Crispy Skin Chicken Thighs in the Oven at 425°F

Bone-in, skin-on thighs, salt and pepper, 425°F for 35–40 minutes. Dry skin is the whole recipe. Pull at 175°F next to the bone: dark meat at 175 has better skin and a juicier middle than at 165.

Serves 1. One serving: 2 bone-in, skin-on thighs.

Ingredients

• 2 bone-in, skin-on thighs
• Salt (1 tsp)
• Black pepper

Steps

1. Turn the oven on to 425°F. Pat the skin with paper towels until it's completely dry. Dry skin means crispy skin.
2. Salt and pepper both sides well. Line a pan with foil. Lay the thighs on it skin side up.
3. Put the pan in the 425°F oven for 35–40 minutes. Don't touch them. To check, push a thermometer in next to the bone, not touching it. They're done at 175°F, and the skin should crackle.
4. Let them rest 5 minutes: let them sit, don't cut them yet. Then eat.

Chef secret: dry brine them first: salt the thighs and leave them uncovered in the fridge for 1 hour or more. Best skin of your life.

Air fryer version

Air fryer, 400°F · 20–24 min

1. Pat the skin with paper towels until it's completely dry. Dry skin means crispy skin. Salt and pepper both sides well.
2. Heat the air fryer to 400°F. Put the thighs in the basket skin side DOWN, not touching. Cook 10 minutes.
3. Flip them skin side up. Cook 10–14 minutes more. They're done when a thermometer next to the bone (not touching it) reads 175°F and the skin crackles.
4. Let them rest 5 minutes: let them sit, don't cut them yet. Then eat.

Per serving

557 calories · 56 g protein · 35 g fat · 0 g net carbs (USDA FoodData Central, for the serving above)

Food safety

USDA's safe minimum for all poultry is 165°F. These go to 175°F on purpose, which clears it. Every cut's pull temp and USDA minimum is on our meat temperature chart.