47 Chicken Thigh Recipes for Crispy, Juicy, Delicious Dinners
We have a soft spot for low-maintenance, budget-friendly chicken thigh recipes—the kind of chicken dinners you can easily make on a weeknight and please the whole family. A whole roast chicken on a Tuesday? Forget about it. Go that route and your reality will be fire detectors, hot tears, and dinner at 11.
But the almighty chicken thigh, with its robust flavor, forgiving personality, and ability to adapt to whatever cooking technique you want to throw at it is, dare we say it, the best chicken for a weeknight meal. And look, white meat people, we understand there's a time and place for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but dark meat just has so much more going on. With that in mind, here are our 47 best ways to enjoy cooked chicken thighs, from braising and frying to baking and grilling.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski1/47Grilled Chicken Thighs With Sweet-and-Spicy Marinade
Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Kat Boytsova4/47Chicken Biryani
Making biryani can often be an elaborate, ambitious affair, but this easy weeknight version simplifies the process: Just two layers, marinated chicken thighs and parboiled basmati rice, cook together in a heavy-lidded dutch oven.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski5/47Chicken and Bacon Choucroute With Potato Salad
A play on choucroute garnie, an Alsatian dish consisting of braised sauerkraut, sausages and other salted meats, and often potatoes, this chicken thigh recipe takes only 25 minutes in the oven.
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Maggie Ruggiero, prop styling by Sophia Pappas6/47Stir-Fried Noodles With Chicken
We found a home for the less-than-perky carrots and celery in your crisper drawer: this quick and hearty noodle stir-fry, which is loosely inspired by Japanese yakisoba.
Photo by Alex Lau7/47Grilled Chicken With Banana Peppers
We implore you not to skip the banana peppers in this Caribbean-inspired chicken thigh recipe, courtesy of the truly iconic Commander's Palace in New Orleans. They provide a snappy, vinegary finish.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk8/47Green Goddess Chicken Thighs
Move over, salads: Green goddess dressing works wonders as a marinade for grilled chicken. Speaking of which, go with skinless, boneless chicken thighs, since they’re forgiving, i.e. there's no skin to get stuck on the grate.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca9/47Chicken Karaage
This is not the time to use your air fryer. Wheat flour, rice flour, and cornstarch—and, yes, super-hot vegetable oil—give the chicken the crisp crust that has made Japanese tori so karaage famous around the world.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton11/47Sheet-Pan Chicken and Squash Salad
This simple, savory marinade will work any time you're craving garlic chicken. Just mix together grated garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano12/47Poul Ak Nwa (Chicken With Cashews)
Simmering chicken in epis, a puréed mixture of herbs and aromatics, before browning it may seem counterintuitive to those who aren't Haitian, but this common technique infuses the meat with flavor and moisture.
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Cyd McDowell. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks13/47Wali Ya Mboga
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susan Ottaviano, prop styling by Sophie Strangio14/47Olive-Brine-Marinated Chicken With Date Relish
Don’t pour your leftover olive brine down the drain. Its punchiness and acidity make it the ticket to chicken with flavorful meat and crispy skin.
Bobbi Lin16/47Panko-Crusted Roast Chicken Thighs With Mustard and Thyme
Dijon mustard, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways: In this chicken thigh recipe, it (1) seasons the meat, (2) locks in moisture, and (3) acts as adhesive for a crunchy breadcrumb-herb mixture. (Feel free to play with your favorite herbs, by the way; rosemary, sage, or oregano would work just as well as thyme.)
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Emily Eisen18/47One-Skillet Crispy Chicken Thighs With Harissa
Let's sell you on this recipe in two words: harissa schmaltz. Render the fat from the chicken skin in an ovenproof skillet, then remove the thighs and spoon the harissa into the fat (hence, harissa schmaltz) to release its power.
Photo by Jennifer May19/47Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
There is no one definitive or best gumbo recipe out there. Gumbo is a deeply personal dish and there are as many versions of it as there are cooks in Louisiana, perhaps even more. All we can say about this one is: It's good.
Photo by Alex Lau21/47Chicken Scarpariello
Be a multitasking maestro: While fingerling potatoes roast (bada boom), sear sweet Italian sausages and cook your chicken thighs in the same skillet (bada bing).
Photo by Chelsie Craig22/47Garlic-Honey Chicken Thighs With Polenta
You'll want some sort of starchy pile of carbs—if not polenta, then rice or potatoes—to catch all of the garlic sauce that coats the chicken.
Alex Lau25/47Olive Oil–Confit Chicken With Cipolline Onions
Instant pot chicken, this is not. Your cook time will be just under two hours total, but you want to go slow and low in a generous amount of lemon- and rosemary-infused olive oil for the most tender meat.
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Micah Morton. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks27/47Skillet-Roasted Chicken Afritada
Photograph by Jenny Huang, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Linden Elstran28/47Nana’s Chicken and Rice Stew
What makes for the best chicken thighs? Clearly, there's not just one method, but this Southern grandma-approved chicken and rice stew is high up on our list.
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Kat Boytsova. Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca29/47Harissa-Honey Popcorn Chicken
It's not a side dish and it's not exactly a main, but it is a great excuse to start watching sports. This glazed popcorn chicken is saucy, glossy, snackable and crave-worthy—it's basically all of the things.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh30/47Braised Chicken Thighs With Olives and Herbs
31/47Magic Crispy Chicken
This chicken is magic because it’s crunchier than any other baked chicken thigh recipe you’ve ever had before. Serve it with a side of green beans or other veggies—yes, dip them in the Dijon mustard sauce too—and you have a full meal. Magic.
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime32/47Roast Chicken With Tomatoes
Photo by Isa Zapata, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Nicole Louie33/47Thai Roast Chicken Thighs With Coconut Rice
There's genius in this recipe. Lining the skillet with cabbage wedges allows them to catch every drop of roast chicken juices, becoming melt-in-your-mouth tender. Topped with cilantro leaves to balance the richness, this one's a people pleaser.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by D’mytrek Brown35/47Warm Chicken and Swiss Chard Salad
Think of this elegant and warm chicken salad as the grown-up version of the stuff in your local grocery store's deli case, starring dates, olives, and almonds.
Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Nicole Louie37/47Buttery Kimchi Chicken
As if Indian butter chicken could get any better, this Korean-inspired mashup...knocked our socks off. Caramelizing tomato paste with kimchi harmonizes the bright, funky acidity of both ingredients.
Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie THEODOROU38/47Chicken and Rice With Leeks and Salsa Verde
Photo by TED+CHELSEA CAVANAUGH, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou39/47Big Batch Chicken Thighs With Fennel and Scallions
Use a little extra time on a Sunday to make a meal with built-in leftovers and you’ll have the foundation for lunches during the week.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Sue Li41/47Saucy Chicken Puttanesca
The famous Neapolitan tomato sauce—packed with olives, garlic, capers, and anchovies—is traditionally paired with long pasta. Here, it's chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks, but you could opt for one or the other) that get the puttanesca treatment.
Photography by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jamie42/47Tamarind Chicken Thighs With Collard Greens Salad
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski43/47Lemon Chicken Thighs
Photo by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Haubert, prop styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky45/47Bo Zai Fan (Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Clay Pot Rice)
Photo and Food Styling by Molly Baz46/47Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry With Celery and Peanuts
This high-heat, one-skillet recipe is fast and furious—ideal for those nights when you have 10 minutes to stand at the stove, tops.
Photo by TED+CHELSEA CAVANAUGH, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou47/47Chicken and Cucumber Rice Bowls
Protein, whole grains, crunchy vegetables, and a kick-in-your-pants sauce—yep, this packable lunch, also known as one of our favorite chicken thigh recipes, has it all.
