These 69 Chicken Thigh Recipes Have Us Switching To The Dark Side
Fair warning: You may never go back to chicken breasts!
We could never give up our fave weeknight dinner workhorse—boneless, skinless chicken breasts—but sometimes, we just gotta have chicken thighs. The reason? Chicken thighs have just a little more fat, and as we all know, fat = flavor. Plus, is there anything more delicious than crispy chicken skin? If you're looking for a no-fail weeknight dinner, trust us on this one: Swapping chicken thighs in lieu of chicken breasts is the surefire way to guarantee a winner of a chicken dinner. Pinky promise, you won't be disappointed.
New to chicken thighs? Well, they're about to be on your dinner menu all year round. Perfect for summer recipes to eat in the sun (like our garlicky Greek chicken, our spicy coconut grilled chicken, or our Peruvian-style chicken with green sauce), AND rich enough for cozy soups and curries (like our one-pot Greek chicken chili, our cider glazed chicken thighs, or our hot honey chicken & Brussels) to settle into when the cold weather comes in, chicken thighs make pretty much everything better. Unsure of how to cook chicken thighs? No stress! They're essentially impossible to mess up. Even if you're working with skinless, boneless thighs, the slight fattiness of thighs makes bland, dry chicken a thing of the past. Add a bomb chicken marinade, and you're basically halfway to FlavorTown.
The best part about many of these recipes? They couldn't be faster or easier! From slow-cooker life-savers to air-fryer dreams to sheet-pan heroes, these recipes will save you time AND cleanup on those busy weeknights, without the babysitting often required by persnickety chicken recipes. While many of these skillet dishes are complete all on their own (dinner and sides in one!), these recipes also go perfectly with a variety of easy vegetable sides or fluffy rice to sop up all of the irresistible sauces.
Chicken & Broccoli
This fast and easy one-pot chicken and broccoli recipe is coated in a sweet and savory sauce with plenty of ginger and garlic for a weeknight dinner that beats take-out. This dish comes together in 20 minutes with minimal prep work too. Win win!
Get the Chicken & Broccoli recipe.
Butter Chicken
This chicken dinner uses deeply flavored chicken thighs, simmered in an ultra-silky and aromatic sauce of tomatoes, cream, and cashews. The cashews lend a buttery nuttiness and great texture to the sauce in this recipe, but blanched almonds would also work well. For the ultimate weeknight dinner, spoon this dish over steamed rice or serve with warm naan.
Get the Butter Chicken recipe.
BBQ Sheet-Pan Chicken
BBQ sauce and chicken are an undeniable classic combo that hits the mark every single time. No matter the season, BBQ chicken is a clear #winner winner chicken dinner. Here’s how we put together an easy sheet-pan dinner with juicy chicken, loads of sweet–smoky flavor, and plenty of vegetables to complete the meal.
Get the BBQ Sheet-Pan Chicken recipe.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is one of the world’s most beloved comfort foods, and we definitely took that to heart when creating this recipe. Chunks of juicy chicken mingle with carrots, celery, and tender egg noodles in a deep, savory broth for a soup that will transport you right back to Grandma’s table after just one spoonful.
Get the Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.
Chicken Scarpariello
Chicken scarpariello packs a real punch of flavor without much effort. The dish is made of braised chicken thighs and hot (or sweet!) sausage swimming in a vinegary, kind of spicy broth. Serve it over rice or alongside some roasted potatoes and sit down to your favorite meal.
Get the Chicken Scarpariello recipe.
One-Pot Greek Chicken Chili
Featuring tender pieces of dark meat chicken, creamy white beans, and tender veggies, this cozy Greek-inspired chili is the perfect filling-but-not-too-heavy dinner for those rainy April nights. Flavored with a bouquet of hearty herbs, this stew is easy to throw together in one pot for minimal mess and maximum flavor.
Get the One-Pot Greek Chicken Chili recipe.
Coq Au Vin
Coq au vin (or rooster with wine) is a classic French dish that isn't as complicated as it sounds. In it, chicken is braised in a silky wine sauce and finished off with butter for the most perfect sauce. Use a nice red wine here—even better if it's from Burgundy!
Get the Classic Coq Au Vin recipe.
Chicken Dijon
In the vein of chicken scallopini and our fan fave one-pan chicken & gnocchi, this dish is an ultra-creamy affair with simple seasoning, best if served over cooked rice, angel hair pasta, or crusty sourdough bread so that you have something to soak up every last bit of deliciousness.
Get the Chicken Dijon recipe.
Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
We love when a dish’s prep is simple and fast; this sheet-pan chicken recipe is the perfect example. If you roast the sweet potatoes as indicated, your gift = creamy centers and crispy edges, enhanced by jammy red onions. Using bone-in thighs guarantees super-tender chicken too!
This easy casserole is a fun take on the classic spanakopita. It has a creamy chicken filling with a lot of spinach and feta to make it more dinner-like for those that love the essential Greek dish.
Chicken & Dumplings
This easy recipe is perfect on a cold night when you just need a bowl of creamy comfort food, but it's also simple enough to make when you don't feel like making anything. If you want an even easier route, we have a great slow-cooker chicken & dumplings too!
Get the Chicken & Dumplings recipe.
Brown Stew Chicken
Brown stew chicken might seem like a snooze of a name for a recipe, but don’t be fooled—Jamaica’s signature marvel of a dish offers a galaxy of flavors that explains its massive fan base on the island and among the country’s expats.
Get the Brown Stew Chicken recipe.
Cacio E Pepe Chicken
A popular pasta dish from Rome, the name literally translates to cheese and pepper. We thought that pasta shouldn’t have all the fun, so why not chicken-fy it?!
Get the Cacio E Pepe Chicken recipe.
Red Curry Chicken Thighs & Rice
Aside from the garam masala here, this dish gets most of its flavor from a Thai-style curry paste that’s spiked with extra ginger, garlic, and lemongrass, then mellowed out with tomato sauce, brown sugar, and coconut milk to create a well-rounded sauce that’s perfect for spooning over fluffy rice.
Chicken Shawarma Bowls
Meal prepping doesn’t need to be complicated, and these chicken shawarma bowls prove that. The longest step in the recipe is to let the chicken marinate, which allows you time to cut all your veggies. Win!
Get the Chicken Shawarma Bowls recipe.
Greek Lemon-Butter Chicken & Smashed Potatoes
Smashed potatoes and an herby feta and olive topping lend an exciting spin to beloved lemon-butter chicken. In this recipe, an extra-crispy texture on the potatoes and a briny herbal finish (thanks olives!) amplifies all the classic flavors without taking away from the goodness of the original recipe.
Get the Greek Lemon-Butter Chicken & Smashed Potatoes recipe.
Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers)
Yakitori (Japanese for "grilled chicken") is one of the oldest and most popular traditional Japanese dishes. Though you'll often find it served from flat tops by street vendors, yakitori is actually pretty easy to make at home too.
Cider Glazed Chicken Thighs
Don't let chicken breasts have all the fun! Chicken thighs are super flavorful, easy to cook, and SO delicious with sweet potatoes and apples. Try it for dinner any night this fall.
Get the Apple Cider Glazed Chicken recipe.
Tequila-Lime Chicken Thighs
We can’t think of a better reason to enjoy a margarita than with these tequila chicken thighs. With a sauce inspired by the classic cocktail (seriously), you’ll also have the ingredients on hand to mix one up while you cook and dine on this easy-to-make weeknight dinner.
Get the Tequila-Lime Chicken Thighs recipe.
Za'atar Sheet-Pan Chicken
We’ve made a lot of great sheet-pan dinners, but this za’atar chicken recipe is a new favorite. Bone-in chicken thighs, baby potatoes, broccoli, and red onion are all tossed in a simple za’atar marinade, roasted to crispy, schmaltzy perfection, then topped with creamy tahini sauce to finish it off.
Get the Za'atar Sheet-Pan Chicken recipe.
