These easy roasted chicken thighs are a dish you'll make on the regular. Not only are they easy, but they're truly delicious—and pair well with all kinds of sides. (We especially like them with Roasted Potatoes, but enjoy them with rice and salad, too.)

We use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, which offer big flavor on a budget. The chicken is marinated in lemon juice and olive oil—the simplest of marinades—for at least an hour and as long as overnight. It's roasted in the oven then brushed with a honey-mustard glaze and broiled. The result? A golden chicken with crispy skin and succulent meat.

easy roasted chicken thighs on a serving plate — Diana Chistruga

How to Tell If Chicken Thighs Are Done

Like other cuts of chicken, thighs should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike chicken breasts, though, they will not dry out if they cook for a couple more minutes after reaching that temperature.

Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to get an accurate temperature. Take care to avoid touching the bone in bone-in chicken thighs; this will lead to an inaccurate reading.

Ingredients

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
1 to 2 tablespoons honey

Directions

ingredients for easy roasted chicken thighs — Diana Chistruga

Marinate chicken thighs:

In a bowl, toss chicken with oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper and marinate 1 hour (or up to a day).

Diana Chistruga
Roast chicken thighs:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Roast chicken, skin-side down, in an oiled roasting pan, 20 to 25 minutes; flip and roast 10 more minutes.

Diana Chistruga
Combine honey and mustard:

Stir together mustard and honey and season with salt and pepper.

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Brush honey mustard:

Brush glaze onto chicken.

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Broil:

Broil for 5 minutes.

Diana Chistruga

Variations

Try these easy ingredient additions and substitutions:

Add fresh, hardy herbs, such as rosemary, to the marinade.
Use maple mustard or Dijon mustard in place of the grainy mustard.

Storing and Reheating Roasted Chicken Thighs

Store cooked chicken thighs in a shallow airtight container in the refrgierater for up to three days. Reheat them in the oven in a foil covered dish for 10 to 15 minutes in a 375-degree oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best oven temperature for chicken thighs?

There is a lot of debate about the best temperature for cooking chicken thighs in the oven. Some cooks believe low and slow is the right approach, while others assert roasting at 400 degrees or even higher is best. At high temperatures, chicken skin may burn, but at low temperatures, it may not crisp up. Our easy roasted chicken thighs calls for cooking at 375 degrees and produces juicy, flavorful chicken with crispy skin every time.

What is the difference between roasting and baking?

These two terms are often used interchangeably for savory foods. One cook will say they baked a chicken; another will use the same temperature and technique but say they roasted a chicken. A good guideline is that baking savory foods typically involves a lower temperature—375 degrees and below. Roasting them refers to dishes cooked at 400 degrees and above.

Can I make this recipe with boneless chicken thighs?

We use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe because they have the most flavor. They're also typically much cheaper than boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can use boneless or skinless thighs and boneless chicken thighs for this recipe, but you will need to reduce the cooking time; cook just until the thighs register 165 degrees with a meat thermometer.