Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs (Printable Version)

Tender chicken thighs topped with a golden garlic crust, crisp outside and juicy inside.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)

→ Garlic Crust

02 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
05 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
08 - ½ teaspoon onion powder

→ Optional Garnish

09 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
10 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F or the air fryer to 400°F.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place skin-side up on a baking sheet or in the air fryer basket.
03 - Mix minced garlic, olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and onion powder into a paste.
04 - Loosen the skin on each thigh and spread some garlic paste underneath, then evenly coat the skin surface with the remainder.
05 - Roast in the oven for 35–40 minutes or air-fry for 20–25 minutes, until skin is golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Optionally, garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The skin gets so crispy and golden that it practically shatters when you bite it, while the meat stays impossibly juicy underneath.
  • Everything comes together in under an hour, and most of that is hands-off cooking time.
  • The garlic crust makes it feel fancy enough for company, but it's honestly easier than any weeknight chicken you've made before.
02 -
  • If your oven runs hot or your kitchen is particularly humid, the chicken might brown too fast on the outside before the inside finishes cooking. If that happens, cover it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes, then uncover to finish crisping.
  • The difference between merely golden and deeply golden-crispy is about 5–7 minutes; don't rush this step or you'll miss the payoff.
03 -
  • Room-temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold chicken straight from the fridge; pull it out 15 minutes before cooking if you remember.
  • If you own an air fryer, use it—the circulating hot air crisps the skin faster and more evenly than a standard oven, and the whole thing is done in under 30 minutes.
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