30+ Chicken Thigh Recipes That Are Almost Too Easy

Hector Sanchez

When it comes time to put a flavorful and budget-friendly dinner on the table, chicken thighs are always at the top of our ingredient list. There are so many different ways you can prepare them, from braising to grilling to slow-cooking. We've rounded up our best recipes for enjoying chicken thighs, so you'll never run out of ideas for budget-friendly weeknight dinners.

Start Slideshow

1 of 33

Sheet Pan Chicken with Dressing

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken with Dressing

Sheet pan suppers just got an upgrade with the addition of cornbread. We recommend this homemade cornbread recipe.

2 of 33

Braised Chicken Thighs with Slow-Cooked Marinara

Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Braised Chicken Thighs with Slow-Cooked Marinara

Let your slow cooker cook your chicken thighs and marinara sauce at the same time.

3 of 33

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Herb Butter

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Roasted Chicken Thighs with Herb Butter

Roasting chicken is a great weeknight technique because it's hands-free and hard to mess up. Let the cooked chicken stand for about 10 minutes before serving so the meat has time to relax and soak up any cooking juices.

4 of 33

Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Lemons

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Lemons

If you’ve never tried braising before, this is a great recipe to help you learn.

5 of 33

Spiced Molasses BBQ Chicken Thighs

Max Kelly

Recipe: Spiced Molasses BBQ Chicken Thighs

An easy homemade glaze elevates the flavor of these grilled chicken thighs.

6 of 33

Chicken Thighs and BBQ Beans

Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey

Recipe: Chicken Thighs and BBQ Beans

Cooking the chicken in the same pan as the beans gives the dish extra flavor.

7 of 33

Chicken-and-Collards Pilau

Greg Dupree

Recipe: Chicken-and-Collards Pilau

Lowcountry flavor all packed into one dish for easy cleanup.

8 of 33

Curried Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

Victor Protasio

Recipe: Curried Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

Cooking chicken thighs low and slow will make them fall off the bone.

9 of 33

Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken

Add a base of basmati rice to complement the honey glaze. You're going to love the sweet and savory flavor combination in our delicious Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken.

10 of 33

Cajun Chicken Cassoulet

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Cajun Chicken Cassoulet

You’ll need just one dish—your favorite Dutch oven—to create this flavor-packed dish.

11 of 33

Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Nicknamed "Anytime Chicken" this winner of a chicken dinner is our new favorite roasting-pan supper for weeknights or easy entertaining with friends.

12 of 33

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto

Photo: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto

This stovetop-to-oven method yields crisp, dark-golden skin and juicy, tender meat.

13 of 33

Faux Cassoulet

PHoto: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Faux Cassoulet

For easy sides, grab a loaf of crusty bread, and toss a tangy vinaigrette with fresh pear slices, toasted pecans, escarole, and frisée or a mix of your favorite winter greens.

14 of 33

Crunchy Jerk Tacos with Watermelon-Mango Salsa

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Crunchy Jerk Tacos with Watermelon-Mango Salsa

Inexpensive, flavorful, and nearly impossible to overcook, chicken thighs are the MVP of poultry cuts. Try them in crunchy jerk tacos.

15 of 33

Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

The trick to extra-savory veggies is cooking the chicken atop the potatoes and carrots.

16 of 33

Citrus-Braised Chicken Thighs

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Citrus-Braised Chicken Thighs

Spoon the pan sauce over chcken and veggies when serving.

17 of 33

Sesame Chicken Tacos

Brian Woodcock

Recipe: Sesame Chicken Tacos

Add an oriental flair to taco night.

18 of 33

Chicken-and-Bacon Satay

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken-and-Bacon Satay

Combine chicken and bacon for an appetizer that will be the talk of the party.

19 of 33

Chicken-Vegetable Kabobs with White BBQ Sauce

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken-Vegetable Kabobs with White BBQ Sauce

Homemade white BBQ sauce takes these kabobs to the next level.

20 of 33

Crispy Salt-and-Pepper Grilled Chicken Thighs

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Crispy Salt-and-Pepper Grilled Chicken Thighs

To make these crispy chicken thights, sprinkle salt on the them ahead of time, and chill in the fridge to pull out excess water—an easy way to guarantee tender meat and crisp skin.

21 of 33

Chicken, Farro, and Vegetable Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken, Farro, and Vegetable Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Grilling the chicken and vegetables gives this healthy and hearty salad a smoky, sweet flavor. If you prefer, substitute sliced celery for fennel and pearl barley or wheat berries for farro.

22 of 33

Sesame-Chicken Thigh Paillard with Peanut Sauce

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Sesame-Chicken Thigh Paillard with Peanut Sauce

Paillard is a French cooking term used to describe a thinly pounded piece of meat that cooks quickly. This recipe gives you a flavorful weeknight meal that's on the table in less than 45 minutes.

23 of 33

Garlic-Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Thighs

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Garlic-Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Thighs

Tangy yogurt tenderizes the meat and balances the heat from the jalapeño peppers. Grill indoors on a grill pan, or rev up the outdoor grill. Steamed sugar snap peas round out the meal.

24 of 33

Grilled Chipotle Chicken

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Grilled Chipotle Chicken

Ditch your plain grilled chicken for a zesty, perfectly spiced dinner instead. Grilled Chipotle Chicken delivers a smoky heat flavor with a touch of sweetness. Try Mexican oregano for extra zing.

25 of 33

Fried Chicken Thighs & Biscuits

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Fried Chicken Thighs & Biscuits

Two Southern icons make the ultimate sandwich, generously topped with pickled green tomatoes and local Raleigh honey.

26 of 33

Roasted Paprika Chicken

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Roasted Paprika Chicken

Choose a mixture of everyone's favorite chicken pieces, such as drumsticks, bone-in breasts, and thighs.

27 of 33

Grilled Chicken Thighs with White Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with White Barbecue Sauce

This chicken is loaded with flavor from the grill, aromatic spices in a dry rub, and a tangy mayonnaise-based White Barbecue Sauce.

28 of 33

Chicken Thighs With Chunky Tomato Sauce

Recipe: Chicken Thighs With Chunky Tomato Sauce

Chicken thighs are economical and easily take on the flavor of seasoning blends or marinades. Serving the chicken over mashed potatoes makes this one-dish recipe hearty and filling.

29 of 33

Braised Chicken Thighs With Carrots and Potatoes

Southern Living

Recipe: Braised Chicken Thighs With Carrots and Potatoes

Substitute an extra 1/4 cup chicken broth in place of the wine, if you prefer.

30 of 33

Rosemary Grilled Chicken Thighs

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Rosemary Grilled Chicken Thighs

Online reviewers claim that these honey-and-mustard-marinated thighs are definitely "company-worthy." Serving them over cheese grits and sautéed spinach makes this grilled chicken dish extraordinary. For a tasty alternative, try these with our quick Honey Mustard Sauce.

31 of 33

Balsamic Garlic-and-Herb Chicken Thighs

Recipe: Balsamic Garlic-and-Herb Chicken Thighs

Put the noodles on to cook when you start the chicken so that everything's done on time.

32 of 33

Orange-Ginger Grilled Chicken Thighs

Recipe: Orange-Ginger Grilled Chicken Thighs

A simple, quick marinade adds bold flavor to this grilled chicken recipe, making it perfect for a busy weeknight meal.

Account

More

Chicken Thigh Recipes

1 of 33

Sheet Pan Chicken with Dressing

1 of 33

2 of 33

Braised Chicken Thighs with Slow-Cooked Marinara

2 of 33

3 of 33

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Herb Butter

3 of 33

4 of 33

Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Lemons

4 of 33

5 of 33

Spiced Molasses BBQ Chicken Thighs

5 of 33

6 of 33

Chicken Thighs and BBQ Beans

6 of 33

7 of 33

Chicken-and-Collards Pilau

7 of 33

8 of 33

Curried Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

8 of 33

9 of 33

Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken

9 of 33

10 of 33

Cajun Chicken Cassoulet

10 of 33

11 of 33

Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

11 of 33

12 of 33

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto

12 of 33

13 of 33

Faux Cassoulet

13 of 33

14 of 33

Crunchy Jerk Tacos with Watermelon-Mango Salsa

14 of 33

15 of 33

Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots

15 of 33

16 of 33

Citrus-Braised Chicken Thighs

16 of 33

17 of 33

Sesame Chicken Tacos

17 of 33

18 of 33

Chicken-and-Bacon Satay

18 of 33

19 of 33

Chicken-Vegetable Kabobs with White BBQ Sauce

19 of 33

20 of 33

Crispy Salt-and-Pepper Grilled Chicken Thighs

20 of 33

21 of 33

Chicken, Farro, and Vegetable Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

21 of 33

22 of 33

Sesame-Chicken Thigh Paillard with Peanut Sauce

22 of 33

23 of 33

Garlic-Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Thighs

23 of 33

24 of 33

Grilled Chipotle Chicken

24 of 33

25 of 33

Fried Chicken Thighs & Biscuits

25 of 33

26 of 33

Roasted Paprika Chicken