Chicken Thigh Recipes to Spice Up Your Meals

Chicken thighs are one of our favorite cuts of meat. They’ve lived in the shadow of the chicken breast for too long, but home cooks should know that thighs are succulent, easy to prepare addition to any repertoire of ingredients. Plus, they’re so versatile that they can be paired with just about any flavor you like.

We look at why chicken thighs are so great and some of our favorite recipes using boneless chicken thighs.

Benefits of Chicken Thighs

• Chicken thighs are packed with protein.
• Although not as lean as chicken breast, most of the fat in chicken thighs are unsaturated.
• Chicken thighs are low in salt.
• Chicken thighs are a good source of selenium and niacin.
• Chicken thighs are carb-free, allowing you to easily control your carb intake.

Best Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh Recipes

Baking chicken thighs in a sauce is a simple way to keep them moist and ensure that they’re evenly cooked. Broiling is another excellent way to seal in the flavor of this delectable cut of meat. There are boneless chicken thigh recipes where the meat is cut into strips and stir-fried, plus boneless skinless chicken thighs cooked in Eastern spices to create restaurant-style curry recipes.

It’s super hard to choose which is the absolute best chicken thighs recipe, so we’ve picked three of our favorites. These chicken thigh recipes are packed with flavor and simple for even inexperienced home cooks.

Honey Soy Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs

There are so many versions of this baked chicken thighs recipe, but this is a really simple way to create this winner chicken dinner. If you’ve ever wondered how long to cook chicken thighs, the key is not to worry too much about over-cooking them. Thanks to the sticky marinade, the thighs will stand up to a longer cooking time without drying out.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1-inch piece of root ginger, grated finely
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 8 chicken thighs

Method

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2.   Combine crushed garlic, ginger, soy, honey, and oil in a large bowl. Add chicken to the bowl, and ensure each piece is thoroughly coated.
3.   Tip the entire bowl of chicken into a roasting pan.
4.   Cook chicken thighs in the oven for 45 minutes. Check that the chicken is starting to crisp before removing it from the oven.

Enjoy with stir-fried seasonal veggies or steamed broccoli drizzled with sesame oil.

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 401
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Carbohydrate: 17 g
• Sugar: 15 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Protein: 30 g
• Salt: 1.7 g

Buffalo Chicken Thighs

Not just for wings! This classic recipe is even more versatile because you can use bone-in or boneless thighs.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. chicken thighs
• 5 tbsp salt
• 4 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 2 tbsp chili flakes
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 5 tbsp butter
• ½ cup of your favorite chili sauce
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Method

1. Heat 4 cups of water in a pan and add 4 tbsp salt, 3 tbsp of the sugar plus the chili flakes. Warm until sugar is dissolved, add 8 cups of cold water, then the chicken. This is your brine, and the chicken needs to sit in it for at least two hours or overnight for the best flavor. Put the pan in the fridge while marinating.
2. Once marinating time is over, heat the oven to 350 F.
3. Mix paprika, cumin, plus remaining salt and sugar together on a plate or tray. Roll the brine-soaked chicken in the spice mix until each piece is coated.
4. Place chicken on a baking tray and oven bake for at least an hour. The coating should be crispy and caramelized.
5. For the sauce, warm the butter in a small pan until melted. Add the maple syrup, stir, and then add the hot sauce. Once everything is combined, you can use this as a dipping sauce or drizzle over the cooked chicken.

Blue cheese sauce is another classic accompaniment for this game-day favorite.

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 520
• Fat: 35 g
• Saturated Fat: 15 g
• Carbohydrate: 11 g
• Sugar: 11 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 39 g
• Salt: 7.4 g

Japanese Style Chicken Thigh Burgers

You’ll never eat store-bought chicken burgers again! Tender pieces of delicately seasoned chicken thigh in a light, “barely there” Japanese-style batter.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp mirin
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1-inch ginger, grated
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• ½ cup of corn flour
• Oil for frying
• Burger buns
• Shredded lettuce

Method

1. Make the marinade by combining mirin, garlic, soy, and ginger. Mix 1 tbsp of the marinade with the mayo then put mayo in the fridge.
2. Cut chicken into strips and cover with the remaining marinade. Leave it to marinate at room temperature for an hour.
3. Roll chicken in the corn flour.
4. Heat about an inch of oil in a large pan. Fry chicken in batches until crispy, then drain on paper.
5. Serve in buns with the mirin mayo and lettuce. Crisp and delicious!

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 715
• Fat: 34 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Carbohydrate: 61 g
• Sugar: 5 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 39 g
• Salt: 2.4 g

Which chicken thigh recipes will you be cooking this week? Try adding chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts or drumsticks next time you’re making a chicken dinner!

Takeaway

Chicken thighs are versatile and can be used in a range of cuisines. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used in curries, Mexican food, Italian, Asian, and chicken thigh recipes are a protein-packed easy dinner choice.