45 Chicken Thigh Recipes to Make Weeknights Delicious and Easy
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.
Sheet Pan Chicken with Dressing
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Recipe: Chicken and Shrimp Skillet Rice
Fresh veggies, rice, and two proteins meet in a true one-dish dinner that will leave everyone satisfied.