47 Chicken Thigh Recipes for Delicious, Easy Dinners
We’ll go ahead and say it: The best chicken recipes are chicken thigh recipes. Juicy, rich chicken thighs are much less prone to drying out than (sorry, not sorry) chicken breasts. Whether you’re starting with bone-in or boneless, skinless chicken thighs—or boneless skin-on chicken thighs—this cut of meat is undoubtedly the most flavorful part of the bird.
Plus, chicken thighs can do it all. Want to grill? Sear? Braise? Fry? Go for dark meat and never worry. Our best recipes with chicken thighs include speedy flavor-charged chicken fajitas, creamy Korma-style chicken curry, and wok-cooked sweet-and-sour chicken. So next time you’re staring into the fridge, wondering what to make with chicken thighs, turn to this collection.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton1/47Crispy Chicken Over Turmeric-Lemon Cabbage and Peas
For an easy, one-pan weeknight dinner, set cumin and turmeric–rubbed chicken thighs atop a pile of silky cabbage to finish in the oven. Top the dish with sweet peas and a flurry of fresh cilantro.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson2/47Spring Salad With Crispy Chicken and Bacony Croutons
Here’s a hearty dinner salad that has a little bit of everything: smoky bacon, crispy-skinned chicken, bright mint and fennel, and bitter escarole or frisée.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich3/47Sweet and Sour Chicken
You can use thighs or, fine, chicken breasts for this at-home riff on a beloved takeout recipe. Cooking over high heat in a wok makes it super speedy.
Photo by Laura Edwards4/47Methi Chicken
A cousin of butter chicken, this Methi Chicken recipe features a medley of spices, including green cardamom pods, dried fenugreek leaves, and cassia bark. Boneless skinless chicken thighs have never looked so good.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne5/47One-Pot Chicken and Biscuits
No idea what’s for dinner tonight? Let this comforting, one-pot meal be your solution. It only requires one bowl too.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert6/47Chicken Fajitas
Thanks to a citrusy, spicy marinade, this easy weeknight dinner punches far above its weight in terms of flavor. Not sure how to tell when the chicken is done? The internal temperature should read 165°.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani7/47Grilled Chicken Skewers With Toum (Shish Taouk)
This is one of our favorite chicken thigh recipes for grilling season; the lemony, garlic-loaded marinade packs in tons of flavor. Serve with pita (bonus points if you make it fresh) and pickled turnips.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich11/47Instant Pot Chicken Rendang
A slow-cooked dish that usually requires hours of stovetop nursing, rendang is done in a fraction of the time—and more hands-off—when you make it in an Instant Pot.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich12/47Garlicky Instant Ramen Noodle Salad With Grilled Chicken Thighs
Here’s the perfect summer chicken dinner: Marinate boneless, skinless chicken thighs in garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and cilantro roots or stems, cook them swiftly on the grill, then nestle them on top of a springy ramen salad.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott15/47Braised Chicken Thighs With Squash and Mustard Greens
No acorn squash? Use butternut. Not into mustard greens? Use kale, Swiss chard, or spinach. You can’t go wrong with this flexible chicken thigh recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton16/47Chicken and Potato Gratin With Brown Butter Cream
In this comforting twist on classic Potatoes au Gratin, bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks cook alongside little potatoes in a sage and thyme–infused mixture of brown butter and cream. Top it all off with crunchy breadcrumbs, toasted in the pan drippings.
Photo by Noah Fecks and Paul Wagtouicz18/47Ultimate Green Curry (Gaeng Khiaw Wan Gai)
This Thai green curry starts with a cup of homemade or store-bought green curry paste, which becomes even more fragrant as you warm it on the stove. Once the boneless chicken thighs and eggplant hit the pan, the cook time is minimal. Served with jasmine rice, it’s an ideal weeknight meal.
Jonathan Lovekin19/47Fried Chicken Sandwich With Spicy Mayonnaise
This is the ultimate fried chicken sandwich. Juicy fried chicken topped with kimchi, crunchy iceberg lettuce, and mayo mixed with chili crisp and honey.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Pearl Jones20/47Buckwheat Crepes With Spiced-Chicken Filling
Photo by Christopher Testani21/47Instant Pot Lemon Chicken With Garlic and Olives
Use the Instant Pot’s sauté function to brown chicken thighs, then let cook through in briny, lemony, garlicky stock. The resulting garlic chicken is ready in 45 minutes.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell23/47Crispy Chicken Thighs With Spring Vegetables
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton24/47Crispy Chicken and Potatoes With Cabbage Slaw
A zippy, jalapeño-spiked slaw balances these cumin-spiced chicken thighs and roasted potatoes. Looking for more slaw recipes? We’ve got ’em.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food and prop styling by Ali Nardi25/47Garlic-Curry Chicken Thighs With Yogurt Sauce
Deploy yogurt two ways in this simple chicken dish: First as a tenderizing marinade, then mixed with the pan juices to make a rich, creamy sauce for serving.
Photo by James Ransom27/47Chicken Spiedies (Marinated Chicken on a Bun)
For this juicy grilled chicken hero, you’ll marinate bite-size pieces of meat in, essentially, Italian dressing (with a bit of freshness from mint, dill, and cardamom).
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou28/47Chicken and Rice With Leeks and Salsa Verde
Photo by Betty Liu29/47Bean Sprout Stir-Fry With Chicken and Garlic Chives
The best chicken thigh recipes are often the speediest. This stir-fry is ready in under 15 minutes; a final drizzle of sesame oil adds a nutty, toasty note.
31/47Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers
A tangy buttermilk marinade and a smoked-paprika-spiked breading give these chicken fingers major flavor. Be sure to plan ahead—they taste best when marinated a full 24 hours. If you really want to go all out, pair with air fryer potato wedges.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens34/47Hanukkah Chicken
Hanukkah is in the name, but you can pull off this special chicken and potato dinner any time of year.
Photo by Shea Evans35/47Instant-Pot Red Chicken Enchiladas
A homemade ancho chile sauce, balanced with sugar and apple cider vinegar, brings complex flavor to these pressure cooker enchiladas. How about paletas for dessert?
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton36/47"Nextover" Chicken Tacos With Quick Refried Beans
Make the chicken ahead of time, then rewarm it in tangy tomatillo salsa and top with a bright cabbage slaw. Round out your meal with a pot of black beans.
Photo by JP Bevins, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone37/47Slow-Cooker Green Chicken Chili
With sweet potatoes, tomatillo salsa, and pinto beans, this recipe is a cross between chile verde and white chicken chili.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell38/47Crispy Pan-Seared Chicken and Zucchini with Olives and Lemon
This recipe will amaze the zucchini-averse (and anyone who thinks they’ve had zukes every which way). A hard sear in the fat rendered from the chicken thighs keeps the veg crisp-tender.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi39/47Sheet-Pan Cumin Chicken Thighs With Squash, Fennel, and Grapes
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks42/47Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili
To minimize dinner prep time, toss chicken thighs, green chiles, white beans, and spices into your slow cooker. Come home to a hearty, flavorful meal.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Molly Baz43/473-Ingredient Pesto Fried Chicken
This recipe takes a minimalist approach to chicken cutlets. Serve with snappy green beans on the side.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege44/47Soy-Glazed Chicken With Broccoli
Looking to add to your roster of weeknight-friendly dinners? This recipe with chicken thighs in a sweet, gingery soy braise requires minimal effort.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone45/47Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Pita With Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Molly Baz47/47Chicken Teriyaki
Wondering what to make with chicken thighs that’ll satisfy your craving for takeout? Consider this speedy teriyaki-glazed chicken served with a bright, refreshing radish salad.
