Marinated Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Name: Marinated Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 6 to 8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, ((1.5 to 2 pounds, total)); salt and fresh ground black pepper, (to taste); ½ teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; ½ teaspoon dried basil; ½ teaspoon dried rosemary; ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce; 3 tablespoons sugar free maple syrup; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 4 cloves garlic, (minced); sliced green onions, (for garnish)

by Katerina

4.78 from 48 votes

Apr 01, 2019, Updated Jul 08, 2023

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These oven baked chicken thighs are juicy, flavorful & exactly what you’re looking for in a chicken recipe. Smothered in a sweet soy sauce that makes itself in the pan, this is an easy weeknight dinner you’ll love.

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Prepare to fall in love with these savory, crispy, and tender baked chicken thighs seasoned to perfection with a fragrant blend of paprika, thyme, basil, and rosemary. The chicken is transferred to a baking dish and then drenched in a tangy, homemade marinade, a mix of soy sauce, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic. After marinating in the fridge, these flavor-infused thighs are baked to a juicy tenderness and finger-licking deliciousness!

Why We Love This Chicken Recipe

Marinade Magic: The mix of soy sauce, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic creates a savory-sweet marinade that infuses the chicken, ensuring juicy and flavorful meat.
Easy to Prepare: The recipe is easy and simple, perfect for any home cook. The prep work is minimal, and the oven does most of the cooking.
Versatility: This chicken dish pairs well with various side dishes, from roasted vegetables to mashed potatoes or a simple green salad, making it easy to complete a meal.
Suitable for Different Occasions: Whether it’s a casual weeknight dinner or a more formal gathering, this baked chicken thigh dish can fit any occasion.
Delicious Pan Sauce: The flavorful pan sauce produced during baking adds an extra layer of deliciousness when drizzled over the chicken and any side dishes.

Image of Baked Chicken Thighs with Maple Soy Sauce.

Ingredients For The Best Chicken Marinade

You’ll need low-sodium soy sauce, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and garlic to create the marinade for the chicken thighs.

Pouring Marinade over raw chicken thighs.

How To Bake Chicken Thighs

Quick chicken thighs recipes are a must around here – one of my go-to’s is my top-rated recipe for these juicy Stove Top Chicken Thighs. But these oven baked chicken thighs have plenty of flavor; the dark meat is yummy and tender, and they work perfectly when roasted. For this recipe, I use bone-in skinless chicken thighs. The skin is pretty awesome but packs too many calories and fat, so I almost always remove it.

Start with making the marinade by combining low sodium soy sauce, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and garlic.
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, sweet paprika, and dried herbs. Rub in the seasonings. Transfer chicken to a baking dish and pour marinade over the chicken, cover, and set in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 425˚F. Remove chicken from the fridge, uncover, and bake for 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165˚F. Halfway through cooking, baste the chicken thighs with the liquid. For a nicely browned top, turn on the broiler and cook for 4 more minutes or until golden.
Remove the chicken thighs from the oven, rest for several minutes, and then serve with the pan sauce.

Tips For Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

Marinating Time: While this recipe calls for at least 1 hour of marinating, leaving your chicken to soak in the marinade for a longer period (up to 8 hours) can deepen the flavor. However, avoid marinating for more than 24 hours as the acid in the marinade can start to break down the meat and alter its texture.
Basting: Basting the chicken halfway through cooking with the liquid not only keeps the meat juicy but also adds an extra layer of flavor.
Temperature Check: Ensure your chicken is cooked properly by using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 165˚F. That’s 74˚C.
Resting Time: Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes after taking it out of the oven. This helps the juices redistribute throughout the chicken, making it more moist and flavorful.

What Can I Serve With Chicken Thighs?

Chicken thighs are great with Hasselback Potatoes, Mushroom Rice, Creamy Asparagus Pasta, and these oven-roasted vegetables. You can also use them in chicken salads and sandwiches.

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs on a plate with green beans.

How To Store Cooked Chicken Thighs

Store completely cooled leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also keep cooked chicken thighs in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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ENJOY!

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Wowsa! I didn’t believe these thighs would come out crispy the way I like when baking in a marinade, but they did. But what is amazing is just how moist, tender, juicy and melt in your mouth delicious they are. I made these today and I will be making them from now on. I did modify a bit: 1)used a homemade spice rub I use for grilling ribs all over and u der the skin , 2) added lots fresh lemongrass to marinade 3) added real maple syrup and 2 tblspns of OJ to marinade 40 minute marinade thighs.

They were even more tender than if I had used velveting. I let them sit w/just the rub mix x15 min then 40 minute in the marinade – just awesome.
So glad i found this recipe. Thx you