The 20 Best Chicken Thigh Recipes
Chicken thighs are incredibly versatile, hard to overcook, and economical. Here are 20 incredible recipes that show why I love to cook with them!
I can't be 100% certain, but I'd be willing to bet that when the famous phrase "Winner, winner, chicken dinner!" was coined, chicken thighs were on the menu. They're one of the easiest cuts of chicken to cook because they're hard to overcook, versatile, and economical.
These 20 recipes showcase chicken thighs in their various forms—bone-in and skin-on, boneless and skinless, even chopped—and include helpful tips and tricks for keeping that skin crispy, getting the most flavor possible, and keeping your dinner relatively hands-off. Enjoy!
Basque-Style Chicken With Peppers and Olives
"Such a great recipe! We used poblano chilies, a brown onion and prosciutto instead of ham. Also a splash of Pinot Grigio." —Bob, Simply Recipes Reader
Easy Grilled Gochujang Chicken Thighs
"This recipe mixes gochujang with maple syrup and apple juice to even out the heat and enhance the sweetness. Using that flavorful paste will allow you to add big flavor to your chicken without the need for a long marination time." —Cynthia Christensen, Simply Recipes Contributor
Smothered Chicken Thighs in Onion Gravy
"The gravy in this dish is made in the same skillet as the chicken with the all-purpose flour acting as the thickening agent, but you can also use white whole wheat flour, or chickpea or fava bean flour for a gluten-free option." —Virginia Willis, Simply Recipes Contributor
Honey Roasted Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Apples
"The benefit of using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs is that the skin will release chicken fat while cooking, making the bed of potatoes, apples, and shallots below it that much more delicious." —Sara Tane, Simply Recipes Contributor
Apple Cider Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes
"To keep the crispy skin as they braise, make sure the thighs aren’t completely submerged in the liquid. They should only be half covered, so the skin is exposed." —Nick Evans, Simply Recipes Contributor
Microwave Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)
"Oyakodon is quick and easy to make at home and is traditionally cooked on the stovetop. But making it in the microwave cuts the cook time in half to under 10 minutes." —Myo Quinn, Simply Recipes Editor
Sicilian Skillet Chicken With Lemon, Olives, and Capers
"Salt it up to 24 hours in advance and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. Doing so makes the finished bird especially flavorful." —Katie Morford, Simply Recipes Contributor
Yotam Ottolenghi’s One-Pan Spaghetti and Chicken
"As written, the recipe takes one hour 30 minutes to make, but by swapping out bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for boneless chicken thighs, you can cut the cook time down by about half." —Devan Grimsrud, Simply Recipes Contributor
Chicken Marengo
"This recipe already includes thyme, bay leaves, and a final garnish of parsley, but you can also add rosemary, marjoram, oregano, or a sprinkle of Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence." —Coco Morante, Simply Recipes Contributor
Crispy Curried Chicken Thighs With Wilted Greens
"I like to use hearty beet greens mixed with baby arugula for the recipe, but kale, escarole, baby spinach, and even romaine work well." —Sabrina Modelle, Simply Recipes Contributor
Classic Chicken Provencal
"The biggest tip to make this dish special is to give your chicken thighs time to really develop a nice crust and start browning in the skillet before you start the braise. I like to let my chicken brown, skin-side down, in the skillet for at least 10 minutes over medium-low heat." —Nick
Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken with Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Capers
"This sheet pan supper will suffice as a complete meal, but you can also round it out with an extra vegetable if you like, simply pull out a second sheet pan and pile it with practically any vegetable under the sun. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and roast alongside the chicken until tender." —Katie
Char Siu Chicken
"Oven roasting the chicken yields perfectly fine flavor, but grilling it produces wonderful old-school character." —Andrea Nguyen, Simply Recipes Contributor
Beer Braised Chicken and Onions
"I can suggest doing the second half of the cooking in the oven as the lid on top of the stove made the browned skin soggy. I did the first half of the recipe on top of the stove in a large pan with the lid then transferred it to oven on 375 for another 40 minutes without the lid. Skin turned out perfectly crisp and saturated in flavor." —Naomi, Simply Recipes Reader
Chicken Gumbo with Andouille Sausage
"A gumbo hinges on its thickeners. A roux of flour and fat is the primary one, and is in almost every gumbo I've ever eaten. How dark you take the roux is your preference. Most Louisiana gumbo I've had relies on a roux that's almost the color of dark chocolate." —Hank Shaw, Simply Recipes Contributor
Chicken Vesuvio
"I use the zest as well as the juice of the lemon. The zest boosts the lemon flavor, while the juice provides the acid for the sauce. It’s also a zero-waste kitchen tip!" —Liz Tarpy, Simply Recipes Contributor
Spicy Garlic Cashew Chicken
"Taste the jalapeños first, before using. Jalapeños vary in heat and sometimes you need more, sometimes less to get the desired heat level. If you want to take it up a notch in heat, leave in more of the seeds." —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder
Skillet Chermoula Chicken
"I made the sauce but used it to top halibut filets instead of chicken, baked in the oven over veggies (peppers, onions, squash). It was AMAZING, and so easy. I'll be making this often." —Jenny, Simply Recipes Reader
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo and Rice
"My friend Nancy likes to use rice vinegar in her adobo for its milder flavor. I tried it with both rice vinegar and white vinegar and decided that like the tanginess of white vinegar the best. If you like a more mild flavor, though, try it Nancy's way!" —Coco
One Pot Chicken and Orzo
"I made a Greekified take on this recipe - added bay leaves, marinated chicken in lemon juice and zest, garlic, and oregano, added several cups of sauteed chopped kale, and swapped pearl couscous for the orzo. Topped with crumbled feta, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon." —Christina, Simply Recipes Reader
