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  4. 45 Chicken Thigh Recipes to Make Weeknights Delicious and Easy

45 Chicken Thigh Recipes to Make Weeknights Delicious and Easy

Updated January 21, 2021
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Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

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. Whip out a single sheet pan for chicken thigh dinners like our Orange-Rosemary Roast Chicken or Chicken with Dressing. Use your favorite cast-iron cookware for our Cajun Chicken Cassoulet or our Chicken Fricassee with Spring Vegetables. Of course, we dreamed up a few ways to cook chicken thighs in your handy Instant Pot, too. These chicken thigh recipes are easy, affordable, and healthy ways to get supper on the table for your family. We've rounded up our best recipes for enjoying chicken thighs, so you'll never run out of ideas for budget-friendly weeknight dinners. 

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Sheet Pan Chicken with Dressing

Credit: 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.

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Braised Chicken Thighs with Slow-Cooked Marinara

Credit: 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.

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Roasted Chicken Thighs with Herb Butter

Credit: 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.

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Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Lemons

Credit: 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.

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Spiced Molasses BBQ Chicken Thighs

Credit: Max Kelly

Recipe: Spiced Molasses BBQ Chicken Thighs

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

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Chicken Thighs and BBQ Beans

Credit: 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.

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Chicken-and-Collards Pilau

Credit: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Chicken-and-Collards Pilau

Lowcountry flavor all packed into one dish for easy cleanup.

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Curried Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

Credit: Victor Protasio

Recipe: Curried Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes

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

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Honey-Apricot-Glazed Chicken

Credit: 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.

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Cajun Chicken Cassoulet

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Cajun Chicken Cassoulet

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

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Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Credit: 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.

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Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto

Credit: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Crispy Chicken Thighs with Pasta and Pesto

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

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Faux Cassoulet

Credit: 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.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs With Carrots and Potatoes

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs With Carrots and Potatoes

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

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Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

There’s nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of chicken tortilla soup, and your Instant Pot makes it easier than ever to enjoy.

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Orange-Rosemary Roast Chicken

Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Orange-Rosemary Roast Chicken

This colorful sheet pan supper is full of sweet and savory flavors that blend beautifully. For the best texture and juiciest chicken, we recommend browning the chicken thighs in a skillet first before adding them to the sheet pan.

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Chicken Tamales with Roasted Tomato-and-Dried Chile Sauce

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Chicken Tamales with Roasted Tomato-and-Dried Chile Sauce

According to cookbook author Sandra A Gutierrez, it’s about time you throw a tamale party. These rich, spicy tamales are worth it to make yourself.

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White Chicken Chili

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: White Chicken Chili

With this easy white chicken chili recipe, you simply pile everything in the slow cooker and press “on.”

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Grilled Chicken Thighs with Alabama White Sauce

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Alabama White Sauce

Alabama’s famous white barbecue sauce is the perfect companion for crispy grilled chicken.

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Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

Credit: Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

Recipe: Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

Brighten up boring weeknight dinners with this lemony recipe that makes the most of your Instant Pot.

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Chicken Fajita Kebabs

Credit: Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Chicken Fajita Kebabs

These tasty kebabs need to marinate for a few hours, but once it’s time to grill, they’ll be on your plate in no time.

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Grilled Chicken and Corn with Charred Scallion-Lime Butter

Credit: Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Corn with Charred Scallion-Lime Butter

We love eating fresh summer corn as often as we can when it’s in season, and this recipe lets it shine. The Scallion-Lime butter is delicious with the chicken and the corn.

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Fried Chicken Biscuits with Rosemary Hot Honey

Recipe: Fried Chicken Biscuits with Rosemary Hot Honey

Up your weekend brunch game with homemade chicken biscuits and honey.

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Green Chile-Chicken Stew

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Green Chile-Chicken Stew

This flavorful stew is the ideal make-ahead supper to have handy in the freezer.

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Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Filling and oh-so-cozy, this Instant Pot pasta dinner will be a go-to for your family from the first time you make it.

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Oven Baked Chicken Thighs with Vegetables

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Oven Baked Chicken Thighs with Vegetables

This beautiful skillet supper got rave reviews from readers, and we know you’ll agree.

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Mojo Chicken Bowls

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Mojo Chicken Bowls

This quick, healthy recipe features a riff on the classic Cuban mojo marinade that will convince you to never grill plain chicken thighs again.

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One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice

Honey-chile sauce, fresh ginger, and colorful vegetables bring this easy supper to life.

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Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland

Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Feeling under the weather? This easy chicken noodle soup recipe gives you homemade flavor without giving up any extra energy.

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Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

This versatile recipe can be served plenty of ways—in tacos, over rice, on nachos, or in enchiladas!

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Chicken and Shrimp Skillet Rice

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe: Chicken and Shrimp Skillet Rice

Fresh veggies, rice, and two proteins meet in a true one-dish dinner that will leave everyone satisfied.

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