These oven Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs are what dinner dreams are made of! They are amazingly tender, incredibly juicy, ridiculously delicious, and almost embarrassingly EASY to make. With only 3 ingredients, you can have this easy dinner idea from the fridge, to the oven in a matter of minutes! This bone in chicken thigh recipe is a crowd pleaser, and a kid-friendly dinner perfect for busy families!
Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs – The EASY Way!
If you think you can’t make insanely good chicken, this recipe is for you!
Ranch Baked Chicken Thighs may be the recipe with the highest combination of absurdly delicious and crazy easy I have! It seems almost unfair how simple this recipe is, and just how mouthwatering it comes out.
This recipe makes absolutely perfect chicken thighs! They have that perfectly roasted skin that has all the crispy edges. It is packed with flavor, and the meat inside is very, very tender and juicy.
Add in that it takes literal minutes to have this in the oven and cooking and it is super kid friendly, and you have all the components of a perfect family meal!
What I love about this recipe:
- 3 ingredients – nothing fancy, nothing unnecessary… just 3 basic ingredients!
- Quick prep– Goes from fridge to oven in as little as 5 minutes
- Kid friendly– kids love this chicken because, not only is the ranch flavor familiar, but it is tender and juicy (not tough, flavorless, and hard to chew)
- Easy to scale– If you need more or less, you can easily scale up or down with minimal extra effort
- Forgiving– Since we use bone in chicken thighs, the dark meat stays more tender and juicy even if it is not cooked perfectly.
- Goes with everything – You can pair these with almost any side dishes you love (or whatever you happen to have in your fridge or pantry) and they will go great!
What to Serve with Ranch Baked Chicken Thighs
As mentioned above these Oven Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs go well with a wide variety of side dishes. You can pair it with most anything you love, or have on hand in your kitchen.
I will share a few of our favorite things to pair the chicken with, including both traditional and light and wholesome options too.
Side Dish Ideas
- Baked Potato Wedges– these are a kid-favorite because they taste and feel like french fries (without the frying!)
- Mashed Potatoes– You can never go wrong with roasted chicken and creamy delicious garlic mashed potatoes
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad– This cold salad can be made ahead, and goes really well with the flavor of the chicken
- Perfect Roasted Veggies– We make this recipe at least once a week at our house because it is so simple and delicious
- Squash Casserole– Best southern comfort food!
- Picnic Pasta Salad– This classic pasta salad is one I love to make a big batch of because it goes great with dinner but then the leftovers can be eaten for lunch through out the week.
- Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole – If you didn’t use one of the other potatoes, this one is ALWAYS a hit (and it will feed a crowd!)
You can choose one or add a few sides to make a wholesome, well rounded dinner.
Dipping Sauces
When it comes to chicken, our meal is never complete without dipping sauces! These are quick to make and an easy way to make this meal seem like something really special! Added bonus- my kids LOVE anything with dipping sauces 10x more!
- Buttermilk Ranch – If you have never made homemade ranch dressing, you are missing out on one of the most delicious parts of life!!
- Honey mustard sauce – Our absolute favorite with chicken!
- Homemade BBQ Sauce– Easier and more yummy than you expect!
Recipe Notes
This Ranch Baked Chicken Thighs recipe is as simple as promised! Just 3 ingredients for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Bone In Chicken Thighs– This recipe is designed to use bone in chicken thighs because it allows the skin to bake to crispy and keeps the meat ultra tender. You can substitute boneless chicken thighs, or chicken breast, but the cooking time will change.
- Olive oil– I like to use olive oil in this recipe, however you can substitute your preferred cooking oil. Other oils that will work are avocado oil, canola oil, and vegetable oil.
- Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing and Seasoning Mix– This gives us all the flavor! Using Hidden Valley Ranch mix makes this recipe extra easy, but if you prefer you can use my homemade ranch seasoning which has all the great ranch flavor but is dairy free, gluten free, and no fillers or additives.
Recipe Tips
- Dry the chicken– Although this is probably my least favorite part of cooking, removing the extra moisture from the skin of the chicken will be the difference between average baked chicken, and getting a super delicious crispy skin on the chicken thighs!
- Bone in Chicken Thighs– I always get questions on the use of bone in chicken thighs versus boneless chicken thighs. This recipe is designed for a bone in chicken thigh with skin. When you use boneless, you don’t have skin on them and can’t get that crispy outside like you can with the bone in chicken thighs.
Additionally, any cut of meat cooked with a bone, will generally be more forgiving during the cooking process, staying tender and juicy longer. If you want to use boneless chicken thighs in this recipe, see my note in recipe variations below. - Season to perfection– The ranch seasoning mix provides the seasoning for the chicken. If you plan to eat the chicken with the skin, there is no need to take the optional step of seasoning under the skin as well. I have some in my family who don’t care for the skin, so I like to rub the seasoning under the skin to give those chicken thighs a little extra flavor boost.
- Let it rest– After removing from the oven, let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving or cutting into them. This helps the juices to reincorporate into the meat and keeps the chicken thighs ultra juicy!
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Ranch Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs– Make recipe as directed, reducing cook time to 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F.
- Spicy Ranch Baked Chicken Thighs– Make as directed, adding 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to the ranch seasoning, depending on your desired level of spiciness. Continue with recipe as directed.
- Southwest Ranch Baked Chicken Thighs– Make as directed, adding 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to the ranch seasoning. Continue with recipe as directed.
Dietary Considerations
If you have special dietary needs, this recipe meets some and can be easily modified to comply with others.
As always, check all store bought ingredients for compliance on specific dietary needs. The notes below are a general guide.
- Gluten free: This recipe is naturally gluten free when using homemade ranch seasoning mix.
- Dairy free: This recipe is naturally gluten free when using homemade ranch seasoning mix
- Nut free: This recipe is naturally nut free
- Egg free: This recipe is naturally egg free
- Low carb/Keto: This recipe is low carb at only 4g net carbs per serving.
- Macros: The approximate macro calculation for this recipe is- P: 39g C: 4g F: 44g. Fat can be reduced by not eating the skin.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Ranch Baked Chicken Thighs can be prepared as a freezer meal to make on another busy night, or give to a friend in need.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Rub the chicken thighs all over with olive oil, then coat them in the ranch seasoning.
- Arrange chicken in a zip top bag, or other freezer friendly container.
- Freeze.
- Once ready to cook, thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours or until thawed completely.
- Arrange on baking sheet and bake as directed.
For the best flavor, this meal can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Ranch Chicken Thighs Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making Ranch Baked Chicken Thighs, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Ranch Chicken Wraps– Pull the chicken from the bones. On a large flat bread or tortilla, spread a thin coat of ranch dressing. Add the chicken, your choice of greens, shredded carrots, thinly sliced onions, and roll tightly.
- Ranch Chicken Chopped Salad– Pull the chicken from the bones. Chop up some of your favorite veggies, add a hard boiled egg, cheese, ranch chicken, bacon and drizzle with ranch dressing.
- Ranch Chicken Burrito Bowls– Pull the chicken from the bones. Start with a base of rice and black beans then add your choice of: romaine lettuce, cheddar cheese, diced pepper, corn, avocado and of course top with ranch chicken drizzled with ranch dressing.
- Bacon Ranch Stuffed Baked Potatoes– Place chicken, cheese, bacon on top of a baked potato. Broil for a few minutes to get to toppings crispy. Then top with a dollop of sour cream and diced green onions. YUM!
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my Easy Chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 5 lbs chicken thighs, bone in (about 8 chicken thighs)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Rub the chicken thighs all over with olive oil, then coat them in the ranch seasoning. Optional: Rub the seasoning under the skin as well as on top for extra ranch flavor throughout the chicken.
- Arrange them onto the baking sheet skin side up and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165˚F and the edges start to get golden brown.Optional: Turn the oven to broil for the last 3-5 minutes to get an extra crispy skin. Make sure to watch them carefully if you use broil, because they will cook quickly.
- Let rest 5 minutes, then serve warm!
Recipe Notes
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!- Ranch Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs– Make recipe as directed, reducing cook time to 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F.
- Spicy Ranch Baked Chicken Thighs– Make as directed, adding 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to the ranch seasoning, depending on your desired level of spiciness. Continue with recipe as directed.
- Southwest Ranch Baked Chicken Thighs– Make as directed, adding 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to the ranch seasoning. Continue with recipe as directed.
Leave a Reply