Winner Winner, Chicken Thigh Dinner: 22 Best Recipes
Chicken breasts are everyone's go-to, but we're here to make a case for chicken thighs. Their juicy, tender meat is more forgiving of overcooking and is versatile enough to work in everything from hearty ragus to takeout favorites like sesame chicken.
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Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
It takes only 10 minutes to make a homemade sweet-and-sticky teriyaki sauce and about 20 minutes to broil marinated chicken thighs until crisp. That's definitely faster than waiting for takeout.
Get the Recipe: Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Twice-Fried Chicken with Sriracha Honey
Any mix of pieces can be fried up and coated in spicy Sriracha honey, but a whole batch of dark meat guarantees tender, juicy fried chicken.
Get the Recipe: Twice-Fried Chicken with Sriracha Honey
Chicken Curry with Potatoes
Start the spicy marinade today and serve curry in a hurry tomorrow.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Curry with Potatoes
Roasted Chicken Pot Pie
One of Tiffani Thiessen's go-to party tricks is making individual pot pies, full of chicken, vegetables and stick-to-your-ribs gravy.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Chicken Pot Pie
Linguine with Chicken Ragu
If you have a beef with traditional meat sauce, swap in shredded chicken thighs for a hearty ragu.
Get the Recipe: Linguine with Chicken Ragu
Grilled Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs
Brighten up grilled meat with a trio of citrus: orange, lime and lemon.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs
Chipotle Chicken Fajitas
Have a fiesta at home with smoky chicken fajitas, charred bell peppers and onions.
Get the Recipe: Chipotle Chicken Fajitas
Fried Chicken and Waffle BLT with Jalapeno-Honey Mayo
Up your picnic game with these brunch-inspired fried chicken sandwiches. BLTs and chicken and waffles are having a party, and you're invited.
Get the Recipe: Fried Chicken and Waffle BLT with Jalapeno-Honey Mayo
Chicken Thighs with Kale
When you want something healthy but can't stand another boring kale salad, top stewed, chile-spiked greens with succulent roasted chicken thighs.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Thighs with Kale
Sesame Ginger Chicken
Once you taste Kelsey Nixon's slightly spicy ginger version of sesame chicken, you may stop calling your local Chinese restaurant.
Get the Recipe: Sesame Ginger Chicken
Buffalo Chicken Dip
It doesn't have to be football season to enjoy Buffalo chicken dip — bubbling, cheesy goodness is always a touchdown.
Get the Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip
Oyster Sauce Chicken with Bok Choy
Having an easy stir-fry dish in your back pocket comes in handy when you're rushing to make a weeknight dinner. Ching-He Huang's oyster sauce chicken takes 30 minutes from start to finish.
Get the Recipe: Oyster Sauce Chicken with Bok Choy
Chicken Masala
For your first foray into Indian cooking, this dish of stewed chicken, tomatoes and potatoes is a cinch — and comes together in a pinch.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Masala
Lemon-Scented Crispy Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Baby Carrots
Crank up the heat on your Dutch oven to get chicken skin shatteringly crisp before baking the thighs atop a stuffing made with toasted baguette, potato, carrot and lemon.
Get the Recipe: Lemon-Scented Crispy Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Baby Carrots
Pasta with Chicken, Risotto Style
Pasta cooked risotto style — tender and creamy from having chicken stock slowly ladled into it — is so delectable on its own that it barely needs any adornments. Mushrooms, garlic, onion and chicken thighs complete the dish.
Get the Recipe: Pasta with Chicken, Risotto-Style
Enchiladas Colorado
Colorado sauce — packed with dried ancho and New Mexico chiles and warm spices — drenches homemade tortillas and tender shredded chicken in a restaurant-quality Mexican meal.
Get the Recipe: Enchiladas Colorado
Drunken Chicken Noodles
These 30-minute drunken noodles are so easy that they can even be made at midnight after a crazy night out.
Get the Recipe: Drunken Chicken Noodles
Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs
If the aforementioned rice wine-spiked chicken isn't alcoholic enough for you, braise thighs in a mix of hot sauce and lager instead.
Get the Recipe: Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs
Chicken Noodle Soup
Whether you're nursing a cold or just feeling homesick for Mom's chicken noodle soup, Kelsey Nixon's tried-and-true recipe is there for you.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup
Coq Au Vin
Let Alton Brown guide you through making the French classic coq au vin, a wine-stewed chicken-and-mushroom dish that sounds a lot more labor intensive than it is.
Get the Recipe: Coq au Vin
Chicken and Olive Empanadas with Chimichurri Sauce
You can stuff virtually anything into these mini hand pies, but salty, briny olives and tender chicken are hard to beat.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Olive Empanadas with Chimichurri Sauce
Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs
Six ingredients pack a mean punch. Just combine grainy mustard, Dijon mustard, garlic, marjoram and maple syrup for a sweet and tangy take on chicken.
Get the Recipe: Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs
