Italian Baked Chicken Thighs

Italian Baked Chicken Thighs – Crispy and good oven-baked chicken thighs made with fresh rosemary, sage and oregano. These chicken thighs are succulent, juicy and simple to prepare. Suited to a one-pan, low prep dinner!

We love to bake chicken thighs for dinner when we need something simple and easy. The meat on chicken thighs is always so tender and juicy, and there are endless ways to season them.

For this recipe, we've gone for traditional Italian herbs: rosemary, sage and oregano. Baked with lots of olive oil and salt, they're simple yet full of good flavour.

See the recipe below, including good sides to serve them with, and our top tips. If you're interested in trying our fried version, see our Tuscan fried chicken recipe it's good!

Ingredients you need

The ingredients are simple and easy, all you need is chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on, fresh rosemary and sage, dried oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper. See the photo below that shows all the ingredients you need.

How to make this recipe – step by step

Finely chop the fresh herbs and sprinkle over the chicken along with the oregano (photo 1).

Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and rub it all over so it's thoroughly coated in herbs and oil (photo 2).

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 45 minutes (photo 3).

Once cooked turn on the broiler/oven grill and broil the chicken until the skin is extra crispy (2-3 minutes) (photo 4).

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes then serve with desired sides.

Serving suggestions

These Italian baked chicken thighs go with almost anything they are versatile.

We love to serve them with warm cannellini beans drizzled with olive oil and a pinch of salt and lemon zest. It takes 5 minutes to whip up and makes such an easy side dish.

Our other favourite sides to serve with this are our sauteed broccoli with pesto and pine nutsItalian roasted potatoesItalian green beans in tomato sauce or a simple and fresh salad.

Top Tip: You can throw veggies such as tomatoes, bell peppers or chopped potatoes in with the chicken so they cook at the same time.

Top tips and recipe FAQs

• Pat the skin dry – pat the chicken skin with a paper towel before starting this recipe. It gets rid of excess moisture and helps the chicken skin crisp up.
• Flavour combinations – feel free to switch up the herbs, spices and flavours as you like, this is such a versatile recipe. For some ideas try; lemon zest, garlic or red pepper flakes.
• Let the chicken rest – after cooking any meat especially chicken it's important to let it rest after cooking otherwise it can dry out and a lot of the flavour in the juices will run out. Let the thighs rest for at least 5 minutes after cooking.
• Watch the video! – check out our step by step recipe video and photos to help you make this recipe perfectly!

How do we get the chicken skin nice and crispy?

There's a lot of fat in the chicken skin which crisps up nicely in the oven during cooking but to get it extra crispy and good we broil the chicken for a couple of minutes. It's such a simple trick for the best crispy chicken thighs ever!

How long do we bake the chicken thighs for?

We bake 3 lbs (1.3 kg) chicken thighs for 45 minutes so they're cooked through but still juicy and good. If you are unsure if they are cooked use a meat thermometer and check that it registers 165F (74C) so you know that they are done.

Can we use boneless and skinless chicken thighs?

Yes, you can use boneless and skinless thighs but they won't be as juicy and will lose their crispiness since a lot of fat and flavour is in the skin. Also remember that boneless thighs will take about 10 minutes less to cook.

How do we store leftovers?

Leftover cooked chicken thighs will last for 3-4 days in a sealed container in the fridge or can be frozen. Use leftover chicken in salads, sandwiches or soups.

More Italian chicken recipes you might like

• Chicken Cacciatore – Pollo alla Cacciatora
• Grilled chicken spiedini – chicken skewers
• Pistachio crusted chicken
• Italian Chicken Cutlets with Pesto and Spinach
• Breaded chicken cutlets – no flour no egg
• Creamy Tuscan chicken

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 6-8 chicken thighs ((3 lbs/1.3kg))
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 3-4 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Pepper (to taste)

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375F/190C.

2. Pat the chicken skin dry with kitchen paper.

3. Finely chop the fresh herbs and sprinkle over the chicken along with the oregano.

4. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and rub it all over so it's thoroughly coated in herbs and oil.

5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

6. Once cooked turn on the broiler/oven grill and broil the chicken until the skin is extra crispy (2-3 minutes).

7. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes then serve with desired sides

Kitchen notes

• Pat the skin dry pat the chicken skin with a paper towel before starting this recipe. It gets rid of excess moisture and helps the chicken skin crisp up.
• Flavour combinations feel free to switch up the herbs, spices and flavours as you like, this is such a versatile recipe. For some ideas try; lemon zest, parsley or red pepper flakes.
• Let the chicken rest after cooking any meat especially chicken it's important to let it rest after cooking otherwise it can dry out and a lot of the flavour in the juices will run out. Let the thighs rest for at least 5 minutes after cooking.
• Leftovers & freezing leftover chicken will last well in the fridge for 3-4 days or can be frozen in an airtight container. Use leftover chicken in salads, sandwiches or soups.
• Watch the video! check out our step by step recipe video and photos to help you make this recipe perfectly!