Garlic herb chicken. These chicken thighs are juicy, tender, and crispy on the outside. Seasoned with garlic herb seasoning and olive oil, the chicken bakes until crisp and delicious making it perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, or an easy Sunday meal. This simple dish is made with everyday ingredients and is ready to serve in under an hour. Trust me, you’ll want to make this again and again!
Why I Love This Easy Baked Dinner
- Crispy on the outside, juicy inside with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
- Big flavor from simple ingredients like garlic and herbs.
- Easy preparation that comes together in minutes.
- Weeknight friendly as most of the cooking happens unattended in the oven.
- Versatile.
- Great for leftover salads, wraps and sandwiches.
With simple ingredients and very little hands-on preparation, this is the kind of recipe I love for busy evenings. For this version, I used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because the skin becomes beautifully crisp while the meat remains juicy. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are an excellent substitute when that’s what you have on hand. They cook faster, and you won’t get the same crispy skin, but the flavor will still be amazing.
For crispy chicken thighs, you will need to focus on three things:
- Pat dry the chicken thoroughly before seasoning.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking dish.
- Bake at a high temperature.
At 200ºC (400ºF), the chicken skin has enough heat to brown and crispy while the meat cooks. If the chicken is cooked but the skin isn’t quite as golden as you’d like, you can place it under the grill or broiler for a couple of minutes. Watch it carefully because the skin can go from brown to burnt very quickly.
After cooking, let the chicken rest for about 5-10 minutes. I also made a flavorful gravy with the pan juices. My favorite way to serve these thighs is with roast potatoes and garlic fried rice. If you are after something lighter, try a crisp salad with lemon vinaigrette.
Tips For The Best Garlic Herb Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry - This is the easiest way to get crisp skin.
- Don’t skimp on seasoning - Generous seasoning for immense flavor.
- Use a thermometer - Cooking time depends on the size of the chicken thighs.
- Let the chicken rest - Ten minutes is enough.
- Save the pan juices - They are packed with garlic, herbs, and chicken flavors.
Key Ingredients In Garlic Herb Chicken
- Garlic herb seasoning - Made with garlic powder and dried herbs like oregano, basil, thyme and parsley.
- Oil - Olive oil
How To Make Garlic Herb Chicken
Step 1 - Make the garlic herb seasoning
Follow the simple and easy instructions to make the seasoning. Simply mix all the ingredients until everything is evenly combined.
Step 2 - Pat dry and season chicken
Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture gives the skin a much better chance to become crisp rather than steaming. Then rub the seasoning generously over the chicken. Place the chicken skin side up in the baking dish. Make sure to leave a little space between each piece.
Step 3 - Bake, rest, serve
Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, depending on the size of the thighs. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature, which should be 75ºC (165ºF). Once bakes, let it rest for about 5-10 minutes.
Step 5 - Make the gravy
To make the gravy, cook minced garlic, pan juices, lemon juice, a little garlic herb seasoning, and plenty of chopped parsley in a pan. Add a little cornstarch (corn flour) slurry to thicken the sauce.
Garlic Herb Chicken
Ingredients
For chicken:
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons garlic herb seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
For gravy:
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 1 garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon garlic herb seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Salt to taste
To serve:
Instructions
Cook chicken:
- Preheat oven to 200ºC or 400ºF.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel.
- Place chicken in a bow. Add garlic herb seasoning, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt.
- Rub the mixture evenly over the chicken.
- Arrange the chicken skin-side up in a baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between pieces.
- Bake for about 35-45 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 74ºC (165ºF) on na instant-read thermometer.
- Remove from oven. Rest for about 10 minutes.
Make gravy:
- Heat butter in a medium pan over medium-high heat.
- Add garlic. Saute, stirring, for about 40 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add pan juices from the baking dish.
- Add garlic herb seasoning, lemon juice and parsley.
- Stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer for about 2-3 minutes or until the gravy is thick but pourable.
- Check the seasoning and add salt if needed.
Serve:
- To serve, spoon the gravy over the chicken, and serve with roast potatoes, and rice or crusty bread.
Notes
- Thick gravy - If the gravy is too thin, combine together 1 teaspoon cornstarch (corn flour) and 1 tablespoon water and add to the gravy. Simmer for a few minutes until it thickens.
- Chicken thighs - Bone-in, skin-on thighs are my first choice because they stay juicy and develop beautiful crisp skin. Remember boneless thighs will cook more quickly.
- Garlic - I used garlic in the form of garlic powder in this recipe. Garlic, when combined with other dried herbs, forms a flavorful spice blend that you can make ahead and store in an airtight container.
- Herbs - All the herbs used in this recipe are dried herbs including parsley, basil, oregano and thyme.
- Serving suggestion - I served these baked chicken thighs with Filipino garlic fried rice and crispy baked potatoes.
- Other serving options - Roasted vegetables, cucumber salad, steamed broccoli or green beans.
Nutrition
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Frequently Asked Questions About Garlic Herb Chicken
What temperature should I bake chicken thighs at?
For this recipe, 200ºC (400ºF) is a good temperature because it encourages browning while cooking the chicken efficiently.
How do I know when chicken thighs are done?
Use an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone. Chicken should reach 74ºC (165ºF) for food safety.
Can I use boneless chicken thighs?
Yes. Boneless thighs usually cook more quickly and may not develop the same crisp skin, but they work well with the seasoning.
Why isn’t my chicken skin crispy?
The most common reasons are excess moisture, overcrowding the pan or an oven temperature that is too low.
How long do cooked chicken thighs last in the refrigerator?
Cooked chicken thighs should be refrigerated promptly and used within 3-4 days.
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