Thanksgiving Chicken (Oven-Baked)
If you love Thanksgiving flavors but don’t always feel like cooking (or carving!) a full turkey, this Oven-Baked Thanksgiving Chicken is the perfect solution. Or, of course you could make my Thanksgiving Chicken Casserole, but I digress. It gives you all the classic holiday vibes — buttery, herby, crispy, and comforting — but in an easy weeknight-friendly bake that uses bone-in chicken instead of poultry panic mode. Want to make it a meal? Try my mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, and cheesy broccoli casserole! These are my Thanksgiving side dishes I have been making for YEARS passed down to me from my grandmother and mother!
And the BEST part?
During the holiday season, those herbed stuffing mixes are always on sale — usually buy one, get one free — so it’s the perfect time to stock up and make this recipe for under $10. But don’t let the word “Thanksgiving” fool you… this one works year-round. Think Sunday dinner, meal prep, or when you just want something crispy, cozy, and low-effort.
If you love this recipe, definitely check out my Thanksgiving Chicken Casserole same holiday flavor profile, totally different vibes, just as delicious. If you’re look for the best Holiday Side Dishes, or Holiday Desserts, or even Holiday Appetizers. I got them all lined up and ready for you just click the text!
Three easy steps to make your chicken CRUNCHYYYY.
Make sure to get your Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing crushed not cubed .
Use a lemon zester to grate your butter on top. Makes a big difference.
To the Oven!
My Easy Fresh Cranberry Sauce was amazing with the chicken!!!
Serving Ideas
- Mashed potatoes + turkey gravy
- Cranberry sauce + roasted green beans + sweet potato casserole
- Hawaiian rolls with butter (yes please)
- Swap gravy for honey mustard or garlic aioli for a non-holiday version
👝 How to Store Leftovers
- Store up to 3 days in the fridge
- Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 5–6 minutes to restore crispiness
- Do NOT microwave unless you like soggy stuffing (no judgment… but also, why?)
🎥 Items Featured in the Video
🗒 More Delicious holiday Recipes
🤔 Common Questions
Swap Parmesan for Pecorino or asiago
Add crushed fried onions to the stuffing mix for extra crunch!
Thanksgiving Chicken (Oven-Baked)
Ingredients
- 4 –5 lbs bone-in skinless chicken (I used 6 drumsticks + 4 thighs)
- 1 stick 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted — plus 2 tbsp cold butter for topping
- 3 cups herbed stuffing mix lightly crushed
- 4 oz freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 –2 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt & cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Mix together the crushed stuffing mix, Parmesan, dried parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Pat chicken dry, then season all sides generously with salt & pepper.
- Dip each piece of chicken in the melted butter (let excess drip off), then press firmly into the stuffing mixture to fully coat.
- Arrange coated chicken in the baking dish in a single layer.
- Using a microplane or fine grater, zest 2 tbsp of cold butter evenly over the top of the chicken. This helps it brown and crisp beautifully in the oven.
- Bake 45–55 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 165°F and the stuffing crust is golden and crispy.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving so the coating sets.
Video
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