How Long Do Chicken Thighs Take to Cook

Updated on December 17th, 2023

Chicken is one of the most adaptable meat kinds available, and it’s easy to get creative with. Chicken thighs, in particular, are very affordable and tasty. It’s also a plus that they can be cooked using various methods, from oven-baked to slow-cooked.

Chicken thighs benefit greatly from being cooked in the oven; that’s why in this article, we’ll show you how best to achieve oven-cooked chicken thigh recipes, as well as the ideal timing guidelines to achieve the best possible results. Pay attention to all the cooking instructions we’ve provided in this article in order to achieve deliciously cooked chicken thighs every time.

Chicken Thighs Nutrition Facts

Tips for Cooking Chicken Thighs

We have compiled a number of helpful tips to guide you through the process of cooking chicken thighs:

Buy the right kind of chicken thighs – The most flavorful chicken thighs are bone-in with the skin still attached, but many supermarkets also sell boneless and skinless chicken thigh varieties. Because bone-in chicken thighs are heavier than boneless thighs, they will typically take longer to cook. Cooking with the skin on adds additional calories because the skin contains the majority of unsaturated fat.

How to prepare chicken thighs for cooking – Cooking chicken thighs straight from the packet is possible, perhaps even the most convenient option. However, to save costs and get a faster-cooking protein choice, some individuals prefer buying the lower-priced cut-bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and preparing them for the cooking process by themselves.

Preparing the chicken by yourself at home is easy. To remove the bone, simply cut along the bone with the skin side down, slicing through the meat using a knife. Carefully pull the bone away from the meat and slide your knife in between the bone and the meat. Scrape the end of the bone with your knife to separate it from the remaining flesh.

Use a meat thermometer – A meat thermometer is the most reliable tool to guarantee that chicken is fully done. When the cooking process is complete, insert the thermometer into the thickest or most fleshy area of the chicken thighs; the internal temperature should read between 165 F and 175 F degrees.

It’s best to use the meat thermometer for chicken, especially the one that has its bone attached. This is because the minerals in the bones can cause the flesh to remain a little pinker than a chicken breast, so the best thing to do is verify with the thermometer.

Ideal timing – Please remember that cooking bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs will typically take longer than cooking skinless and boneless chicken thighs. The temperature of the oven also has an impact on how long you’ll have to cook your chicken thighs.

We have provided a timing guideline based on the cooking temperature in the table below.

Storing leftovers – This oven-cooked chicken recipe we described below can keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if properly wrapped. To lengthen the shelf life, we suggest freezing it, and the chicken will keep in the freezer for 4 to 6 months if kept in an airtight container.

 

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Cooking Time for Chicken Thighs

The ideal timing guidelines to follow when cooking chicken thighs have been described in the table below:

Baked Chicken Thighs (8 Servings)

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• Author: Bobby

Ingredients

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• 8 large bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 3.5 to 4 lbs)
• ¼ cup of olive oil
• Zest of 1 large lemon (about 1 tablespoon), remainder of lemon cut into wedges for serving
• 5 garlic cloves minced, or 1½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• 4 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, store-bought or homemade
• 2 teaspoons of paprika
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Place the oven’s rack one level higher than the center position. Heat up the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Use aluminum foil to line a rimmed 18 × 13-inch baking sheet and an oven-safe wire cooling rack on top. Using nonstick frying spray, coat the cooling rack.
3. Whisk the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, Italian seasoning, and paprika together in a large mixing basin.
4. Dry the chicken thighs thoroughly with paper towels before placing them in the basin with the oil mixture. Toss well to ensure that the mixture is uniformly distributed.
5. Turn the thighs skin side down onto the rack on the baking sheet. Season them using salt and pepper before turning the skin side up and seasoning again. Allow room between your thighs to allow heat to circulate evenly.
6. For 35 to 45 minutes in a preheated oven, cook the chicken thighs until the skin is browned and the internal temperature in the thighs registers 175 degrees in the thickest area. For crispier skin, broil the chicken thighs for the last minute or two (make sure to keep a close eye on them).
7. Serve your baked chicken thighs with some lemon wedges for spritzing. 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley can also be added as a garnish, if desired.

The results of cooking your chicken thighs this way are a crisp exterior and juicy interior. Try to season your chicken thighs sufficiently to ensure that they end up flavorful. This cooking method is also quite easy, and you can be sure that it’ll consistently produce delicious results.

Make sure to follow our cooking instructions as well as our timing guidelines in order to get the best possible results with your recipe. If you need more ideas on how to cook chicken thighs, ensure that you take a look at this video recipe.

Notes

1. If you choose to broil, remove the fat off the baking sheet before doing so to avoid smoking.
2. Brush away the browned pieces of garlic from the top of the chicken thighs after broiling them, as they can be harsh. These garlic pieces help to season the chicken while it’s baking, but the flavor of the garlic won’t be the same once the pieces are browned.