25 Easy Boneless Chicken Thigh Recipes to Try This Week (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400? ›

I recommend baking the chicken thighs at 400 degrees for less time to ensure the chicken thighs stay nice and juicy, vs baking for longer at 350 degrees and running the risk of drying them out.

Keep in mind that bone-in chicken thighs will take longer to cook than boneless chicken thighs.

Rice or Quinoa: Fluffy white rice or nutty quinoa make great side dishes to complement the chicken thighs. Roasted Potatoes: Seasoned and roasted potatoes, whether crispy wedges or creamy mashed, are always a crowd-pleaser. Corn on the Cob: Grilled or boiled corn on the cob with butter and herbs is a classic choice.

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

What they are: This cut comes at a premium to bone-in thighs because of the extra processing to remove the bone and skin. It's part of the leg, and it's slightly fattier and a whole lot more flavorful than lean chicken breasts.

The best oven baked chicken thighs start with seasoning! A blend of garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt and fresh cracked pepper brightens up plain old chicken thighs and adds wow-worthy flavor. But I know you are wondering– should you cover chicken thighs when they are baking? The simple answer is, no.

Unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs and drumsticks actually become more tender the longer they cook. That's because of their makeup. Dark meat has an abundant amount of connective tissue, which dissolves into gelatin as the meat cooks, rendering it juicy and tender.

While the breast is very low in fat, chicken thighs are higher in fat, and in cooking, fat equals flavor. It also means the thighs are more tender and less likely to dry out than chicken breasts—in other words, they are very easy to cook and very difficult to ruin.

Binder for Chicken: The 4 Best Options

Often folks will call it a "smear" or "slather." One of the most common binders in barbecue is mustard. However, not many people use this for chicken (myself included). Rather, I will almost always use water, cooking oil, hot sauce, or pickle juice.

Any good cook knows that fat is flavor, and that is yet another reason why thighs are superior to breasts. Chicken thighs are a fattier cut of meat, which means they're going to have more intense, rich flavor than their white meat counterparts.

Historic chicken thigh prices trends

Chicken thighs spiked at an average cost of $2.82 per pound for restaurants in June 2022 — though restaurant wholesale prices have remained below $2 since November 2022.

Are chicken breasts or thighs healthier? ›

The white meat in chicken breasts contains more protein and less fat, while the dark meat in chicken thighs contains more vitamins and minerals. Put simply, the best choice is the one that people prefer to eat.

Depending on the region where you live, boneless chicken thighs might even be cheaper than chicken breast. And when you consider how versatile they are (and so much tastier), you will definitely get more bang for your buck.

While leg and thigh meat are still safe at 165 degrees F, it is recommended to cook your chicken until the internal temperature reaches about 170-175 degrees F. Chicken legs consist of actively worked muscles and the meat is tougher because of it. The higher temperature helps break down muscles.

The USDA guidelines lists approximate cooking times of 40 to 50 minutes for 4-to-8-ounce chicken thighs roasted at 350 degrees. In our basic meal prep boneless chicken thighs recipe, they take about 25 to 30 minutes baked at 425 degrees F.

You can roast or bake anywhere between 325 and 450 degrees F. When roasting a whole chicken, a nice rule of them is to start at 400 to 425 degrees F and then turn the oven down to 350 after 15 minutes and cook until the internal temp of the chicken is 165 – 175 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.

We have found that baking chicken drumsticks at 400°F gives the best results for juicy, moist dark meat with crispy skin. You'll know they are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F when tested with a digital meat thermometer in the thickest part of the drumstick without touching the bone.