Best 20 Chicken Thighs Recipes

AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and brush the skin-side of each piece with olive oil. Place chicken thighs, skin-side down, in a single layer on a plate.
• Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl and sprinkle half the seasoning mixture evenly over the 4 chicken thighs. Turn thighs over and evenly sprinkle remaining seasoning mixture on top. Place chicken thighs in the air fryer basket in a single layer, skin-side up.
• Fry in the preheated air fryer until chicken is brown and juices run clear, about 18 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

EASY ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a bowl, toss chicken with oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper and marinate 1 hour (or up to a day).
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roast chicken, skin-side down, in an oiled roasting pan, 20 to 25 minutes; flip and roast 10 more minutes.
• Stir together mustard and honey and season with salt and pepper. Brush glaze onto chicken and broil 5 minutes.

HONEY-GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Season chicken with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the centers should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Drain most of the excess grease from the pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons behind.
• Arrange chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan. Place crushed garlic between the chicken and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add honey, water, vinegar, and soy sauce. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until sauce reduces down and thickens slightly, 3 to 4 minutes.

OVEN-"FRIED" CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
• Combine flour, 1 pinch cayenne, 1 pinch garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
• Whisk eggs in a second bowl.
• Combine panko bread crumbs with 1 pinch cayenne, 1 pinch garlic powder, salt, and pepper in another shallow bowl.
• Dip chicken thighs into the flour mixture, followed by beaten eggs, and then into the panko mixture. Transfer to the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until coating is golden and chicken thighs are no longer pink in the centers, about 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

EMERIL'S BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Season the chicken all over with the Essence and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Place the 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl, and quickly dredge both sides of each thigh in the flour, shaking to remove any excess. Set aside.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch flameproof casserole or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, and when it has melted, place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan. Brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, and when it has melted, add the onions, garlic, thyme bundle or rosemary sprigs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon then whisk in the chicken stock and increase the heat to high. Return the chicken, skin side down, to the pan, and bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a heavy, tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Uncover the pan, stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching, and turn the chicken skin side up. Cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes longer.
• Stir the bottom of the pan a final time, re-cover, and simmer for 20 more minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and discard the herb bundle or rosemary sprigs. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Add the parsley to the sauce, stir to combine, and then spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve with steamed white rice.

ASIAN GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Whisk the vinegar, honey, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, garlic, and salt in a bowl until smooth. Pour half the marinade into a large plastic zipper bag; retain the other half of the sauce. Place the chicken thighs into the bag containing marinade, squeeze all the air out of the bag, and seal. Shake a few times to coat chicken; refrigerate for 1 hour, turning bag once or twice.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Pour the other half of the marinade into a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, to thicken sauce. Remove the chicken from the bag; discard used marinade. Place chicken thighs into a 9x13-inch baking dish, and brush with 1/3 of the thickened marinade from the saucepan.
• Bake 30 minutes, basting one more time after 10 minutes; an instant-read thermometer inserted into a chicken thigh should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Let stand for 5 or 10 minutes; meanwhile, bring remaining marinade back to a boil for 1 or 2 minutes, and serve chicken with marinade. Sprinkle with green onions.

CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Set a wire rack inside a broiler pan or baking pan.
• Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Lift up skin gently; sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder under the skin. Replace skin. Season skin and underside of the thighs with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Arrange on the rack.
• Roast in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Continue roasting until juices run clear, about 30 minutes more. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH LEMON, THYME AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Pat chicken thighs dry and place, skin side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in refrigerator, uncovered, for 8 hours or overnight to dry skin. Remove chicken from refrigerator at least 45 minutes before cooking.
• Heat oven to 500 degrees. Spread onion slices and garlic cloves in a baking dish that can hold the chicken snugly in a single layer. Scatter lemon on the onion-garlic mixture and strew with thyme and rosemary sprigs.
• Remove chicken from baking sheet and place on several layers of paper towels, skin side down. Sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Turn thighs over and season with remaining salt and pepper. Transfer to the baking dish skin side up. Use your hands to arrange the bed of onions and garlic so they're completely under the chicken.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife point. If skin is not a deep golden brown and crispy, turn on broiler and broil chicken close to heat a few minutes to crisp and brown it.
• To serve, move chicken off the bed of onions, garlic, lemon and herbs. Discard lemon and spoon the rest of the ingredients, along with pan juices, onto a serving platter. Place chicken on top and serve.

BAKED LEMON-BUTTER CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place 3 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in a microwave oven until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Smash garlic cloves with the side of a chef's knife and add garlic to the warm butter. Stir in lemon juice and onion powder. Set aside.
• Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium-sized oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken, skin-side down, for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip chicken over and brush skin with lemon-butter mixture. Pour remaining butter mixture into skillet and remove from heat.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Brush skin every 10 minutes with pan juices.
• Remove skillet from the oven and place chicken on a serving platter. Drizzle chicken with pan juices and garnish with parsley.

BAKED MAPLE CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Whisk maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar together in a bowl. Pour over chicken thighs in a bowl and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Place chicken in the prepared casserole dish and pour remaining marinade on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Flip chicken and continue baking until juices run clear and sauce is thick, about 25 minutes more. Serve with sauce over chicken.

BBQ CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
• Whisk together ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and water. Reserve 1/3 cup and set aside.
• Combine ketchup mixture and chicken in a gallon-size slider bag or large bowl; refrigerate and marinate for at least 1 hour to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade; discard marinade.
• Make drainage holes in a sheet of Reynolds Wrap® Non-Stick Foil with a grilling fork. Place foil sheet on grill grate with non-stick (dull) side facing up. Immediately place chicken on foil.
• Add chicken to grill and cook, flipping once and basting with reserved 1/3 cup marinade until cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes on each side.
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

AIR-FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat air-fryer to 375°. Brush chicken with oil. Combine remaining ingredients; sprinkle over chicken. Place chicken, skin side up, in a single layer on tray in air-fryer basket. Cook until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170°-175°, 15-17 minutes.

GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BLACKBERRY BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the coriander, paprika and salt. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, season on both sides with the spice mixture and place in a gallon-size zip-top bag. Refrigerate for several hours but preferably overnight.
• Prepare and preheat your lump charcoal grill to create two heat zones: high and low.
• Brush the chicken thighs with olive oil and place them skin-side down on the hot side of the grill. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and move the chicken to the low side of the grill, skin-side up. Cover and cook until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour half the Blackberry BBQ Sauce into a medium bowl and use it to baste the chicken occasionally during the final 10 minutes of cooking.
• Remove the chicken from the grill. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.
• In a large saucepan, combine the blackberries, beer, vinegars, sugar, onion, garlic, habanero, chipotle powder, coffee, coriander and cumin. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. Carefully puree the sauce in a blender or food processor, then strain.

LEMON AND HERB MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and zest, chopped herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Whisk to combine.
• Place the chicken thighs in a wide flat dish so they are in a single layer. Add the herb mixture. Massage the thighs to coat with the herb mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Note: If doing a quick marinade, leave the chicken out of the fridge for up to 1 hour.
• Preheat grill. Brush and oil the grill to clean.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush off any excess herbs and oil. Season the chicken generously with salt and drizzle with a little bit of fresh olive oil.
• Cut the 2 whole lemons in half and cut the tips off the ends; this will allow the lemons to stand up without rolling around. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the preheated grill. Place the lemons, flesh side down, on the preheated grill. Grill the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes and then rotate the chicken 90 degrees to create the lovely crosshatch pattern. Grill the chicken for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. Check for doneness (the chicken should be well cooked). Check the lemon halves to see if they are beautifully caramelized. Turn over to grill on the bottom for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the chicken with grilled lemon.
• Call yourself a superstar!
• March - Why We Love: Lemons

HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine Dijon mustard, grainy mustard, honey, soy sauce, tarragon, and ginger in a large bowl. Rinse chicken thighs under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Add chicken thighs to the bowl and toss to coat. Transfer to a baking pan and spoon sauce over the thighs.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Spoon sauce over chicken thighs and serve.

ASIAN CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook until golden brown, 8-10 minutes on each side. In a small bowl, whisk water, brown sugar, orange juice, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, pepper flakes and five-spice powder. Pour over chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until chicken is tender, 30-35 minutes, turning chicken occasionally., In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions. If desired, serve with rice. Freeze option: Cool chicken. Freeze in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat slowly in a covered skillet until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary.

CRISPY PANKO CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking pan with aluminum foil; coat with cooking spray.
• Combine mayonnaise and paprika in a bowl; mix well.
• Mix panko and garlic powder together in another bowl.
• Spread mayonnaise-paprika mixture on each chicken thigh; press into panko mixture to coat. Place in the prepared baking pan; spritz thighs with cooking spray.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

CURRIED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Heat oil in large skillet and stir in butter to melt. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Cook thighs skin side down until golden brown. Flip chicken and continue to cook until golden brown. Remove chicken to a plate.
• Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in curry, cayenne, cinnamon and cumin and cook until aromas are released. Stir in carrots and toss to coat. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
• Place chicken thighs back into skillet and stir in broccoli. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes to cook chicken.
• Stir in cream and peas. Season to taste. Serve with basmati rice.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Let come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine chicken broth, paprika, cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons lemon zest in a bowl.
• Heat oils in a cast iron skillet until they begin to smoke. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook for 4 minutes. Flip thighs and continue cooking until skin is crispy, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Saute onion in the skillet until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour chicken broth mixture carefully over onion; scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
• Return chicken thighs to the skillet. Spoon some of the liquid over the thighs.
• Transfer skillet to the preheated oven; bake until chicken thighs are no longer pink in the center, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Add olives to the skillet. Drizzle lemon juice over the thighs and garnish the whole dish with parsley.

EASY IDIOT PROOF CRISPY CONVECTION CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Honestly the above ingredient list is all approximate guesses. I just dumped stuff into the ziplock bag until it looked like seasoned flour.
• Take all ingredients above (except for chicken thighs) and dump into a gallon size resealable bag.
• close bag, shake to mix well.
• preheat your convection oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Rinse and pat dry your chicken pieces.
• Then take chicken pieces (I did three at a time) and drop into your bag of homemade 'shake 'n bake and shake to coat evenly.
• lightly oil your broiling pan and then place chicken pieces with space around each one. I personally cooked 6 and then the remaining 4- because that's how much space I had in my broiling pan.
• place in convection oven set on BAKE (with convection on) at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes.
• Enjoy!