26 Best Chicken Thigh Recipes - Easy, Healthy, and Full of Flavor! (2024)

FAQs

How to get more flavor in chicken thighs? ›

Other Chicken Thigh Recipes:

-Chicken Cacciatore Recipe uses bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. -Instant Pot Butter Chicken uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs. -Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings uses bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. -Rosemary Lemon Chicken Thighs uses bone-in, skin-on thighs.

Ultimately, chicken thighs can be a healthy addition to your diet as long as they're prepared in a good-for-you way. If you are trying to limit your fat intake, prepare chicken thighs in ways that don't use much added oil, like grilling, baking or stir-frying. Also be mindful of the sodium that you add during cooking.

Brining your chicken is a foolproof way to not only add flavour to your roast but also to ensure you don't overcook the meat. Essentially a mix of salt, sugar and water, we love adding herbs, garlic or whole spices such as fennel and cumin to flavour the brine.

Spread out in a single layer in the roasting tray, and bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven until golden. Lovely served with a rocket salad dressed with some lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, and a nice glass of white wine.

But I know you are wondering– should you cover chicken thighs when they are baking? The simple answer is, no. We don't cover our skin-on chicken thighs because we want that skin to get nice and crispy!

Again, the chicken is technically cooked through and safe to eat at 165 degrees, but we're tacking on extra baking time to render the thighs extremely tender and juicy. There is no need to rotate the pan or flip the chicken thighs at any point during the baking process.

First, hold on to the bone that protrudes out from the triangular-shaped meat. Second, twist and pull upwards to remove the thigh bone. The remaining meat can then be eaten as a whole.

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400? It is recommended to bake chicken thighs at 400ºF. This medium-high heat ensures the juiciest results! Chicken thighs should be roasted in the oven at 400ºF for 40-45 minutes, then broiled for 2 more minutes to get juicy meat and crispy skin!

How many chicken thighs per person? ›

The size can vary dramatically, so for menu planning purposes, plan about 1/2 lb of chicken per person. Depending on the size and menu, a serving would typically be one or two chicken thighs per person.

Parts like chicken wings, thighs, and drumsticks are very high in calories and fat, thus, making them a not-so-good option for weight loss. Apart from this, make sure that the chicken that you are eating is not deep fried or loaded with sauces, as this increases the calorie count.

Between their protein and the boatload of nutrients that they provide, including chicken thighs in an overall healthy diet is A-OK. Just focus on trying to prepare the thighs in a healthy way and pairing them with vegetables and whole grains for extra staying power.

Unfortunately for weight loss efforts, chicken thighs have more calories and more fat. In a 3 ounce serving, skinless chicken breast has 140 calories and 3 grams of fat. A three ounce portion of chicken thigh has 170 calories and 3 grams of fat.

You see, without a generous sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, your chicken is basically destined for blandness. After you've pulled your chicken out of its marinade (or even if you're not using a marinade), always sprinkle all sides of the breast with salt and pepper.

Way More Flavorful

Chicken thighs are a fattier cut of meat, which means they're going to have more intense, rich flavor than their white meat counterparts. No matter the cooking preparation, chicken thighs will always yield a richer, more flavorful product.

Aside from classics like salt, pepper, basil and garlic, you could try using chilli powder, ginger, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme.