Roasted Chicken Thighs with only salt and pepper are moist, succulent with wonderfully crispy skin! Simple comfort food at its best.
I love ‘go to’ recipes that are easy, reliable and never disappoint. Today’s recipe for Salt & Pepper Roasted Chicken Thighs is a favorite in my house.
This roasted chicken thigh recipe proves that it doesn’t take a long list of ingredients to make something delicious.
With only three simple ingredients Salt & Pepper Roasted Chicken Thighs proves simple can be the most delicious at the dinner table!
Chicken Breasts vs Chicken Thighs
I have loved chicken thighs for as long as I can remember. As a child, that was the part of the chicken I hoped would land on my dinner plate.
Being darker meat, thighs have more flavor and do not dry out like the much coveted chicken breast.
Their more substantial texture is completely satisfying too!
How to Make Roasted Chicken Thighs
This simple roasted chicken thigh recipe is SO easy! How easy?!
- Salt and pepper chicken thighs
- Roast them in the oven for about an hour.
That’s it! You’ll never imagine the flavor that will result from such an easy recipe.
What Temperature to Cook Roasted Chicken Thighs?
These roasted chicken thighs are cooked in a 350-degree oven.
How Long to Cook Roasted Chicken Thighs?
Chicken thighs cook for approximately 1 hour.
They are done when pierced the juices will run clear (and will register 165-degrees on an Instant Read thermometer)
Making PERFECT Roasted Chicken Thighs Every Time (TIPS)
After making this roasted chicken thigh recipe more times than I can count, I have a few tricks for perfect roasting.
They ensure the chicken thighs are juicy and the skin crisps the skin beautifully every time.
TIP #1: A baking sheet with sides is fitted with a flat rack. This does two things:
- Allows air circulation underneath the chicken thigh while cooking helps the skin become crisp.
- It also provides that any fat drippings drain into the pan and the chicken thigh is not sitting in them.
The thighs have plenty of flavor; they don’t need to sit in the fat.
TIP #2: Select chicken thighs all the same size. This allows all the thighs to cook uniformly in the same amount of time
TIP #3: Flipping the chicken thighs mid-way through cooking allows even cooking on all sides as well.
Roasted Chicken Thighs Easy Clean Up TIP
For extra-easy clean-up, wrap the pan in foil and discard it when you are done! No pan washing required.
Supplies for Making Roasted Chicken Thighs
A few supplies make this recipe easy. You probably have them in your kitchen already!
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Recipe
Salt and Pepper Roasted Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken Thighs (bone in, skin on) all the same size
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a cooking rack in a baking sheet and spray with non-stick spray. Quick clean up tip: Line the baking sheet with foil and discard when done cooking.
- Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the salt and pepper into both sides of all the chicken thighs. Place on the prepared rack skin side down. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Turn the chicken thighs over and bake another 30 minutes until the juices run clear when pierced with a knife (they should register 165 degrees internally when measured with an instant read thermometer).
Nutrition
originally published: January 8, 2017
Dawn McAlexander says
I usually don’t like chicken thighs, but these look tasty. I would try these. Perhaps I just had not found the right recipe!
Kathy says
These look really good. Chicken is one of my favorites. I would love to give this a try. I love that it’s roasted.
Lisa Bristol says
This is a fantastic go to recipe that is simple to make. I will have to get the ingredients to make some this week.
Ann Bacciaglia says
Chicken is one of my family’s favorites. I like to bake it with some chopped veggies for a delicious one pan meal.
Claudia Krusch says
These Salt and Pepper Roasted Chicken Thighs look so delicious and easy to make. I make chicken a few times a week so I am always looking for new recipes to try.
Theresa says
This makes me think of my stepmom who always made yummy roasted chicken thighs. Funny thing was, was managed a KFC, and while she could have brought us the leftover thighs from work, we always wanted her home cooked ones instead. They were much tastier and healthier than that chain’s chicken any day!
Ash Sears says
We also eat a lot of thighs in our house but they are normally in barbecue sauce. I need to give this simple variation a try.
Sarah Bailey says
As simple as this dish is, your tips and tricks to making it crispy are what I was missing. Thanks so much for sharing!
Toni Dash says
We make this alot Sarah so have many batched under our dinnertime belt! My husband is the one who deserves credit for the method. I always love it when he makes these even as simple as they are. Hope you’ll love them too!
Amy Desrosiers says
This is by far my favorite chicken recipe to make for my family. I love the crispy skin and simple flavors.
Marcie W. says
There is something so classic and comforting about simple roasted chicken. Thighs always have the best flavor and crispy skin is a real treat!