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
- 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
- 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.
Nutrition
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.
Can I please let everyone know that I have been searching for years for a recipe to make chicken thighs worthy because they are cheap, and I have found it!
Thank you a thousand times to the OP, because this will be the best chicken you’ve ever made. Juicy, flavorful, perfect.
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 425ËšF and cook the thighs for about 20 to 22 minutes, or until internal temperature registers at 165ËšF.
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 425ËšF for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Pork chops are thoroughly cooked when internal temperature registers at 145ËšF.