Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Thighs are the ultimate solution for a flavorful and easy weeknight dinner. These oven-baked chicken thighs are perfectly seasoned. They are coated in a rich garlic butter sauce, which makes the meat juicy and tender. Ready in just 45 minutes, these chicken thighs with crispy, golden skin is perfect for busy families looking for a delicious and easy dinner.
I’m so excited to share this family favorite with you today! This is my go-to chicken thighs recipe because my son and husband absolutely love it. They even fight over the crispy skin on top! 😂 Every time I make it, they go back for seconds, which makes me so happy.
I’ve made this chicken countless times, and I figured it was finally time to share it with you. What I love most about this recipe is that you only need three key ingredients to make the juiciest, most flavorful chicken thighs.
Chicken Thighs – I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs to get a crispy outside while keeping the inside moist and tender. Of course, if you only have boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts, you can use those too. However, after making this recipe many times, I’ve found that keeping the skin and bone in makes the chicken much juicier and more flavorful.
Garlic – I like to use crush fresh cloves because freshly crushed cloves have a stronger, more vibrant flavor and aroma compared to store-bought pre-ground cloves.
Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter because it lets you control the salt level and enhances the natural flavors of the ingredients.
How To Cook Chicken Thighs
- I always use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken thighs.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Add olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs in a single layer and cook until skin is golden brown.
- On the side of the pan, melt the butter.
- Add in the garlic and stir to combine. Make sure it’s not on high heat as you don’t want the garlic to burn.
- Place it in the oven and bake chicken thighs for 30 minutes or until they are done. If your chicken thighs start darkening excessively while in the oven, cover them with foil until they are fully cooked.
- Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thighs to make sure your garlic butter chicken thighs are perfectly cooked without overcooking them. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
1. The baking time for boneless chicken thighs is about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken thighs.
2. For bone-in thighs, it cooks in about 25 and 30 minutes.
To Store: Transfer the baked chicken thighs to an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
To Freeze: Simply allow it to cool and then transfer it to a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Thaw it in the fridge overheat and then, I like to reheat in the oven until warmed through. If you reheat it in the microwave, the skin will be soggy.
Roasted Vegetables – They’re great side dish to go with any kind of protein, especially with this baked chicken thighs. Or you can always serve it with mashed potatoes.
Roasted green beans or roasted sweet potato are good side dishes to go with these baked chicken thighs.
Broccoli salad – Such an easy and flavourful salad.
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
Grilled Chicken Thighs
35 mins
Chicken Thighs with Potatoes
1 hr 10 mins
Baked Chicken Thighs and Rice
1 hr 30 mins
Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
4 hrs 10 mins
Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F degrees. Move oven rack to center. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towel and season all over with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet (10-inch) over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear until the skin is golden and crispy. It takes about 5 minutes to cook them through at this point. Flip your chicken over once the skin is crispy. If your chicken thighs releases a lot of fat, dispose it using a spoon.
- Place butter in the same skillet. When the butter melts, add minced garlic. Stir the garlic around the pan for 30 seconds.
- Place the whole skillet in the oven and bake for 30 mins for until chicken gets the internal temperature at 165°F. When the chicken is cooked, spoon some of the garlic butter sauce over the top of each chicken thigh. Top with parsley before serving.
Notes
- If you do not have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the chicken thighs to a baking dish (baking sheet or sheet pan) to bake.
- After you’ve baked the chicken thighs, let them rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in tender and moist meat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
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Amazing how such a simple recipe can be so good. I cooked just 2 thighs so cut back to 3 cloves of garlic but kept the butte the same since I added a russet potatoe cut into 1/8. They absorbed the butter in the oven and the while dish was yummy good.
Right? Totally agree with you.
I stopped reading after I don’t wash my chicken… Bleach your sink… Wash your chicken with limes or lemons and apple cider vinegar… You should do that with all meat as you have no Idea how many times it has been dropped on the floor or if the people handling it have properly clean their gloves or hands… And remember … You just can’t eat everyone’s food lol
This is a joke right?? You know citrus and vinegar aren’t disinfectants right?? “Washing” meat is wholly unnecessary if you cook it correctly and it leads to more germs getting splashed around your kitchen.
The National Institutes of Health, as far back as 1998 and as recently as 2019, reference studies on the bactericidal properties of vinegar (5%). In particular, it is effective, particularly when combined with salt, against ecoli, salmonella, and listeria. A 2005 study found apple cider vinegar with lemon juice to be very effective against salmonella. It’s easy to find citations by googling for NIH vinegar ecoli or salmonella.
Also, some cultures require poultry be thoroughly washed before cooking and consumption.
I wipe down my sink area and utensils with a bleach solution after carefully handling raw poultry so I don’t worry about splashes of contaminated fluids.
You do realize that cooking the chicken not only kills the bacteria you think you are “washing off” but also would kills any bacteria that could potentially be on the chicken from being dropped or touched by inflicted hands? That’s what cooking to 165 does.
You do not have to wash your chicken. That’s a damn myth, I wish people who have no idea what they’re talking about would stop commenting. Your kitchen is probably filled with salmonella that has sprayed up from you “washing” your chicken.
What a joke!
That’s what cooking it is for???
I have made this soooo many times.! With chicken thighs being on sale often, this is definitely one of my go-to recipes. I spoon some of the garlic butter over the skin before it goes in the oven. About 3 minutes before finishing, I turn the broiler on to give it a super crispness. My family loves this. Usually serve it with mashed potatoes and broccoli or spinach. Simple and delicious 😋
Glad to hear that.
I’ve baked chicken thighs using several recipes from the internet over the past few months. They were good but not great. Nothing I’d give up space for in my recipe box.
I tried your garlic butter chicken thighs recipe tonight and it was very simple, very basic and tasted wonderfully! Crunchy, savory skin, and moist. It’s earned space in the recipe box. 🤗
Aww that’s awesome. So happy to hear that.
Wonderful!!!!
Thank you!
Now what to cook as a side dish 🤔
Quinoa salad, rice, pasta, green beans and mashed potatoes.
have made this twice, first time followed the recipe, second time, added more spices that I enjoy..the hubby & I loved both.
That’s awesome. Happy you and your husband liked this recipe!
Delicious! I’ve made this dish several times just as it is described, and it has been great every time. My nine year old picky eater absolutely loves this chicken!
Awww I’m so happy to hear that your child loves this recipe. It makes me so happy. Thank you for your comment.
The most elegant food truly is the most simply. I’ve made this weekly for the last month. It never disappoints. Thank you!
So awesome to hear that. Thanks for stopping by and for your feedback.
Loved this! Made this tonight, skin was crispy and the chicken was SOOO moist! Will definitely make again, and maybe play with more seasonings for variety <3
Yes you can totally try different kind of seasonings for sure.
my fav. recipe for chicken thighs, so good and crispy, made this twice before, making again tonight, I add more spices to it, tonight will be adding potatoes to the skillet, great recipe..
So glad you enjoy this recipe! And yes it is great with potatoes.
After I wash my hands after handing raw chicken, I pour a little apple cider vinegar on my hands, it gets rid of all the chicken smell. My mother in law taught me this.
Good tip!
Thank you for this recipe, I love it
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
SO GOOD! I added more garlic because I love it! Also I made the recipe but had only two thighs. I think it would be hard to over season this recipe, so don’t be shy! This will be a go to recipe from now on!
So happy you enjoyed this recipe!
I tried this recipe tonight and it was a huge hit with the family. I loved the crispy skin and juicy insides. I added a little bit of seasoning before popping it in the oven. My family is a big fan. Will definitely make again thanks!
Awww thank you so much for this awesome feed back. We love this recipe too and I make it all the time. Thanks for stopping by!
So easy and now the house smells like heaven. 🙂 Was going to put over rice but then noticed had leftover orecchiette pasta in fridge. Warmed it a minute in microwave then tossed it in with the completed dish to catch all the butter & garlic! YUM!!!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I tried to do this recipe, but unfortunately, the info you provide is wrong. You say to use a cast iron on medium-high heat to sear the chicken. In the next step you melt the butter in the same pan, but on low heat not to burn the butter. If you use a cast iron pan, you do not have a quick response in temperature. If it was on high, it will remain hot and burn your butter even if you turn off the heat source.
Cast iron pans take a bit longer to heat up and cool down compared to other pans, so you won’t get a quick temperature response. However, you can still cook on high heat with cast iron and then reduce the heat to low when adding butter so it won’t burn. Cast iron is a versatile choice for cooking because it heats evenly, but just keep an eye on the temperature and adjust it as needed to avoid burning your food.
I like all these ingredients, but this recipe just doesn’t work. It’s lacking something. Just a rich, garlicky, greasy mess. Super disappointing.
Sorry you feel this way.
Delicious and I never like thighs
Awesome!!!
This was not only delicious and juicy but quick and easy. Passed the recipe to other family members.
Awww that’s awesome! Thanks for sharing it. I appreciate it a lot.
Simple and delish!
Indeed!