14 Best Boneless Chicken Thigh Recipes - Easy Chicken Dinner Ideas! (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay cook boneless chicken thighs? ›

The best side dishes to serve with chicken thighs are green beans, French fries, Spanish rice, carrots and potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, onion rings, cannellini beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, couscous salad, buttermilk biscuits, creamed spinach, quinoa, roasted beet salad, cornbread, and grilled zucchini.

Spices like smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and thyme will make the most flavorful spice rub for your chicken, so make sure to always have your pantry stocked with some spices. Preheat a cast iron or non-stick pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes with 1 tablespoon of oil.

One chicken thigh will yield about 3 ounces of meat (without skin or bone), so for big meat eaters, count on two thighs per person. For kids and lighter eaters, one chicken thigh per person should be enough.

Cut each chicken thigh into three strips and place in a bowl. Rub the meat all over with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, then toss. Heat a large frying pan, big enough to hold all the chicken pieces snugly in one layer, and put the chicken into the pan, skin side down.

I am a huge fan of boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they're inexpensive, tasty, and easy to cook. In fact, I find it difficult to mess up chicken thighs. They are just dark enough to stay tender, but not so dark as to put off people who prefer white meat.

Way More Flavorful

Chicken thighs are a fattier cut of meat, which means they're going to have more intense, rich flavor than their white meat counterparts.

Parts like chicken wings, thighs, and drumsticks are very high in calories and fat, thus, making them a not-so-good option for weight loss. Apart from this, make sure that the chicken that you are eating is not deep fried or loaded with sauces, as this increases the calorie count.

First, hold on to the bone that protrudes out from the triangular-shaped meat. Second, twist and pull upwards to remove the thigh bone. The remaining meat can then be eaten as a whole.

Low and slow cooking methods like braising, stewing, or smoking are most effective when trying to create tender, succulent chicken.

How do you cook chicken thighs so they are not tough? ›

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 180-190 degrees. Note: chicken thighs only need to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, but they're much more tender when they're cooked to a higher internal temperature.

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

The size can vary dramatically, so for menu planning purposes, plan about 1/2 lb of chicken per person. Depending on the size and menu, a serving would typically be one or two chicken thighs per person.

The Bottom Line. If you are on team dark meat and prefer the taste of juicy chicken thighs to that of leaner chicken breast, feel free to enjoy it. Between their protein and the boatload of nutrients that they provide, including chicken thighs in an overall healthy diet is A-OK.

Pre-packaged chicken thighs can vary in size, so instead of going by number of pieces, portion the meat based on weight. As a rule of thumb, for a main course, plan on about 1/2 pound of boneless chicken thighs per person, or 3/4 to one pound of bone-in chicken thighs per person.

In our basic meal prep boneless chicken thighs recipe, they take about 25 to 30 minutes baked at 425 degrees F. You'll know the chicken thighs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

If you're short on time and looking for a healthier option, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the way to go. If you're looking for a richer flavor and don't mind the extra work, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are the perfect choice.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs cook quickly, in 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size. Bone-in thighs, however, take a bit more time, between 25 and 30 minutes. Use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the thighs. They're finished cooking when the temperature reads 165°F.