Old Bay Chicken Thighs (Printable)

Juicy chicken thighs roasted with bold Old Bay seasoning until golden and crispy. A family weeknight favorite.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs)

→ Seasoning & Marinade

02 - 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon paprika (optional, for extra color)
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional, adjust to taste)
08 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges (for serving)

→ Garnish (Optional)

09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
02 - Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels and place them in a large mixing bowl. Removing excess moisture helps achieve crispy skin during roasting.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the chicken thighs. Add Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and kosher salt. Toss well until every piece is evenly coated with the seasoning mixture.
04 - Place the seasoned thighs skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart to allow hot air circulation for maximum crispiness.
05 - Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the skin is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature registers 165°F when measured at the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer.
06 - Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot with lemon wedges alongside.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Old Bay turns ordinary chicken into something that tastes like summer on the Eastern Shore with almost zero effort.
  • The skin gets so impossibly crispy and golden that people will assume you spent hours on this when you barely spent ten minutes prepping.
02 -
  • Do not skip the drying step because I did once and ended up with soggy rubbery skin that no amount of broiling could save.
  • If your Old Bay has been sitting in the cupboard for over a year it will have lost its punch so buy a fresh tin for this recipe.
03 -
  • Use an instant read thermometer because the difference between perfectly juicy and overcooked chicken is just a few minutes and guessing is not worth the risk.
  • Flip the spice coated thighs once in the bowl to make sure the underside gets seasoned too because uneven flavor is a disappointment nobody needs.

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