Name: Buffalo Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 4 boneless chicken thighs; Salt and pepper to taste; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon paprika; 1 cup Buffalo sauce

Your favorite chicken recipe just got a lot spicier thanks to the sauce in these buffalo chicken thighs! This keto-on-accident recipe is sure to please all of the buffalo lovers in your house.

Buffalo chicken thighs with buffalo sauce baste

Is there anything better than buffalo sauce? If you’re familiar with my blog, you know this isn’t the first time I’ve wanted to sing my praises to this tangy, fiery, and spicy hot sauce. In my house, we put buffalo on everything. I’ve even made my own homemade buffalo sauce (that I also use in the recipe below).

While buffalo probably doesn’t go with everything, sometimes it seems like it! I love it on veggies, eggs, dips, sandwiches and wraps, and — of course — on chicken. Not only can you enjoy buffalo sauce on air fryer chicken wings, but you can also add it to baked buffalo chicken thighs. It’s all right there in the name!

I love this recipe any time of year, and it’s great for those days where you just don’t feel like cooking. You’ll only need about 5 minutes of easy prep, plus 30 minutes of cook time.

buffalo chicken thighs on plate with celery sticks and dipping sauce

Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:

Tips for getting crispy buffalo chicken thighs in the oven
Ideas for what to serve with this keto buffalo chicken thigh recipe
All of the ingredients, plus step-by-step instructions on how to prepare boneless or bone-in buffalo wings.

There are so many different ways to prepare chicken — you can use a marinade, serve it grilled, or bake it. You can use skinless chicken or boneless chicken (or bone-in!). You can even make buffalo chicken thighs in the air fryer. Today, let’s focus on this baked buffalo chicken thigh recipe.

ingredients for buffalo chicken thighs on cutting board

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Thighs

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Place your chicken thighs on a greased baking sheet. You can also use parchment paper or aluminum foil. Salt and pepper the meat to your liking, then combine the garlic and paprika and sprinkle them on top.

STEP TWO: Bake the chicken thighs for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. You can check the temp by using a food-safe thermometer.

STEP THREE: Remove the chicken from the oven and baste with the buffalo sauce. I love to use my homemade buffalo sauce, but you can use store-bought instead if you would like to make it easier!

Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing — and enjoy!

Love chicken thighs? Try out these other chicken thigh recipes!

Tips to Get Crispy Buffalo Chicken Thighs in the Oven

There are several tips and tricks for getting the crispiest results from your boneless buffalo chicken thighs:

Pat the chicken thighs with a paper towel to remove all of the excess moisture. This helps them crisp up in the oven!

The skin is what will make your baked buffalo chicken thighs crispy. Don’t use skinless chicken thighs!

Add baking powder to your seasoning.

For extra crispy results, use an iron skillet. Place your seasoned chicken skin side down in a hot (and dry — don’t use excess oil) skillet on medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes before you place it in the oven to bake.

serve buffalo chicken thighs with celery

What to Serve With This Buffalo Chicken Thigh Recipe

Consider these options when deciding what to serve with your baked buffalo chicken thighs:

Celery sticks and blue cheese dressing — a classic!
Potato salad
Coleslaw
French fries
Sweet potato fries
Pasta salad

And check out all of these air fryer vegetable recipes for some delicious side dishes to pair with this recipe!

spicy buffalo sauce basted on chicken thighs

Can I Use Bone-in Chicken Thighs Instead?

Yes, you can substitute bone-in chicken thighs instead of boneless for this recipe.

You’ll find that there isn’t a difference in taste (or texture) between these two types of chicken cuts. Bone-in chicken just takes a bit longer to cook.

What Temperature Should Chicken Thighs Be Cooked at?

You should bake your chicken thighs for 25-30 minutes at 425 degrees F. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.

Remember to use a food-safe thermometer to determine whether or not your chicken is cooked through.

buffalo chicken thighs on cooking pan with parchment

Can I Use Store-Bought Buffalo Sauce Instead?

Yes! If you don’t have time to make the homemade buffalo sauce, you can use store-bought. My favorite brand is Frank’s Hot Sauce.

But, I do recommend you try making your own sauce at least once. My homemade buffalo sauce recipe is all about keeping things thick, creamy (hint: I use butter), and spicy — of course!

And it only takes about 5 minutes to put together and can be stored in the fridge for up to 30 days!

If you’re not big on spice, I have a mild buffalo sauce recipe too!

Should I Brown Chicken Thighs Before Cooking?

One way to get crispy results with boneless buffalo‌ ‌chicken‌ ‌thighs‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌oven‌ is to brown them before baking. This step isn’t required, but some chefs swear by it (especially if you’re making baked chicken and not grilled)!

To avoid ending up with soggy chicken, sear the thighs in a cast-iron skillet before you bake them.

buffalo chicken thighs on plate with celery sticks on another plate

Other Chicken Recipes You’ll Love: