
Victor, this was superb, just like the pics, very crispy. My only problem is it made a mess in the oven, the grease splattered all over it. Sides, oven door, all surfaces. What do you suggest?
victor says
Hello, Monique. The problem is fat. Try to trim it off as much as you can, it will help. There are thighs that are yellow and fatty, then there ones that have thin, whitish skin, with little to no fat. I like using those. You seem to be in Canada judging by your email. Try Costco, they have chicken thighs like that. Also Walmart.
I also bake mine on a large, 16" x 21" baking sheet. I keep the thighs closer to the center and away from the sides. This will also help with the grease splatters.
Nancy Stevens says
At what point do you apply the sweet paprika?
victor says
At the very beginning, together with the rest of the seasonings.
Alison Hutchins says
Hullo; the recipe sounds delicious. I applaud your skill and ability to relate all the information one learns as one develops a new recipe. As an amateur chef I know it takes time and energy to so thoroughly deliver a complete recipe so others will easily prepare it.
I am, however, quite frustrated: I have used all my known methods to format the text without the photos unsuccessfully. I have been on other sites where one can choose whether or not to print the images. I do not need them and they waste ink. The site owner (you) can create a printable version which takes fewer pages and delivers what is needed: your very well written instructions . I don't ever mind printing a small photo located at the upper right corner of a recipe, unless I can delete it. Some people live on a tight budget. Every print job costs. I think you are the kind of person who will take things like that into consideration.
I live with my 95 and a half year old Father, who loves chicken thighs: I plan to prepare this soon for him. I ended up downloading the whole thing to files. Now to try to find a way to print just the text. Thank you for all your long hours in the kitchen, I love nothing more than that as well. Thank you for your skill in writing. I do hope you will email me a reply.
victor says
Hm, never thought of that but you raise a valid point. Fortunately, the recipe plugin I use features disabling images on the print page, which I already did. So, no more pictures on print pages.
jane Weddle says
To avoid printing the pictures, you might try to "copy" and "paste" the text portion only, of the recipe, to a new word document.
victor says
The printing has been fixed and pictures are excluded from printing now.
Sue says
Could we cook these thighs in an air fryer oven? They sound great!
victor says
Yes, you can. The results will be very similar, I've tried.
jj says
oh my goodness! these are the best oven fried chicken thighs that I ever tasted. they are ridiculously tasty. i made a dozen for dinner tonight and served with spaghetti and white wine sauce. everyone kept going
'mmmmmm' while eating dinner. i am making more tomorrow.
victor says
Glad to hear that you liked my recipe. Spaghetti and white wine sauce sounds like a great side for chicken thighs.
Reda Broderick says
Hi Victor,
I don't have a convection oven. Could I still get that crispiness in a regular oven ? Thanks.
Reda
victor says
Hi Reda,
I am going to re-post my answer to the same question that was asked in the Extra Crispy Baked Chicken Wings post. It should work for the thighs too.
Convection is a requirement in this recipe as you get better results – as in noticeably crispier skin and a shorter cooking time. You can even easily get away without baking them on a wire rack. However, if you don’t have a convection oven try the method below originally suggested by America’s Test Kitchen. You should get somewhat similar results.
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Arrange wings in single layer on a wire rack placed over a backing sheet. Bake wings on lower-middle oven rack for 30 minutes. Move to upper-middle rack, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees, and roast until the wings are golden brown and crisp, 40-50 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Remove sheet from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer wings to a bowl with wing sauce of your choice, toss to coat, and serve.
I swear by my method though 😉
Christine says
Could you make this with chicken breasts?
victor says
Christine, this recipe won't work with chicken breasts as convection will dry them out. Here is a great recipe that will produce similar results with chicken breasts: https://ifoodblogger.com/oven-roasted-bone-in-chicken-breast/. They are great without any sauce, but you can toss them in hot sauce like the thighs after baking.
Brenda says
Will this recipe work for drumsticks? If so, what adjustments need to be made?
victor says
Yes it will and I have a recipe for them. The link is just above the thigh recipe.
Marian says
I don't have a convection oven, how would you cook in a regular oven?
victor says
See my response below.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
This chicken looks so moist and flavorful - that picture of you pulling it apart with your fingers made my mouth water just looking at it! I'd be honored if you shared it at our What's for Dinner linky party.
Kai P says
Hi there. We made these crispy oven fried chicken thighs for dinner today. I was a little skeptical about the baking powder and convections and started with just 4 chicken thighs. I put the salt and spices before putting in the oven and tossed in BBQ sauce afterwards. Holy smokes! What an amazing contrast between the crispy skin and the tender, moist meat. After the initial success we went ahead and made 12 more. This is our new favorite chicken thigh recipe without a doubt. I will be experimenting with different finishing sauces.
victor says
Very happy to hear about your success, Kai. Try Duff's hot wing sauce and Duff's BBQ sauce. Those two are at the top of my favorite sauces.
Anna says
Do we need to turn the chicken wings 1/2 way with the convection oven?
victor says
No, you don't. Grease will run down during cooking. If you do, the skin won't crisp up properly.
Karen says
Love this recipe!