64 Chicken Thigh Recipes You’ll Make All the Time

Consider this collection of 64 chicken thigh recipes our ode to the dinner hero that is the chicken thigh, that chameleon of a cut that excels whether baked, grilled, air-fried, braised, cooked in a skillet, roasted on a sheet pan or tossed in a slow-cooker. Chicken thighs truly stand up to (and thrive) under almost any circumstances. Whether you prefer bone-in, skin-on or boneless, skinless, you’ll find plenty of options here from Food Network stars and our test kitchen chefs alike.

Why choose bone-in, skin-on? This might be the most forgiving meat, yielding consistently juicy, deeply flavored results (and the promise of crispy skin, hello). Why choose boneless? No part of the chicken cooks faster, so they save the day again and again for weeknight meals. In other words, there’s no wrong choice when it comes to an easy chicken thigh dinner, only myriad options.

We’ll show you how the humble thigh can adapt to cuisines, from shawarma to adobo, teriyaki to American comfort classics like crispy oven-baked, barbecue-glazed or chicken and rice — making it the ideal choice for every cook.

Practical info: Chicken thighs typically cost less than chicken breasts (winning!) and are more forgiving to cook, since they’re less likely to dry out if you miss the doneness mark. Remember that chicken will be cooked through when it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (and if it does have a bone, make sure the thermometer doesn’t touch bone when you measure). Don’t know where to start? How about this recipe? A dry brine combined with slow roasting keeps the meat juicy while a quick flash under the broiler at the end of the cooking process renders the skin crisp and golden.

An air fryer practically guarantees crispy, juicy chicken thighs. Seasoned simply with lemon zest, salt and pepper, they make a satisfying meal with an Italian-inspired salsa verde and bright kale salad (that's easy to make ahead). Air fried panko is the final crunchy touch.

The stovetop-to-oven cast-iron skillet technique in this recipe is our go-to for achieving crispy, juicy chicken thighs. If you’re tight on time, the chicken is delicious without the butter sauce (simply plate the thighs straight out of the oven). But to truly impart restaurant-worthy flavor, try your hand at the classic white wine and butter sauce known as beurre blanc in French. The recipe makes a plentiful amount of sauce; nestle the chicken into some of it, then spoon more over every other component of your dinner.

Apple cider and apples give this braised chicken dish a decidedly fall feel, although we'd happily eat this chicken dinner any night of the year! Leeks, thyme and white wine help build the sauce, while the chicken thighs stay juicy as they finish in the oven.

These chicken thighs are flavored with 4 simple ingredients — and they end up juicy and flavorful every time. A marinade of Dijon mustard, tamari, honey and ground ginger does most of the work before the chicken roasts in the oven.

Juicy, tender dark-meat chicken with the crispiest skin in less than twenty minutes—who could ask for anything more? Serve these lightly seasoned chicken thighs as is, or toss them while still hot with your favorite barbecue or Buffalo sauce to give this quick and easy anytime meal an extra kick.

This Caribbean classic is famous for its signature blend of aromatic herbs and spices. Ingredients for it vary from family to family but the stew typically involves marinating chicken pieces in spices and vegetables, then pan-searing it and stewing it in water or broth until it’s falling-off-the-bone tender. Depth of flavor and a touch of sweetness comes from molasses, brown sugar or browning sauce; in this version recipe developer Gabi Odebode uses all three to help build the complexity of the dark brown gravy that’s a hallmark of the dish. Although the stew is often made with bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces we opted for just flavorful chicken thighs with the skin removed: They brown evenly and quickly in the pan and cook up particularly juicy for an unforgettable dish.

This classic dinner party dish is made from start to finish in the multi-cooker. Briny capers and olives marry with dried apricots and a touch of brown sugar for the perfect blend of sweet and savory.

This dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner when you are craving spicy fried chicken but are short on time to whip something up. To keep this recipe quick, we pan-seared marinated chicken strips and topped them with crispy chive-studded panko to mimic a crunchy fried coating. The caramelized shaved Brussels sprouts are a savory match. It all comes together in one skillet and in less than 30 minutes.

Packed tightly into a standard loaf pan, marinated boneless chicken thighs melt together into a juicy, sliceable slab. It's perfect for piling onto a grain bowl, stuffing into wraps or eating straight off the cutting board.

Saucy, flavorful chicken is perfect for entertaining, since you can cook it ahead and reheat it when it's time to serve. Tomatoes, peppers, capers and fresh herbs give the dish plenty of color and brightness.

With Aarti Sequeira’s genius recipe, you can get wonderfully charred, roasted chicken without a tandoor. The secret is your broiler, which gives the yogurt-marinated chicken that golden, slightly charred finish.

When the Food Network test kitchen set out to create our go-to chicken and rice recipe, we wanted it to be quick enough for busy cooks to tackle on a weeknight without sacrificing flavor. This comforting version has all the savoriness of long-simmered chicken rice recipes but is on the table in less than hour. Our favorite part? Everything is prepared in exactly one pan, so clean-up couldn’t be easier.

Soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger (along with the natural juices of the chicken) become irresistible sauce to serve over chicken thighs and rice. If you like a thicker sauce, simply add cornstarch at the end and cook a little longer.

Bone-in chicken thighs and a hearty diced russet potato are ideal for soaking up this peppery sauce. Aida Mollenkamp builds the flavor with smoked paprika, onions and chicken broth, then lets everything braise until the chicken is tender.

This dish is beloved for a reason — it's warm, comforting and flavorful. And since there's no need to marinate the chicken first, it's perfect for a last-minute dinner.

Michael uses an overnight dry rub to infuse chicken thighs with tons of flavor and a charcoal grill ensures they come out with crispy skin and smoky flavor. Use the best of summer berries as the base for a tangy BBQ sauce for drizzling over the top.

This balanced sweet, spicy and slightly sour curry has a disputed origin. Most believe that its roots are in Thailand, with an influence of Muslim flavors and ingredients. It's a rich and complex curry where every ingredient plays its part and no one flavor dominates. Don't be afraid of the deep red slick of spiced oil that settles on top-that means you did it right!

The delicious soy-and-vinegar braise known as adobo is unofficially the national dish of the Philippines and beloved around the world. This version is made with skinless chicken thighs, a popular protein, although other chicken cuts as well as pork, beef, seafood and even vegetables can star. Adobo is famous for its bold combination of salt and acid, and many versions (like this one) also add a sweet component along with classic aromatics like garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. A big part of the dish’s popularity is its simplicity and how easy it is to customize to individual tastes, although one thing that’s almost universal is serving it with steamed rice to soak up the dish’s irresistible sauce.

We think this is a truly amazing and delicious version of the classic Indian layered rice dish. Our method is close to the traditional way, except we finish ours in the oven rather than on the stovetop. This ensures even heating, which acts as an insurance policy against burning. Save the leftover onion oil – it's very fragrant and flavorful and can be used in other sauces.

Whip up this easy dish for a cozy night in. It's so hearty, you might need a nap after. And, don’t be afraid to make a big batch — it makes great leftovers the next day!

Get all the flavors of this Japanese American favorite right in your own kitchen. Ellie Krieger marinates chicken thighs in soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes before broiling them and finishing with sesame seeds.

Sunny browns chicken in a pot to add intense savory flavor before transforming it into a warming soup with potatoes, corn and cream. It's the perfect shareable meal for a cold evening at home.

These skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are seasoned with a homemade spice blend and then cooked entirely on your stovetop in a grill pan. The results? Plump, juicy meat and skin so crispy it will crack under your knife — use a sharp one!

Using a rice cooker is the key to getting the famously deep, savory flavor of Hainanese chicken without having to poach a whole bird. This delicious chicken-and-rice dish is named for Hainan, China’s southernmost province, but is popular throughout Asia and especially in Singapore, where it’s considered the national dish. We've streamlined it to make it perfect for weeknight meals. Skinless, boneless thighs are seared along with aromatics and jasmine rice, then everything is transferred to a rice cooker to cook together, infusing every bite with flavor. While the rice cooks, make the dish’s signature scallion-ginger sauce and seasoned soy sauce to spoon over the finished dish. A garnish of refreshing cucumber slices completes the meal.

In a sheet pan meal, everything cooks together on one baking sheet, making prep and cleanup a breeze. We chose chicken thighs because they're flavorful and juicy. The cauliflower, a keto-friendly vegetable, gets loaded with cheese, sour cream and bacon — a nod to a classic baked potato.

Grapes may seem like an unlikely addition here, but the sweet fruit works surprisingly well with meaty chicken thighs, briny capers and olives. The result hits that salty-sweet note that makes the whole dish feel a little more special.

Don’t let your pan drippings go to waste! Ina whips up a rich and creamy mustard sauce by combining white wine, mustard and crème fraiche with the juices rendered from the cooked chicken thighs.

Buttery egg noodles are topped with juicy browned chicken thighs and a medley of sauteed vegetables in Ree Drummond’s classic chicken cacciatore recipe. Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and white wine give the sauce plenty to cling to.

Move over beef — chicken is in the house. This great weeknight meal takes less than 15 minutes to prep, then the slow cooker does the rest.

Cooking for a crowd? Valerie Bertinelli’s five-star chicken dish, flavored with sweet apricot jam and spicy Fresno chile, offers something for everyone. The sauce brings a little heat, a little sweetness and plenty of reason to go back for another piece.

Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts is a smart way to make sure the meat stays moist and flavorful. And we love the way grape tomatoes soften under the heat of the broiler, adding more juicy goodness to the chicken. Lots of lemon, plus dill and oregano, give the dish a Greek feel.

Thanks to the turmeric, Trisha’s hearty dish is bursting with both flavor and color. She cooks carrots and cauliflower in the same pot, which cuts down on both cook time and cleanup.

This savory braised chicken dish doesn't hold back on flavor. It calls for brown ale, dark brown sugar and thick-cut bacon. Make a big pot; it makes great leftovers!

Bobby's jerk rub is full of spices and gets a little heat from cayenne pepper. His sweet-and-spicy mango-habanero sauce adds a refreshing zip.

Dress up chicken thighs by turning them into a deliciously pecan-crusted cutlet. Katie chops the nuts by hand so they have just the right consistency, giving every bit the perfect amount of crunch.

The chefs in Food Network Kitchen reimagined this comforting weeknight meal by using juicy chicken thighs in place of traditional beef. Mushrooms, egg noodles, sour cream, paprika and Worcestershire sauce still keep it firmly in stroganoff territory.

You can’t go wrong with Ree’s one-pot wonder. She simmers chicken thighs, butternut squash and onions in a sweet and spicy sauce, then wilts in shredded kale just before serving.

If you’ve been to New York City, you’ve definitely come across food carts selling “chicken over rice.” These food carts, also known as halal carts, were originally run by Egyptian immigrants, and their food quickly became a New York classic. The term halal refers to the methods used to prepare the meat in accordance with Islamic law. The chicken is marinated in a combination of spices and olive oil, then seared in a cast-iron skillet until golden and crispy on all sides. Paired with yellow rice, salad and the famous white sauce, this is street food at its finest.

Top roasted chicken thighs with a spicy coconut pan sauce and serve them with black beans tossed with mango, onion and cilantro. The chicken brings the crispiness, while the salad adds sweetness, freshness and a little color to the plate.

For this sweet marinade, look no further than your pantry! Essentials like honey, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic are all you need to give your chicken thighs great flavor.

Put your cast iron skillet to work with Valerie’s fan-favorite recipe. She recommends cooking the chicken thighs over medium-high heat until the skin gets crispy, then roasting in the oven until the chicken is cooked and deliciously juicy.

Save yourself some time on dinner prep and marinate your chicken in a blend of garlic, ginger, soy sauce and orange juice the night before. By the time you’re ready to cook, the chicken has already soaked up all that savory-sweet flavor.

This recipe is for the ultimate garlic lover. Chicken thighs are braised until tender in a rich, roasted garlic sauce, then topped with fried garlic chips. There's even enough roasted garlic paste to whip up a loaf of garlic bread while the chicken cooks.

Bring the sweet and the heat with this simple dish. Mango nectar and jerk seasoning work together to give chicken thighs some Caribbean-inspired flair — in under an hour!

Sweet citrus and tangy, grainy mustard work together to create the perfect flavor for juicy chicken thighs. Cook on a preheated sheet pan (along with veggies) for a complete meal in just 40 minutes.

Ellie proves that white meat isn't the only good-for-you part of the chicken. She uses bone-in chicken thighs with the skin removed and brushes the meat with a tangy low-fat glaze before baking.