57 Healthy Chicken Thigh Recipes - Cooking Light

Gina DeSimone

Skinless, boneless chicken thighs are meatier, quicker to cook, and surprisingly healthier than you might think. They're also budget friendly for cooks with an eye on their wallet. Looking to spice it up and swap out boneless and skinless chicken breasts? Chicken thighs are the most delicious alternative. Marinate them so they can soak up flavor, grill for a smoky crispness, or coat in crumbs and pan fry for a lighter "fried" chicken. Find a variety of recipes that bring new flavor to classic chicken thighs.

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One-Pan Crispy Chicken Thighs With Potatoes and Chard

Kelsey Hansen

View Recipe: One-Pan Crispy Chicken Thighs With Potatoes and Chard

One-skillet dinners like this one make weeknight cooking a breeze—and since it comes together in 30 minutes, you spend less time cooking and more enjoying the meal. Starting the chicken in a cold skillet renders flavorful fat that crisps up the chicken and potatoes to golden perfection. Use a cast-iron skillet; its even heat distribution delivers delicious results.

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Quick BBQ Chicken Thighs With Mashed Potatoes

Photo: Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Quick BBQ Chicken Thighs With Mashed Potatoes

We speed up this cookout classic by using boneless thighs and a hot grill pan. A homemade barbecue sauce comes together surprisingly quickly and is a great way to control sodium and added sugar.

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Grilled Red Curry Chicken and Bell Peppers

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Grilled Red Curry Chicken and Bell Peppers

We use a combination of peppers for different flavor notes—mini bell peppers for sweetness and Fresnos for moderate spice. Fresnos look like red jalapeños but are less spicy; use the latter if you want more heat.

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Chicken Thighs With Harissa Vegetables

Photo: Victor Protasio

View Recipe: Chicken Thighs With Harissa Vegetables

Home cooks often complain that their slow cooker meals always end up as soup, and they wonder where all the liquid comes from. Anything you put in the slow cooker will release liquid as it cooks, and there's no way for that liquid to evaporate. If you're not careful, you will indeed end up with soup. Sometimes, it's best to add no liquid to the cooker.

Here, we toss onion wedges, baby potatoes, and large carrot chunks with oil and harissa (look for it with the hot sauces or in the global foods section). We then arrange seared chicken thighs on top and cook the mixture with no liquid added. Over the long cooking period, the chicken releases juices that baste the veggies underneath and create just enough sauce.

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Skillet Apple Chicken Thighs

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Skillet Apple Chicken Thighs

When you're craving fall comforts, cook up this quick and easy weeknight dinner. This dish is perfect for easing into fall and comes together in one pan to boot.

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Roast Chicken With Lentils and Yogurt

Victor Protasio

Get Recipe: Roast Chicken With Lentils and Yogurt

Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs take a while to cook through. Starting on the stove top and moving to the oven is the most foolproof way to get perfectly crisp skin and meat that’s cooked all the way through.

This dish is filling and hearty, and with the chicken, lentils, veggies, and yogurt it truly is a complete meal, but if you’d like to add some green, a little arugula on top would be tasty.

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Crispy Chicken Thighs With Schmaltzy Vinaigrette

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Crispy Chicken Thighs With Schmaltzy Vinaigrette

You'll get all the deliciousness of a roast chicken in a fraction of the time when you opt for bone-in thighs as opposed to a whole bird. Schmaltz, a Yiddish word for chicken fat, is the base for a bright pan sauce that's drizzled over the vegetables and crispy chicken thighs. A cast-iron skillet will maintain an even heat so the hot drippings don't smoke or scorch. Plan out your moves, like steps in a dance, so you can cook efficiently without losing focus. Prep vegetables while the oven preheats, sear chicken while the potatoes roast, and make the sauce just as the chicken finishes baking.

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Chicken Thighs With Peach Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Chicken Thighs With Peach Salad

Sweet peaches and tart green tomatoes gain depth from a bit of char on the grill. Look for peaches that are still slightly firm so they hold up to the heat.

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Lemon-Honey Chicken Thighs

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Lemon-Honey Chicken Thighs

These sticky saucy chicken thighs are perfectly paired with any of our grilled zucchini sides. You can also use chicken breasts; just cook them a little longer, about 6 minutes per side.

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Curry-Roasted Chicken Thighs

Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Curry-Roasted Chicken Thighs

Be sure to rub the paste under the skin to keep it from sticking or burning.

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Chicken Paella

Victor Protasio

View Recipe: Chicken Paella

A Spanish dish from the Valencia region, paella is named for the cooking vessel itself: a round, shallow pan made of carbon steel that heats quickly and evenly. A good paella pan helps develop the socarrat, or crispy layer of rice crust on the bottom that's the most prized part of the dish. A large skillet will work as well if you don't have a paella pan. Look for short-grain Bomba or Valencia rice at specialty markets. Be aware that risotto rice like Arborio won't work here, since paella rice isn't meant to be creamy.

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Chimichurri Chicken Thighs With Potatoes

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Chimichurri Chicken Thighs With Potatoes

An herb-packed chimichurri sacue makes this meat-and-potatoes main vibrant and exciting. Double the mixture and spoon it over grilled steak or fish on another night. For less heat in both the chimichurri and the potatoes, remove the seeds from the Fresno chile.

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Chicken Thighs With Ginger-Sesame Glaze

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Chicken Thighs With Ginger-Sesame Glaze

Make-ahead tip: Mix up the glaze first thing in the morning, and allow the chicken thighs to marinate all day long in the refrigerator to soak up even more flavor. After that, getting dinner on the table is as simple as heating up the grill pan.

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Apricot-Sage Chicken With Carrots

Greg DuPree

View Recipe: Apricot-Sage Chicken With Carrots

Dinner doesn't get much easier than this eight-ingredient, one-pan dish. The secret is jarred apricot preserves; much more than a spread for toast, it balances the earthy sage and pungent mustard in the pan sauce and gives everything a glossy coat.

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Poached Chicken Thighs with Ginger-Coconut Quinoa

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Poached Chicken Thighs with Ginger-Coconut Quinoa

We cook the quinoa twice—once to absorb the liquid, and again to make it wonderfully creamy. Top that with chipotle and soy glazed chicken thighs for an irresistible meal.

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Spiced Grilled Chicken Thighs With Creamy Chile-Herb Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Spiced Grilled Chicken Thighs With Creamy Chile-Herb Sauce

We love the contrast of the bright, herbaceous sauce with the smoky grilled chicken thighs. Serve the chicken with Grilled Sweet Potato and Bell Pepper Toss. You can spoon any remaining sauce over grilled steak or roasted potatoes, or stir into plain Greek yogurt.

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Glazed Chicken Thighs

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Glazed Chicken Thighs

Fish sauce, brown sugar, fresh ginger and minced garlic create the sticky-sweet glaze for these tasty chicken thighs.

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Grilled Chicken Thighs With Ginger Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs With Ginger Sauce

Flavorful chicken thighs might just be our favorite cut. Here we dress them up with a simple ginger-scallion sauce.

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Crispy Chicken Thighs with Spinach-and-Pea Potato Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Crispy Chicken Thighs with Spinach-and-Pea Potato Salad

Time: 40 minutes

Time-Saver: A quick sear and a sprinkle of panko cuts prep and cook time in half compared to breading and baking.

Serve with Chili-Lime Corn

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Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs With Cremini Mushrooms

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

View Recipe: Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs With Cremini Mushrooms

A wide skillet and less liquid allow for a relatively short, intense braise--less than 20 minutes, compared to many hour-long versions.

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Crispy Chicken Thighs with White Beans

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Crispy Chicken Thighs with White Beans

This method for cooking chicken—often referred to as “chicken under a brick”—creates a crispy skin coupled with a succulent interior.

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Braised Chicken Thighs With Wild Rice Pilaf

Photo: Christopher Testani

View Recipe: Braised Chicken Thighs With Wild Rice Pilaf

Browning the meat in the pan first adds all that roasted chicken flavor to the pilaf. The Brussels sprouts and chicken thighs slowly braise as the rice cooks—a protein, vegetable side, and starch all in one pan. Sweet golden raisins and cider vinegar balance out the other hearty, earthy flavors in the dish.

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Sumac Chicken with Caulifower and Carrots

Photo: Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Sumac Chicken with Caulifower and Carrots

This sheet-pan dinner made chicken a winner in January 2017, with a ground sumac and brown sugar rub. You can also use sumac on roasted vegetables, stir it into vinaigrette, or try it in our Maple-Sumac Roasted Walnuts recipe.

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Chicken Thighs With Peperonata and Roasted Broccoli

Photo: Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Chicken Thighs With Peperonata and Roasted Broccoli

We’re amazed by what this recipe achieves in just 20 minutes: crispy bone-in chicken thighs; a sweet, tangy, and savory pepper topper; and roasted broccoli. Part of the speed comes from being efficient with your pans—the pepper mixture cooks in the same pan used to crisp the chicken skin (adding fantastic flavor), and the broccoli and chicken roast together on a single baking sheet. Anchovy paste lends depth without tasting fishy. Dress up the broccoli even more with a squeeze of lemon, grated Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of crushed red pepper.

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Lemon Chicken With Artichokes and Kale

Greg Dupree

View Recipe: Lemon Chicken With Artichokes and Kale

This dish gets a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, which becomes satisfyingly rich when stirred into the kale, artichoke hearts, and baked chicken. We found that smaller chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each) will cook more easily in the time frame. Trim larger breasts and use the remaining chicken for tomorrow’s soup or stir-fry. Avoid thin cutlets here; the thickness of the breasts will keep them juicy as they roast.

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Grilled Chicken Thighs With Peach-Lime Salsa

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs With Peach-Lime Salsa

We love the combination of sweet peaches and fiery peppers; seed the jalapeño if you prefer a dish with hints of pepper flavor, minus the burn.

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Chicken, Spinach, and Mushroom Lasagna

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Chicken, Spinach, and Mushroom Lasagna

Chicken thighs poach until tender in stock, which becomes the base for a creamy béchamel sauce. No-boil noodles absorb more liquid during baking for a sturdy slice after freezing and reheating.

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Clinched and Planked Chicken Thighs

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Clinched and Planked Chicken Thighs

You can improvise on the board dressing, adding grated garlic or shallots (use a Microplane grater), finely chopped chiles, chopped green onions, or chopped herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and sage.

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Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs

The sweet-and-sour maple-mustard glaze is a great topping that brings some interest to plain grilled chicken thighs. Speed up prep by marinating only 30 minutes. Serve with cabbage-carrot slaw.

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Cashew Chicken Wheat Berry Salad With Peas

Photo: Squire Fox

View Recipe: Cashew Chicken Wheat Berry Salad With Peas

The thigh meat lends an especially moist, rich flavor, but you can use any leftover chicken.

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Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs

Photo: John Autry

View Recipe: Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs

Chicken is one of the most versatile meal options for many home chefs, whether it be a weeknight meal, entertaining, or grilling all summer long. And chicken thighs are tender and juicy. Simple to prepare, these recipes show how to bring new life and flavor to your table with chicken that everyone will love.

First up, the Asian-inspired tasty glaze gives these chicken thighs a mahogany sheen. Rich thigh meat is higher in fat than lean white meat, so the thighs stay moist even when they're roasted without skin. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions, if desired.

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Pineapple Chicken Kebabs With Cilantro-Lime Slaw

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Pineapple Chicken Kebabs With Cilantro-Lime Slaw

A sweet-tangy-spicy glaze of Asian pantry staples caramelizes beautifully under the broiler. To complete the meal, serve with jasmine rice tossed with sliced green onions and lime rind strips.

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Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Sauce

As a variation to sautéing, you could grill the chicken thighs—a little charring would complement the sauce. No mortar and pestle? Process the paste base in a mini chopper.

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Chicken Adobo

Victor Protasio

View Recipe: Chicken Adobo

Adobo is a revered Filipino dish that calls for chicken (or pork) stewed in a soy and vinegar broth, which is then reduced to a glaze and served with rice. The marinade cooks down to an intensely flavored sauce that makes this dish irresistible. Many recipes call for sugar in the braising liquid, but we've omitted it to avoid added sugar.

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Quick Chicken and Vegetable Curry with Garlic Naan

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Quick Chicken and Vegetable Curry with Garlic Naan

Curries are often served over rice, but this version is served like a stew with a side of naan bread for a hearty complete meal.

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Tandoori Chicken Thighs

Photo: Randy Mayor

View Recipe: Tandoori Chicken Thighs

Tandoori Chicken Thighs is a dish that pairs well with vegetables. Slice half an onion into wedges, and halve and seed six mini sweet peppers. Brush the veggies with a bit of oil, grill them, and serve along with naan bread to round out the meal.

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Apricot-Basil Chicken With Freekeh

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Apricot-Basil Chicken With Freekeh

Freekeh is an ancient variety of wheat that is harvested while green and then roasted for a fantastically nutty, smoky flavor. Package directions call for simmering on low for up to 25 minutes, but here it's cooked a little more quickly by raising the temperature to medium. Substitute couscous, quinoa, or rice if you can't find freekeh. If you can find fresh apricots, swap them in for dried, increasing the amount to 1 cup.

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57 Healthy Chicken Thigh Recipes That Are Affordable and Delicious

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One-Pan Crispy Chicken Thighs With Potatoes and Chard

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Quick BBQ Chicken Thighs With Mashed Potatoes

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Grilled Red Curry Chicken and Bell Peppers

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Chicken Thighs With Harissa Vegetables

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Skillet Apple Chicken Thighs

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Roast Chicken With Lentils and Yogurt

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Crispy Chicken Thighs With Schmaltzy Vinaigrette

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Chicken Thighs With Peach Salad

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Lemon-Honey Chicken Thighs

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Curry-Roasted Chicken Thighs

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Chicken Paella

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Chimichurri Chicken Thighs With Potatoes

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Chicken Thighs With Ginger-Sesame Glaze

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Apricot-Sage Chicken With Carrots

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Poached Chicken Thighs with Ginger-Coconut Quinoa

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Spiced Grilled Chicken Thighs With Creamy Chile-Herb Sauce

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Glazed Chicken Thighs

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Grilled Chicken Thighs With Ginger Sauce

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Crispy Chicken Thighs with Spinach-and-Pea Potato Salad

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Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs With Cremini Mushrooms

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Crispy Chicken Thighs with White Beans

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Braised Chicken Thighs With Wild Rice Pilaf

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Sumac Chicken with Caulifower and Carrots

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Chicken Thighs With Peperonata and Roasted Broccoli

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Lemon Chicken With Artichokes and Kale

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Grilled Chicken Thighs With Peach-Lime Salsa

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