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.
TENDER BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS MARINATED IN A FLAVORFUL SOY SAUCE
Baked Chicken Thighs are crispy on the outside and very tender on the inside. The best course of action for those results, is as follows: pour the marinade over bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, set in the fridge for a couple of hours, then bake!
An easy chicken dinner that requires very little prep work? YAHS, please! Also, you can prepare a large batch to feed a crowd, just double or triple the ingredients.
By the way, the maple-soy flavored marinade/sauce is INSANE.
CHICKEN MARINADE INGREDIENTS
- low sodium soy sauce
- maple syrup
- Worcestershire sauce
- olive oil
- apple cider vinegar
- garlic
HOW TO BAKE CHICKEN THIGHS
Quick chicken thighs recipes are a must around here – one of my go to’s is my very popular recipe for these juicy Stove Top Chicken Thighs.
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. I know the skin is pretty awesome, but it packs way 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.
- Pour marinade over the chicken, cover, and set in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Remove chicken from fridge, uncover, and bake for 35 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Half way 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 from oven and serve with the pan sauce.
WONDERING WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN THIGHS?
Chicken thighs are great with Hasselback Potatoes, Mushroom Rice, Creamy Asparagus Pasta, and vegetables. You can also use them in chicken salads and sandwiches.
HOW TO STORE COOKED CHICKEN
- 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.
MORE CHICKEN THIGHS RECIPES
- Spicy Sweet and Sticky Chicken Thighs
- Garlic Sauce Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Chicken Thighs with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Instant Pot Sticky Chicken Thighs
ENJOY!
TOOLS USED IN THIS RECIPE
Marinated Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN THIGHS
- 6 to 8 (1.5 to 2 pounds, total) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) smoked or sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
FOR THE MARINADE
- 1/4 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 (optional)
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Combine paprika, thyme, basil, and rosemary in a small mixing bowl; rub the prepared seasoning around each chicken thigh.
- Transfer chicken thighs to a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl combine soy sauce, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, vinegar, and garlic; mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Pour marinade over chicken thighs.
- Cover the chicken thighs and set in the fridge for 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Remove chicken from fridge and let stand on the counter while oven preheats.
- Remove the cover and bake chicken for 35 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F. Half way through cooking, baste the chicken with the liquid.
- Turn on the broiler and continue to cook for 3 to 4 more minutes, or until golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes on the counter.
- Serve chicken with the pan sauce and garnish with green onions.
Notes
- 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.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
30 Min
Slow Cooker
Instant Pot
Gluten Free
Keto
Beef
Just made this recipe tonight and it was fabulous! Used regular maple syrup since that’s what I had in the pantry and used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, baked for 25 mins and 4 mins under the broiler. Otherwise, followed the recipe exactly. Served with steamed green beans and white rice. The hubby and I loved it! He’s got leftovers for his next 2 shits at work. Thank you for the recipe!
Oops…that should say “shifts”
Sorry for the typo! Hope someone can correct above.
That’s great! I’m very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I browsed through the comments and saw that some had successfully used boneless skinless thighs, but any adjustments for the temperature and timing?
Hi!
For boneless skinless thighs, preheat oven to 425˚F and cook the thighs for about 20 to 22 minutes, or until internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
Do you cook the chicken in the marinade or strain it then cook it? I’m sure either way would work, but what do you recommend? Thanks..jj
Hi!
Yep, I cook it with the marinade because I like a juicier chicken.
Thank you for sharing. I didn’t have the maple syrup so I used brown sugar. And boneless skinless chicken because that is what I had. Everyone loved it! I appreciate finding simple savory meals for the family. Encourages me to cook more! Thank you delicious!
That’s great! I’m very glad you everyone enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Could you use this marinade on boneless pork chops? How long would you bake them?
Sure! You can bake boneless pork chops at 425˚F for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Pork chops are thoroughly cooked when internal temperature registers at 145˚F.
Can we use regular syrup? or how about honey?
Sure! Any of those will work just as well.
Question:
Does the cooking time or anything else when you use skin on thighs instead?
Hi!
No, you don’t need to adjust the cooking time for the skin. The only time you’d need to adjust time is if the chicken thighs are with or without bones.
Great recipe! Simple and tasty.
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Love the recipe. A sure hit with my family. So easy to do. Served it with steamed broccoli (goes well with the chicken marinade), carrots and roast potatoes. Thumbs up 🙂
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
My family loved this recipe!
Great chicken and so easy!
I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Can i also make with bone-in chicken breasts? Any changes to the temp or timing?
Hi!
Yes, you can definitely use chicken breasts, just start checking for doneness around the 22 to 25 minute mark because, chicken breasts need less time to cook through.
This was some of the best chicken I’ve ever eaten and I will make it many more times. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe .
That’s great! I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
For Charly: Recipe says 425 degrees for 35 minutes, then check for internal temp of 165, and baste halfway through. No reduction of oven temp.
Quote: Looks fabulous, but you’ve not tested to say it is tasty and flavourful? –
Odd!
Why oh why are these comments self generated? Pisses me right off!
To be fair, I like the look of the recipe, and I WILL, give it a bash today.
Clearly, I can’t provide a verdict on the dish until it’s complete and tasted.
I bet this honest and genuine post will be omitted from the comments 😉 x
Hi!
Don’t let small things like, comments on other people’s websites, piss you off. 😉 Save those nerves for something important. And, no, they are not self-generated comments – not sure what that means – but those are real people and they are real comments.
Can I marinate the chicken for more than 8 hours? Cooking this for lunch, and I’m thinking of leaving the marinade overnight.
I am wondering that as well.
Hi!
Yes, you can refrigerate chicken thighs in marinades for up to 24 hours, but keep them in the fridge, covered.
I don’t have any maple syrup and I was maybe going to replace that with a tiny bit of honey but don’t have any of that either, any suggestions??
I made this recipe last night and it was awesome! I made it just the way the recipe said. I will definitely put this in with my favorite recipes.
That’s great! I am very happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Awesome. Made this last night for the family. The teenage son tried to lick his plate when he was finished. This was a huge hit with everyone at the table!!
That’s great! I am very happy you enjoyed it! 🙂 Thank YOU!
Wow! Delicious!!! I had 1.5 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken thighs in the freezer that I defrosted. Did a Google search and landed on this recipe to try. The chicken is tender and has an amazing flavor. I can’t say enough good things about it! It’s a keeper for sure!
That is exactly how I stumbled upon it! Excellent and full of flavour! I had both thighs & drumsticks and it worked out great. I also see that you have instant pot recipes too- I look forward to checking them out. Thanks Katerina!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! THANK YOU! 🙂
I made this recipe last night. Didn’t have low-sodium soy sauce, so used a little less than called for and increased the olive oil slightly. Also placed some chunks of carrots and yellow potatoes in the dish as well. Cooked for nearly an hour. Tasted great! Would make this recipe again.
For Byenia: You cooked this chicken and carrots and potatoes at 425 degrees for an hour???? Was this not mushy by then?
I always follow a new recipe the way it is written, and only afterward will I change what may need changing or adapting.
Hi there, at what temperature did you all bake the chicken after preheating? Did you leave it at the 425 or did you reduce it to???
Gotta say, this is a unique and wonderful concoction. I was jumping around on the web and looking for a fresh chicken recipe idea. Yours stood out.
I made a few changes to account for some missing items in my spices.
Keto: Chicken drumsticks. Skin stays on cause FAT is my friend on KETO. Replace maple syrup with maple extract. Liquid amino’s rather than soy sauce. Oregano replaces basil cause our basil bush died in the freeze. Added 1/4 tsp of Cayenne cause I’m a cajun. Cooked it exactly like your recipe and mmmmmmmmm….
Rooski, thanks for the suggestion to use maple extract. I was trying to figure how to make it keto.
Wow! I am very picky and love this recipe. Used some of the cooked marinated in the rice with veggies I made an it was special.
My husband says I never make the same thing twice, an exaggeration, However i do find it hard to find a recipe I love and I love this one.
Can I use less of the regular maple syrup? Went to store and forgot it☹️
Haven’t cooked the chicken yet but it’s in the fridge resting. I added a few ingredients like opting out of spices for rub and added in its place beer can chicken rub instead. I also added a 1/4 cup of dark Newcastle and of course drank the rest. Removed some soy sauce. Added 1.5tsbl of organic honey. Hopefully I didn’t mess it up. I read an earlier comment stating regular soy sauce came out to salty. Will up date later on final tasting. I haven’t tried the original recipe so I can’t say if either one is better or not
Easy and Delicious! Will make this many times!!
This couldn’t look any more perfect! YUM!!! I love this delicious version!!!
I didn’t have any low sodium soy sauce, so I had to use the regular kind. I omitted the salt in the rub, but it was still too salty. I will definitely have to get some low sodium soy sauce. Even so, my husband still loved it. Very tender and very tasty. We will be enjoying this meal again.
Looks like a fabulous dinner! So tasty and flavorful, so excited to make this!
My family loves these chicken thighs!!! So delicious!
I am always looking for new chicken thigh recipes! I love this!
I am loving the flavors in the marinade. YUM!
So delicious! we love this!
Chicken thighs are my favorite – my family loved this recipe! thanks
Chicken is my favorite dish! I will definitely try your recipe this weekend!
What a delicious looking glazed chicken! I am adding this to my dinner line up for the week!
I love tender chicken thighs! This looks like a great family dinner option; excited to make this for my family this week!
Such a great dinner for an easy weeknight option. Sounds flavorful!