Do you know how long it takes to bake chicken thighs at 400°F? this is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.
Chicken thighs are perfect for any occasion. That said, there are plenty of different ways to make them, so how long do you need to bake this dish?
You should bake chicken thighs at 400°F (about 204°C) for 40 to 45 minutes. Since it takes longer to cook them at this temperature, the oven won’t suck all the moisture out of the chicken, giving you juicy, delicious thighs to enjoy.
To make the best chicken thighs, you should keep reading! There’s a lot more to know to perfect your recipe. Let’s get started.
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Baking Chicken Thighs at 400°F
When baking chicken thighs at 400°F ( 204°C), you essentially slow roast them for 40 to 45 minutes since most recipes call for chicken thighs to cook at 450°F (about 232°C).
If you usually cook them at a lower temperature, it also won’t take nearly as long for them to finish.
First, make sure you give your oven enough time to preheat. Then, after putting the chicken inside, start a timer for about 40 minutes.
You want the chicken thighs to have a crispy outer layer and a moist inside for the best taste. Going too far past 45 minutes is sure to dry out your chicken, so keep an eye on it.
After the time’s up, remove the chicken and let it rest for five minutes before serving. Doing so ensures you don’t burn your mouth and enables you to eat the chicken thighs when they’re the most delicious!
Lastly, you should always check the meat with a thermometer to ensure it is cooked the entire way through, especially when altering the recipe’s temperature.
Best Chicken Thigh Recipe For Baking at 400°F
Next, you’ll want to know the best recipe for making your chicken thighs. You can make a delicious yet straightforward chicken thigh with the following ingredients:
- Bone-in chicken thighs
- Lemon (zest and juice)
- Minced or chopped garlic
- Basil
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
Once you have everything, pat the chicken dry and combine everything, except the olive oil and lemon, in a bowl.
You can measure to taste, but be sure not to overdo it.. Then, rub or brush a fine coating of olive oil on the chicken thighs. Finally, coat the chicken with the seasoning mixture and sprinkle some of the zest on them.
Spread the chicken thighs out on a baking sheet, then bake the chicken at 400°F (204°C) for 40 to 45 minutes and remove them from the oven. If you want the skins to be extra crisp, broil the chicken thighs for two minutes more.
Remove the chicken thighs from your oven and let them rest; you can add a squeeze of lemon juice to them right before serving for the best results. This recipe is easy and tasty, so you’ll want to try it!
Chicken Thigh Recipe Tips
Now that you know the basics to make classic, tasty chicken thighs, you’ll want some tips. Here’s what you should try to make your thighs even better:
- Start with a baking sheet and line it with aluminum foil. Place an oven-safe wire rack on it that you spray with nonstick cooking oil. Doing so lets the chicken drip while baking so it doesn’t come out watery.
- Keep a close eye on broiling chicken, so you don’t burn it.
- Use bone-in chicken thighs for more flavor.
- If you use boneless thighs with a bone-in recipe, remove 10 minutes from the cooking time.
- Adding the lemon juice after cooking the chicken prevents it from becoming watered-down.
- Top the chicken with green onion slices to make them look nicer.
Keeping these cooking tips in mind will help you perfect your chicken thigh recipe. You’ll get a better texture with your meal and can enjoy an enhanced flavor.
The more you make chicken thighs, the more you’ll get the hang of it. Many people who make them often don’t even need to use a recipe anymore. They simply know how they like to make it.
Serve Your Chicken With the Perfect Sauce
Including a sauce for dipping with your chicken thighs is fun and lets you change the flavor each time you make this recipe.
You can make the dips or keep them simple by buying premade sauces at the grocery store.
There are plenty of sauces and dips that go great with chicken thighs, but we recommend that you try these options:
- Barbeque
- Buffalo sauce
- Buttermilk ranch
- Honey mustard
- Creamy sriracha
- Ketchup
- Polynesian sauce
You can mix up the recipe by adding or removing spices to change the taste and how the chicken pairs with your favorite sauces.
Overall, you’ll want to experiment with your dipping sauces and see what you enjoy the most.
Choose a Side for Your Chicken Thighs
Finally, you’ll want to choose a side for your chicken thighs. So many different dishes go great with chicken, so you’ll have plenty of options to customize your meal. Here are a few to consider:
- Broccoli
- Rice
- Mashed potatoes
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Green bean casserole
- Asparagus
- Salad
- French fries
- Brussel sprouts
- Baked potatoes
- Roasted potatoes
These side dishes are also simple, so you won’t spend much time cooking. Many people love to pick two side dishes with their chicken, but you can select as many as you want— or as few. Chicken thighs on their own are a fun meal too!
Roasting your vegetables simultaneously as your chicken ensures your side dishes don’t get cold while your meat bakes.
However, you’ll want to add the veggies about halfway through the cooking time so they don’t burn.
Read also >> How Long To Bake A Sweet Potato At 425℉ (Do This!)
How Temperature Impacts Chicken Thigh Cooking Times
If you adjust the temperature of your oven, you’ll need to make sure you understand how that changes the cooking time of your recipe.
Increasing the temperature makes the chicken cook faster but can dry it out. On the other hand, lowering the temperature can make it take forever to cook through safely.
Here’s what you can expect from common cooking temperatures:
- 350°F (177°C): 50 to 55 minutes
- 375°F (191°C): 45 to 50 minutes
- 400°F (204°C): 40 to 45 minutes
- 425°F (218°C): 35 to 40 minutes
You should get great results if you do your best to stay in these temperature ranges. We also recommend you check on the chicken during cooking since every oven can vary slightly with how they bake.
In short, you can always change a chicken thigh recipe to meet your needs. You’ll want to review the above list and try to keep it in the time frame.
The main goal is for your chicken to reach an internal temperature of 165°F (about 75°C) to ensure it’s safe for you to eat. An instant meat thermometer will help you know when your chicken has finished cooking.
What To Do With Leftover Chicken Thighs
It’s easy to make a ton of chicken thighs at once, so you’ll want to have some ideas for dealing with the leftovers.
To store them, all you need to do is put the leftover thighs in an airtight container, keep them in your fridge, and they’ll keep for about four days.
However, you can also use the leftover chicken thighs in more recipes. Here are a few delicious leftover ideas to inspire you:
- Chicken salad
- Chicken soups
- Chile with chicken
- Buffalo chicken dip
You can find many more ideas online, but these are some of the most popular (and tastiest) recipes you can make using leftover chicken thighs.
For all of the above, you’ll want to remove the chicken from the bone and shred it using two forks.
How To Reheat Leftover Chicken Thighs at 400°F
Of course, your leftover chicken thighs are still delicious without mixing them into another recipe.
First, remove the cooked chicken from the fridge and let it sit until it reaches room temperature. Then, put the chicken thighs in a preheated oven set to 400°F for 15 minutes. Using a wire rack on the baking sheet is also good if they drip while warming up.
You also have the option to heat the chicken thighs in the microwave. To do this, simply set them on a microwave-safe plate and heat them for two minutes on one side. Flip them carefully, then heat them for 30 seconds.
At that point, you can check the temperature of the chicken. If it’s at least 165°F, then you can safely eat it.
If not, give the chicken another 30 seconds to cook. You don’t want to overheat it in the microwave because it can become very dry.
Final Thoughts
Chicken thighs go well with plenty of side dishes and are easy to bake at home. You’ll want to ensure you know how long to cook them at certain temperatures to get the best results.
If you follow the recipe above, you’re sure to get delicious thighs that you can pair with any sauce you like.
Overall, the chicken thighs must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (about 75°C) to ensure you don’t eat any harmful bacteria. It’s easy to reach that temperature in an oven.