Tender bone-in chicken thighs marinated in buttermilk, seasoning, and sour cream. Tossed with flour and baked till crisp. Oven Fried Chicken Thighs are a family favorite chicken recipe and a great weeknight recipe.
Crispy chicken.... is there anything better? I love fresh crispy chicken with a crispy crunchy seasoned crust and tender meat flavored with a buttermilk marinade.
My Oven Fried Chicken Thighs are easy to make, and perfect for a weeknight dinner. A quick prep for a buttermilk soak, and a dusting of flour is all that is needed for a simple chicken dinner.
My kids are crispy chicken lovers, and they adore this recipe. I like to serve it with simple hearty sides like mashed potatoes (try my Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes or Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes) and corn.
Ingredients
- buttermilk- great substitutions include yogurt, more sour cream, or even coconut milk!
- sour cream
- hot sauce- I like to use a simple traditional hot sauce, and you can add more for a spicier chicken
- garlic powder
- salt
- ground black pepper
- chicken thighs- use skin on and bone-in for this recipe. You can use boneless, but opt for skin to get crispy chicken
- all-purpose flour
- paprika - either smoked or sweet varieties work for this recipe
- dried thyme
- cornstarch
- gallon bags
- baking sheet
- baking rack
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Instructions
- Place chicken thighs in a gallon sealable bag.
- Whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, hot sauce, garlic powder,1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Pour buttermilk mixture into the bag.
- Seal and turn to evenly coat. Allow chicken to rest in the fridge for 2 hours (up to 8 hours in fine).
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, add a wire rack and lightly spray rack with cooking spray. Add flour, paprika, thyme, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper in a large resealable bag. Take the chicken out of the marinade bag, shake off excess marinade, and add a piece chicken to the flour bag.
- Shake, the remove, and shake off excess flour coating and place on the rack. Repeat with remaining chicken. Throw out the remaining marinade and flour mixture.
- Bake 45-50 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165°F in the thickest part of the meat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use chicken thighs over chicken breasts?
Chicken thighs are used more and are a higher fat cut of chicken. The meat is typically higher in flavor because of the higher fat content.
Are all chicken thighs sold bone-in and skin-on?
No, typically you can buy the thighs: bone-in and skin-on, bone-in and skinless, or boneless and skinless. If you are baking or frying and want a crispy exterior it is important to have skin-on chicken.
How does the chicken get crispy without frying in oil?
When cooked at a high temp and the skin renders the fat and gets crispy. The buttermilk soak tenderizes the chicken, and the light coating of seasoned flour allows for a crispy seasoned crunch. However, it is important not to get the flour coating too thick because it will cause the skin to steam and it will not be as crisp.
What is a safe temperature to cook chicken thighs?
The safe internal temperature to cook chicken is 165°F. Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh to read the temp. My favorite meat thermometer is the ThermoPop from ThermoWorks- they are amazing and come in the best colors.
Can I use chicken breasts and legs in place of thighs in your recipe for Oven Fried Chicken Thighs?
Yes! However, it is important to adjust cooking time. Leg and thighs can be cooked together and will have a similar cook time length. A chicken breast will have a longer cook time compared to thighs and legs.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes!
Chicken Piccata with Crispy Capers
Italian Chicken Potato and Green Bean Bake
Grilled BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs
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Oven Fried Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 Cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder divided
- 2 teaspoon salt divided
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 8 chicken thighs skin on and bone-in
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs in a gallon sealable bag.
- Whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, hot sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder,1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Pour buttermilk mixture into the bag.
- Seal and turn to evenly coat. Allow chicken to rest in the fridge for 2 hours (up to 8 hours in fine).
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, add a wire rack and lightly spray rack with cooking spray. Add flour, paprika, thyme, cornstarch, ½ tsp, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper in a large resealable bag. Take the chicken out of the marinade bag, shake off excess marinade, and add a piece chicken to the flour bag.
- Shake, the remove, and shake off excess flour coating and place on the rack. Repeat with remaining chicken. Throw out the remaining marinade and flour mixture.
- Bake 45-50 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165°F in the thickest part of the meat.
Favorite Chicken Recipes
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Originally published in 2014, and updated in 2020 for reader enhancement and enjoyment.
Wendy Klik
I am sure that these are just as good as they look. I love marinating my chicken in buttermilk.
Hezzi-D
I love putting a little hot sauce in my fried chicken. It really adds a great dash of flavor! This oven fried recipe sounds really tasty!
Lisa Kerhin
I rarely fry so this is a perfect recipe for us! I love the coating
Inger @ Art of Natural Liivng
Sounds so flavorful! ANd I have heard that using cornstarch make really crisp chicken!
vuasongbac
Awesome cooking!