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
Veronica says
Very nice! I will have to give this one a try
Cassie says
Your pics are awesome and all I can say is “delicious.” I’m going to try this for dinner this weekend.
Toni Dash says
Thank you Cassie! I hope you’ll love the recipe as much as I do.
Dana Vento says
It’s something so simple some people and I have forgotten that it can be done. Amazing! I usually just go for marinated ones but these is just too easy not to pass up!
Toni Dash says
I felt sheepish even sharing the ‘recipe’ Dana because it IS so simple. But I suppose that doesn’t make it any less fantastic (maybe even more so)!
Chrystal | Nevermore Lane says
Love the simplicity of salt and pepper! So yummy. I love chicken thighs, but grilled is where its at for me. When it comes to thighs and legs, they have to be extra done. lol
kristin says
This sounds really delicious! I bet my hubby would enjoy this one especially!
Crystal says
Chicken is one of our go-to recipes. It’s so easy to do right, but your tips and hacks are going to make it even easier to do amazing. Plus, easy clean-up is always appreciated.
Jeanine says
These look delicious. My mom used to make something like these and I have often thought about them. Would love to make these and see if my kiddos love them, I think they’d be a really big hit!
Seattle Travel Blogger says
This looks really yummy – I plan on sharing this with my dad; he is working on a spin-off of the Paleo-Diet.
I am also a fan, as I see you are, of using aluminum foil to cover baking sheets (what a nice time-saver on clean-up).
Amanda Love says
YUM! I will always love chicken because there are so many ways to prepare it. I think this one’s a must try and it’s not difficult to make either!
mommyblogexpert says
Your chicken dish looks delicious. What a yummy recipe to make with just a few ingredients that the whole family will love.