Crispy, garlicky, and loaded with flavor—these Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs are about to be your new go-to dinner. They’re easy on the budget and taste like way more effort than they actually take!

A serving plater of seasoned roasted garlic parmesan chicken thigh with mashed potatoes in the background.

Table of Contents

Why We Love Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs

Crispy Golden Brown Flavorful Chicken Every Time – Chicken thighs tend to be a flavorful cut of meat to begin with. This recipe takes a different flavor spin and makes the chicken crispy and delicious. It is a little lighter but juicy and is different dish then a chicken parmesan that is fried and served at Italian restaurants with pasta sauce and spaghetti.
Budget Friendly Cut Of Chicken – Chicken thighs tend to be less expensive than chicken breast, without sacrificing a tasty dinner. It’s great for a weeknight dinner you can make on repeat.
Can Use The Air Fryer Or Oven – Make this chicken in the air fryer, oven, or use an air fryer or convection oven setting to make this chicken!
Meal Prep – I like to double the juicy chicken thighs batch and save myself a little time during the week.

This recipe started with my original crispy chicken thighs, which we liked so much I started experimenting with more flavors to mix up dinner. Try the crispy ranch flavored chicken thighs which are crispy, the honey garlic chicken thighs which are sweet and sticky, or the baked chicken thighs and vegetables or the one pot chicken thighs and rice where the side dish cooks alongside the chicken.

Ingredients For Crispy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs

Ingredients for garlic parmesan chicken thighs in bowls on a counter with text labels.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.

chicken thighs bone-in, skin on is what I used. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can also be used, see more info in the notes section of the recipe card if using boneless chicken thighs.
grated parmesan cheese – I used jarred parmesan that had been pre-grated like Kraft, but you can use fresh parmesan also if you prefer.
baking powder – You must use baking powder. Do not swap baking soda, it will not produce the same results!
Italian seasoning – use your favorite blend.
garlic powder
paprika – I prefer smoked paprika for more flavor, but sweet paprika also works great. If your paprika just says “paprika” it is almost always sweet paprika.
salt
pepper

How To Make This Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs Recipe

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees If you have a convection setting or air fryer setting use it if possible. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking oil.
Dry bone in chicken thighs with paper towels well to remove any extra moisture.
In a small bowl add the baking powder, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix the ingredients together.

A glass bowl with grated cheese, paprika, Italian seasoning being mixed with more seasonings in small bowls nearby on the counter.

A glass bowl containing a garlic parmesan seasoning mixture on countertop, with raw chicken thighs on a plate nearby.

Rub the spice mix evenly over each thigh. Place the chicken thighs on the pan. Leave a few inches of space between each piece.

Chicken thighs being in a garlic parmesan seasoning mix in a glass bowl.

Five garlic parmesan coated raw chicken thighs on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, using the convection or air fryer setting if you have it. If you don’t have a convection or air fryer setting the chicken may take an extra few minutes to come to temperature. If you have boneless chicken thighs, start checking them for doneness after about 25 minutes.
Once the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165, the chicken thighs are fully cooked, and the juices will no longer be pink. (A meat thermometer is handy to check the temperature inside) Use any juices on the pan to baste each piece generously.

Five seasoned, cooked garlic parmesan chicken thighs on a foil-lined baking sheet with chicken juices from above.

What To Serve Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs With?

A plate of crispy seasoned garlic parmesan chicken thighs and mashed potatoes with a bite being pulled with a fork.

These garlic parmesan chicken thighs are the star of the show, but a few vegetable side dishes can round out dinner. Mashed potatoes are always a favorite, try the creamy garlic mashed potatoes or the cheesy Yukon gold mashed potatoes. Mashed sweet potatoes are another great addition, as are the Greek lemon potatoes.

Try the roasted potatoes and green beans, the crispy potato wedges or the oven roasted baby potatoes for crispy potatoes. If you have a little more time the twice loaded mashed potato casserole or the broccoli cheddar double stuffed potatoes are also tasty and can be made ahead of time.

I’ve added some basic sauteed green beans in the images, just cook them with a little garlic, salt and pepper. Or the honey roasted baby carrots or the creamy honey butter skillet corn are more great options.

These chicken thighs are also great in the warmer months. Try it was a cold side salad like the classic Italian pasta salad, the Greek orzo salad, the bean chickpea salad or the easy pesto pasta salad.

How Long Will Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs Last?

Expect these garlic parmesan chicken thighs will last for about three days. Store leftovers in an airtight covered container in the refrigerator.

These garlic parmesan chicken thighs can be frozen and reheated in the air fryer or oven easily. The microwave can also be used to reheat the chicken thighs, though I prefer using the air fryer or oven as they are a little crispier.

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Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs

Author Kristy Richardson

Course Dinners

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Nothing beats that crispy, oven-baked goodness, and these Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs deliver. They’re the kind of cozy, satisfying dinner you’ll want to make on repeat.

Ingredients

▢ 5 pieces chicken thighs bone-in, skin on
▢ 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees If you have a convection setting or air fryer setting use it if possible. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking oil.
Dry bone in chicken thighs with paper towels well to remove any extra moisture.
In a small bowl add the parmesan cheese, baking powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix the ingredients together.
Rub the spice mix evenly over each thigh. Lay the chicken thighs on the pan. Leave a few inches of space between each piece.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, using the convection or air fryer setting if you have it. If you don't have a convection or air fryer setting the chicken may take an extra few minutes to come to temperature. If your chicken thighs are boneless start checking them for doneness after about 25 minutes.
Once the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165, the chicken thighs are fully cooked, and the juices will no longer be pink. (A meat thermometer is handy to check the temperature inside) Use any juices on the pan to baste each piece generously.

Notes

Do not use baking soda in place of baking powder. Baking soda will not create crunchy skin.

Don’t cut all the fat off the chicken thighs when trimming, as the fat cooks and renders into the sauce on the pan. Cooking the fat instead of trimming it all off helps the meat to be juicier.

Boneless chicken thighs can be used, but they will finish cooking quicker. Start checking them for doneness after about 25 minutes.

To make them extra crispy place the chicken thighs under the broiler for a minute or two. Watch carefully, it doesn’t take long for the chicken under the broiler to go from extra crispy to burnt if you walk away from them. You only need a minute or two.

Chicken thighs can be cooked on a wire rack on top of the baking pan. This allows the juices to drip down from the chicken below. I find the chicken is juicier if you don’t use a rack, but slightly crispier if you do use a wire rack. I suggest lining the pan with foil if you use a wire rack for easy cleanup.

Nutrition

Keyword chicken, chicken thighs

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2 Comments

maryellen says:

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this looks great but,the garlic parmesan recipe calls for the parm cheese,where do you use it ?? i’ve read it many times and i don’t see where you add it in thanks for the help

1. Kristy Richardson says:
  
  at
  
  Hi Maryellen, thanks for your note. You are right, the parmesan somehow was left off in the instructions! It gets added with the baking powder and the spices, I edited the recipe to reflect that. Hope you try these chicken thighs and enjoy!