How to Cook Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are flavorful, moist and are interestingly-textured, especially when the skin is well crisped. There are many ways to cook chicken thighs, among them baking, broiling, slow cooking, and frying. Here are the basics for preparing healthful and inexpensive chicken thigh entrees.

Makes 4 servings

EditIngredients

EditMethod One: Baking

1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 to 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 ml) olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

EditMethod Two: Broiling

1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 to 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 ml) olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

EditMethod Three: Slow Cooking

1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt

1/8 tsp (0.625 ml) pepper

3/4 cup (185 ml) barbecue sauce

2 Tbsp (30 ml) honey

1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce

EditMethod Four: Frying

1 lb (450 g) bone-in chicken thighs

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) buttermilk

4 cups (1 liter) canola oil

1 cup (225 ml) all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups (450 ml) cornmeal

EditSteps

EditBaking

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius).^[1] Prepare a baking dish by lightly coating it with nonstick cooking spray.
- Alternatively, line the baking dish with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper instead of spraying it with cooking spray.

Season the chicken. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper, to taste, and drizzle the olive oil over it.
- You can season the chicken directly in the baking dish to minimize the number of dishes you dirty. Alternatively, you can do so on a separate plate or in a bowl to reduce the amount of mess in the baking dish.
- If you are unsure of how much salt and pepper to use, start with roughly 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt and 1/8 tsp (0.625 ml) black pepper.
- Use a basting brush to brush the olive oil over the chicken for a more thorough coating. The oil helps the chicken to stay moist and to brown in the oven. Melted butter or another type of vegetable oil will also work.
- If desired, you could also use a baking sauce instead of oil. Brush a homemade or commercial sauce, like a barbecue sauce, over the chicken thighs using a basting brush.

Bake the chicken, uncovered, for 20 minutes. The chicken should be browned on top and have an internal temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius).
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Stick it into the center of the thickest thigh to get an accurate reading.
- If the chicken thighs are not done, return to the oven and continue cooking in five minute increments until the correct internal temperature is reached.

Serve warm. Remove the chicken after it finishes cooking and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil. You do not need to create a tight seal, however. The foil can simply rest on top.
- Allowing the chicken to rest makes it more tender and ensures that it is cool enough to eat comfortably.

EditBroiling

Preheat the broiler. Allow it to heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Most broilers only have one setting. If yours has separate "low" and "high" settings, though, use the "high" setting.

Place the chicken thighs in a broiler pan. Make sure that there is space between the rack inside the pan and the bottom of the pan.
- It is important to use a broiler pan with a rack inside, rather than a baking pan. The rack inside a broiler pan keeps the meat out of the hot fat and oil that drips off the chicken, which helps prevent fires from breaking out.
- It doesn't matter which side faces up when using boneless skinless thighs. If you use bone-in thighs, however, make sure that the bone side faces up.

Season the thighs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired and evenly brush or drizzle the oil over the chicken.
- Use approximately 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt and 1/8 tsp (0.625 ml) black pepper if you do not have an established preference.

Broil the thighs for 20 minutes, turning them over after 10 minutes (to ensure even browning). Do not cover.
- Place the broiler pan 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) under the top heating element of the oven.
- Carefully turn the chicken over after 10 minutes pass. Brush this side with oil and continue cooking an additional 10 minutes.
- Thick thighs or bone-in thighs may need to be cooked for a total of 25 to 35 minutes, instead.^[2]
- The skin or meat surface should be medium browned and glossy. If it is fully cooked before the interior is done, finish by baking normally at lower heat such as 300 degrees Fahrenheit to diffuse heat into the interior without unnecessarily drying or scorching the outside.

Check for doneness and serve warm. Pull out of the oven once the chicken thighs are thoroughly browned and at an internal temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius).
- As a rule of thumb, the juices should also run clear and the meat should no longer be pink.^[3]
- Check the temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer. Stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the thickest piece. If using bone-in thighs, make sure that the thermometer does not touch the bone.

EditSlow Cooking

Season the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt and pepper.
- If desired, you could also season the chicken with other spices and herbs. A dash of garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, or Creole seasoning would work well for this recipe. If using a simpler butter or lemon sauce, rather than a barbecue sauce, a generous dash of parsley or oregano could work, as well.

Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker. Use at least a 3 to 4 quart (3 to 4 liter) slow cooker and make sure that the lid is able to fit securely on top.
- If desired, lightly coat the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or use nonstick slow cooker liners. These precautions are not necessary, but they can help to prevent chicken from getting stuck onto the side of the cooker.

Mix together the barbecue sauce, honey, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk these ingredients together in a small bowl.
- For added heat, consider whisking in up to 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) hot sauce.
- Alternatively, you could also create a different sauce for the chicken to cook in if you do not like the taste of barbecue sauce. Just make sure that there is at least 3/4 cup (185 ml) liquid for the chicken to cook in. For instance, you could make a simple sauce with 1/2 cup (125 ml) chicken broth, 3 Tbsp (45 ml) butter, and 2 Tbsp (60 ml) lemon juice.

Pour the sauce over the chicken. Stir the chicken thighs to coat evenly.

Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.^[4] When finished, the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius).
- The chicken should also be tender enough to fall apart without cutting.

Serve warm. When finished cooking, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place on a serving platter with the sauce or juices drizzled over it.

EditFrying

Season and marinate the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and allow it to sit in the buttermilk for at least 2 hours.^[5]
- The salt and pepper should be to taste, but if you aren't sure how much to use, start with 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt and 1/8 tsp (0.625 ml) black pepper.
- Make sure that the chicken is in a nonreactive bowl. Some metal bowls have an adverse reaction with the slightly acidic buttermilk, so it is best to use glass, ceramic or plastic.
- Cover the bowl and allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator. It should sit for at least 2 hours, but it can be marinated overnight.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer. When you are ready to cook the chicken thighs, heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).
- Use an instant-read candy thermometer to monitor high oil temperatures.
- A deep-fryer works best, but in a pinch, you could also use thick metal stockpot with tall sides. Heat the oil in the stockpot over medium-high heat.

Arrange your breading ingredients in separate bowls. Place the flour, beaten eggs, and cornmeal into bowls.
- The bowls should be wide and shallow to facilitate the dipping and coating process.
- If desired, you can also season the cornmeal with a dash of salt, pepper, and paprika.

Coat the chicken. Dunk each thigh into the flour, egg, and cornmeal, in that order.
- Remove the thigh from the buttermilk, holding it above the bowl to allow excess buttermilk to drip off.
- Cake both sides of the thigh with flour. The flour keeps the coating on better. Hold the thigh above the bowl of flour, tapping it slightly against the side to remove excess.
- Dunk the floured chicken into the egg wash. Allow excess to drip off by briefly holding the thigh above the bowl.
- Dredge all sides of the thigh in the cornmeal. Make sure that it is completely coated.

Deep-fry each piece for 13 to 20 minutes. The chicken should be golden brown when it is finished, and the internal temperature should reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius).