The Best Easy Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs - delicious crunchy baked chicken thighs in a buttery rich ranch sauce with tender juicy chicken!
Low carb, mess free, a deliciously crunchy crust, in a huge family favorite that is sure to make anyone a fan of chicken thighs in under 40 minutes!
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Table of contents
Ranch Dressing Chicken Thighs
There is something about the tangy, zippy, bright, and salty ranch seasoning herbs that are totally addictive and crave-able - I can't get enough! If you're like me and can't get enough of ranch flavor, this Easy Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs Recipe will become your newest favorite one pot dinner! These chicken thighs bake up to a delicious crispy crunch on the outside, with tender, juicy meat and a tasty tangy ranch flavor.
If you can't get enough of ranch.... this is going to be your newest obsession. If you'd like to check out a fresh take on this ranch chicken, try my easy baked ranch chicken wings - or even Baked Ranch Pork Chops and a Baked Ranch Pork Tenderloin!
You can also use my air fried adobo chicken thighs to adapt this recipe to an air fryer or instant pot with broiler lid recipe.
I love ranch dressing seasonings in soups and casseroles, on pork chops and pasta, and on chicken thighs. These Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs are bursting with delicious ranch dressing flavor - and are a snap to make, and also work into a low carb diet!
These easy ranch chicken thighs are melt in your mouth delicious, and so easy - perfect for meal prep, dinner parties, potlucks, or busy weeknight dinners. They are great with rice or pasta, grilled veggies, or on their own! And they also taste delicious in sandwiches and salads for a truly versatile and easy chicken thigh recipe you will add to your weekly rotation time and time again!
How To Bake Chicken Thighs
If you're bored with baked chicken thighs, and looking for a way to make them crunchier, juicier, and with more flavor - these tips will help you to bake perfect chicken thighs every time right in your oven!
If you're loving the crunch, be sure to also check out my crackle chicken recipe - it tastes deep fried, with absolutely NO breading whatsoever - just pan fried chicken thighs with an amazing crunch! To use crisped chicken thighs in a delicious one pot dinner with potatoes, be sure to visit my Maple Dijon Chicken and Potatoes Skillet recipe.
This baked ranch chicken thigh recipe is incredibly easy - but there are a couple things you'll need to make the most delicious, flavor-packed chicken thighs straight from the oven!
The following are my go-to tools for perfect chicken thighs from the oven!
- -Baking sheet
- -Parchment Paper Sheet
- -Mixing bowl
- -Ranch Dressing packet or 2 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix
- -Olive Oil
- -Lemon Juice
- -Chicken Thighs
- -Salt and pepper
Tips to Perfect Ranch Chicken Thighs & FAQs
If you're looking for the absolute best baked chicken thighs, you need to go off the chicken's temperature - NOT the time listed in this recipe. Chicken thigh sizes can vary wildly, and differences in oven effectiveness, altitude, humidity in the air - they can all impact your cooking time, making it shorter or longer.
Don't overcook. To avoid undercooked or dry chicken, its imperative to cook chicken to 160 degrees in the oven, and let it carryover cook to 165. Chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees internal temperature. Check your chicken thighs regularly as they cook to monitor temperature.
Let chicken rest. Let chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting or serving to continue carryover cooking and help chicken rest so juices don't all rush out. To measure, be sure to insert thermometer in fattest part of meat - without getting too close to bone as it will throw off temperature.
Pat chicken thighs dry. Extra liquid and moisture on the chicken will keep the thighs from crisping - pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels before cooking to remove any excess liquid. This will help the fat to stick to the chicken better, and help the ranch seasoning sink into chicken for flavor.
If your chicken thighs are wet, the oil won't have a chance to really sink in, so remove any excess packaging liquid/water with paper towels.
Dont trim fat. While you might want to trim off excessive fat, some fat is good on chicken thighs, even if you don't usually like chicken fat. We're cooking these chicken thighs long enough for the fat to render out and help make a crispy, crunchy outer crust - so don't over-trim your chicken thighs.
This will allow the chicken to naturally crisp and add to the flavor of your chicken, so don't trim too much away.
Let skin crisp. If you're looking for additional crunchy chicken (especially important since we're using skinless, boneless chicken thighs), you can pop the chicken thighs under the broiler for 2-4 minutes - be careful and watch the chicken closely to make sure it doesn't burn. I always crisp mine a bit at the end for extra crunch - it makes this baked chicken thigh recipe crave worthy!
Unroll chicken thighs. If you're often not a fan of chicken thigh texture, unroll the chicken thighs so they lay flat. This will cook the chicken thighs more evenly, and ensure a crunchy surface on the entire thigh - which makes it completely irresistible, and a bit easier for people who usually shy away from dark meat chicken. This makes your chicken thighs look a little weird - I have one friend who says they look like aliens - but chicken thighs taste SO much better unrolled, so consider trying it yourself!
When you add to the surface area of the baked chicken thighs, more of it can get a lovely brown crisp, and the chicken cooks faster, to prevent drying out. Adjust cooktime a bit if unrolling thighs.
Recipe FAQs
Depending on your ranch dressing packet, it can sometimes be thick when mixing, and/or clump up. Simply add a teaspoon of water at a time to loosen mixture if too thick until it is easy enough to spread over chicken.
This recipe was designed to work for both skin-on or skinless chicken thighs - as well as boneless or bone-on thighs. The method you will use is the same overall (you might want to pan fry chicken skin a few minutes longer for more crunch if using skin-on thighs), but just know you'll need to plan on a slightly increased cook time for bone-in thighs. Check your thighs while cooking and keep in oven until the fattest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chicken thighs are cooked when the fattest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees internal temperature.
Mix all ingredients in the slow cooker and toss to coat. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. The chicken won't be crispy when cooked in the slow cooker so make sure you use skinless chicken thighs.
What to Serve With Ranch Chicken Thigh
If you're looking for the perfect sides to go alongside this keto ranch chicken thighs recipe, please visit some of my favorites below:
- Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts with Ghee
- Perfect Sauteed Mushrooms
- The Best Ever Cauliflower Rice
- Bacon and Broccoli Charred Salad
- Easy No Knead Bread
Or check out more of our favorite side dishes:
You can see our complete side dish recipe index here.
Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs Recipe
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Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs
Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs are a super simple one pot baked chicken thigh recipe everyone loves - bursting with ranch flavor in only five ingredients! Low carb, mess free, a deliciously crunchy crust, in a huge family favorite that is sure to make anyone a fan of chicken thighs in under 40 minutes!
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, bone-in, with skin on
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 1 oz. packet dry ranch salad dressing mix
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, to thin mixture if needed
- 1 clove garlic, pressed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Cover a Baking sheet in foil, nonstick side up.
- Place the chicken thighs on the baking sheet, fattest side up.
- Generously season with salt and pepper.
- Bake Chicken for 25 minutes, when skin has started to crisp.
- In a small bowl, combine the dressing mix with the olive oil and minced garlic and blend. If needed, add lemon juice to thin mixture.
- Brush the ranch and oil mixture over the chicken thighs.
- Continue to cook chicken in oven until crispy and golden brown, and internal temperature reads 165 degrees.
- To check the temperature, use an instant-read food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a few of the largest chicken thighs, not touching bone.
- To get a tiny bit more crunch, broil for 5 minutes - watching chicken closely so it doesn't burn.
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Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1 chicken thighAmount Per Serving Calories 340Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 168mgSodium 270mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 31g
Nutrition is automatically calculated by Nutritionix - please verify all nutrition information independently and consult with a doctor or nutritionist for any and all medical and diet advice.
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Melanie Sharp
What do you suggest serving with this?
Katherine
It depends on what you like, I love honey garlic roast carrots, garlic roast brussel sprouts or easy cheesy scalloped potatoes. For more side dish ideas, you can visit my blog and see the section below my picture on the right that says "Side Dishes"
Thanks for the message!
Emma
I'm making it now, it's in the oven as I type. I made mashed potatoes and plan to make a salad as well.
Chauntel
Is there a difference in cook time for boneless thighs?
Katherine
Good question! Yes boneless chicken thighs cook faster than bone-on. Either way, the chicken needs to come to 165 degrees internally. Hope this helps!
Mo Del Basso
This was so yummy!
Mitch
Which is supposed to be the “non-stick” side of the aluminum foil? My foil is just aluminum
Courtney ODell
You can just use it as-is - there is specially made "non-stick" foil that has been treated with a coating that is extra nonstick, but regular foil works too.
Pat
The non-shiny side.
Kristina
Seems like it would be a better idea to marinate them with the mixture for about 30 minutes or so, so they're coated all around and flavor soaks in better. Anyone has done this?
Latrice
I have and I loved it
Jae
I read the recipe incorrectly the first time and added all the ingredients at the same time and cooked until the temperature was correct and it was SO much better than subsequent rule-following. ? (not the same as marinating, I know, but it saves time and is just as good, in my opinion.) hope this helps!
Katherine
Thanks for letting us know! Glad they turned out well!
Brian
I have a bottle of hidden Valley Ranch dressing and wondered if that would work???
linda
no it won't it has to be dry ranch pack to mix with other ingredients
Brittany
That’s what I do and it’s delicious!
Russ
Does the tablespoon of water get mixed in with the dressing/oil mixture? I see it in the ingredient list but not in the instructions. Thanks. Planning to make this tonight.
Courtney ODell
Yes, it's to loosen the ranch if it clumps up.
Karen
I made this tonight and we loved it! I’m not usually a fan of chicken skin, but this was SO good.
Betsy
I love anything Ranch. However, I don’t see anything about water , only lemon juice to thin the mixture. It was still a clumped mess, very hard to spread. Sure smells good though!
Katherine
You can add a little water to thin it or a little olive oil if you have a hard time spreading it. It is supposed to be a bit clumpy since you want to make sure it will stay on the chicken. Let me know how it turned out!