Things to make with boneless chicken thighs

We love chicken thighs because they stand up to (and thrive) under almost any circumstances. They stay juicy when they’re grilled or baked in the oven, develop a nice crisp when broiled or air-fried and end up fall-off-the-bone tender when slow-cooked or braised. Add to that the fact that they play nicely with a myriad of spices and marinades and it’s easy to see why they’re our go-to option when we need an easy chicken dinner. Plus, they’re usually less expensive than chicken breasts — win! So, how do you know which kind to choose? Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a good low-maintenance pick but we prefer the bone-in, skin-on ones because the bones add tons of flavor and, when seared, the skin cooks up to crunchy perfection. Just take this recipe for example. A dry brine combined with slow roasting keeps the meat juicy while a quick flash under the broiler at the end of the cooking process renders the skin crisp and golden.

Get the Recipe: Fall-Off-the-Bone Chicken

An air fryer practically guarantees crispy, juicy chicken thighs. Seasoned simply with lemon zest, salt and pepper, they make a satisfying meal with an Italian-inspired salsa verde and bright kale salad (that's easy to make ahead). Air fried panko is the final crunchy touch.

Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Salsa Verde and Lemony Kale Salad

The stovetop-to-oven cast-iron skillet technique in this recipe is our go-to for achieving crispy, juicy chicken thighs. If you’re tight on time, the chicken is delicious without the butter sauce (simply plate the thighs straight out of the oven). But to truly impart restaurant-worthy flavor, try your hand at the classic white wine and butter sauce known as beurre blanc in French. The recipe makes a plentiful amount of sauce; nestle the chicken into some of it, then spoon more over every other component of your dinner.

Get the Recipe: Skillet Chicken Thighs with White Wine–Butter Sauce

Apple cider and apples give this braised chicken dish a decidedly fall feel, although we'd happily eat this chicken dinner any night of the year!

Get the Recipe: Braised Chicken Thighs and Apples

Giada flavors her chicken thighs with 4 simple ingredients — and they end up juicy and flavorful every time.

Get the Recipe: Easy Pantry Chicken

Juicy, tender dark-meat chicken with the crispiest skin in less than twenty minutes—who could ask for anything more? Serve these lightly seasoned chicken thighs as is, or toss them while still hot with your favorite barbecue or Buffalo sauce to give this quick and easy anytime meal an extra kick.

Get the Recipe: Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Giada's saucy, flavorful chicken is perfect for entertaining, since you can cook it ahead and reheat it when it's time to serve.

Get the Recipe: Roman-Style Chicken

Give a classic French bistro recipe a wallet-friendly spin by swapping the pricey rabbit for inexpensive chicken thighs. Braise the chicken in a rich and creamy sauce until tender, then serve over Melissa d'Arabian's buttery noodles.

Get the Recipe: Chicken in Mustard

This classic dinner party dish is made from start to finish in the multi-cooker. Briny capers and olives marry with dried apricots and a touch of brown sugar for the perfect blend of sweet and savory.

Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Marbella

This dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner when you are craving spicy fried chicken but are short on time to whip something up. To keep this recipe quick, we pan-seared marinated chicken strips and topped them with crispy chive-studded panko to mimic a crunchy fried coating. The caramelized shaved Brussels sprouts are a savory match. It all comes together in one skillet and in less than 30 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Skillet Hot Honey Chicken with Brussels Sprouts

With Aarti’s genius recipe you can get wonderfully charred, roasted chicken without a tandoor. The secret? Your broiler.

Get the Recipe: Tandoori Chicken

Get all the flavors of your favorite Chinese takeout with a fraction of the sodium and carbs with these broiled chicken thighs drizzled in a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce.

Get the Recipe: Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

Bone-in chicken thighs and a hearty russet potato, diced, are ideal for soaking up this peppery sauce.

Get the Recipe: Braised Paprika Chicken

Michael uses an overnight dry rub to infuse chicken thighs with tons of flavor and a charcoal grill ensures they come out with crispy skin and smoky flavor. Use the best of summer berries as the base for a tangy BBQ sauce for drizzling over the top.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Blackberry BBQ Sauce

Marc Forgione marinates skin-on chicken thighs overnight in an herb-garlic mixture before grilling them. "This is a great basic marinade for grilling meats," Marc says, "and the pink peppercorns add a nice spicy kick."

Get the Recipe: Marinated Chicken Thighs

Soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger (along with the natural juices of the chicken) become irresistible sauce to serve over chicken thighs and rice. If you like a thicker sauce, simply add cornstarch at the end and cook a little longer.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Chicken Thighs

These skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are seasoned with a homemade spice blend and then cooked entirely on your stovetop in a grill pan. The results? Plump, juicy meat and skin so crispy it will crack under your knife — use a sharp one!

Get the Recipe: Crispy Grill Pan Chicken Thighs

In a sheet pan meal, everything cooks together on one baking sheet, making prep and cleanup a breeze. We chose chicken thighs because they're flavorful and juicy. The cauliflower, a keto-friendly vegetable, gets loaded with cheese, sour cream and bacon — a nod to a classic baked potato.

Get the Recipe: Keto Sheet Pan Chicken and Loaded Cauliflower

Hearty chicken thighs are the perfect canvas for this intensely sweet and salty shoyu glaze, which consists of soy sauce, light brown sugar, garlic, ginger and mirin (Japanese rice wine vinegar).

Get the Recipe: Shoyu Chicken

Chicken thighs are the best poultry option for soaking up the spicy, garlicky harissa sauce in this one-pot meal. The fresh herbs and sweet apricots will help to offset some of the intensity of the harissa.

Get the Recipe: Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Apricots and Harissa Sauce

Grapes may seem like an unlikely addition here, but the combination of the sweet fruit with the meaty chicken thighs and the briny capers and olives hits the perfect salty-sweet note.

Get the Recipe: Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Grapes and Olives

For this easy weeknight dinner, dredge juicy chicken thighs in a tangy Dijon mustard mixture, roll them in spicy Parmesan breadcrumbs, then bake them until they're crisp and golden-brown.

Get the Recipe: Deviled Chicken Thighs

We think this is a truly amazing and delicious version of the classic Indian layered rice dish. Our method is close to the traditional way, except we finish ours in the oven rather than on the stovetop. This ensures even heating, which acts as an insurance policy against burning. Save the leftover onion oil – it's very fragrant and flavorful and can be used in other sauces.

Get the Recipe: Baked Turmeric Chicken and Rice

Marinate your chicken thighs in Food Network Magazine's zingy ginger-yogurt sauce for just 15 minutes before broiling until they're golden-brown. To serve, finish the chicken with a few more spoonfuls of the sauce.

Get the Recipe: Easy Tandoori Chicken

Don’t let your pan drippings go to waste! Ina whips up a rich and creamy mustard sauce by combining white wine, mustard and crème fraiche with the juices rendered from the cooked chicken thighs.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Thighs with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Buttery egg noodles are topped with juicy browned chicken thighs and a medley of sauteed vegetables in Ree Drummond's classic chicken cacciatore recipe.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore

Whip up this easy dish for a cozy night in. And, don’t be afraid to make a big batch — it makes great leftovers the next day!

Get the Recipe: Curried Chicken Thighs

Food Network Kitchen chefs treat chicken to a Greek-inspired marinade of lemon, garlic and oregano. Raisins, olives and feta make the couscous sweet and salty.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Thighs with Israeli Couscous Salad

Move over beef — chicken is in the house. This great weeknight meal takes less than 15 minutes to prep, then the slow cooker does the rest.

Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

Cooking for a crowd? Valerie’s five-star chicken dish, which she flavors with sweet apricot jam and spicy Fresno chile, offers something for everyone.

Get the Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Apricot BBQ Chicken Thighs

Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts is a smart way to make sure the meat stays moist and flavorful. And we love the way grape tomatoes soften under the heat of the broiler, adding more juicy goodness to the chicken. Lots of lemon, plus dill and oregano, give the dish a Greek feel.

Get the Recipe: 20-Minute Chicken Thighs and Couscous with Dill

Thanks to the turmeric, Trisha’s hearty dish is bursting with both flavor and color. She cooks carrots and cauliflower in the same pot, which cuts down on both cook time and cleanup.

Get the Recipe: Bone Broth-Braised Turmeric Chicken with Veggies

Sunny browns chicken in a pot to add intense savory flavor before transforming it into a warming soup with potatoes, corn and cream.

Get the Recipe: Chunky Chicken Chowder

This savory braised chicken dish doesn't hold back on flavor. It calls for brown ale, dark brown sugar and thick-cut bacon.

Get the Recipe: Beer-Braised Chicken

Bobby's jerk rub is full of spices and gets a little heat from cayenne pepper. His sweet-and-spicy mango-habanero sauce adds a refreshing zip.

Get the Recipe: Jerk Rubbed Chicken Thighs with Home-Made Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce

Dress up chicken thighs by turning them into a deliciously pecan-crusted cutlet. Katie chops the nuts by hand so they have just the right consistency, giving every bit the perfect amount of crunch.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Pecan Crusted Chicken Thighs

Tangy honey mustard and sweet-tart apples work perfectly in this easy chicken dish. Be sure to use apples that are good for cooking, such as Cortlands — they are resistant to browning and bring a tart, bright flavor.

Get the Recipe: Honey-Mustard Chicken and Apples

Melissa cooks chicken thighs with about 20 cloves of garlic, which become sweet and tender in the oven. Serve this dish with bread to spread with the roasted garlic and soak up the sauce.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Garlic Clove Chicken

This dish is beloved for a reason — it's warm, comforting and flavorful. And since there's no need to marinate the chicken first, it's perfect for a last-minute dinner.

Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Butter Chicken

The chefs in Food Network Kitchen reimagined this comforting weeknight meal by using juicy chicken thighs in place of traditional beef.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Stroganoff

You can’t go wrong with Ree’s one-pot wonder. She simmers chicken thighs, butternut squash and onions in a sweet and spicy sauce, then wilts in shredded kale just before serving.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Heat Chicken Thighs

Top roasted chicken thighs with a spicy coconut pan sauce and serve them with black beans tossed with mango, onion and cilantro.

Get the Recipe: Crispy Roasted Chicken Thighs with Chipotle-Coconut Sauce and Black Bean-Mango Salad

Put your cast iron skillet to work with Valerie’s fan-favorite recipe. She recommends cooking the chicken thighs over medium-high heat until the skin gets crispy, then roasting in the oven until the chicken is cooked and deliciously juicy.

Get the Recipe: Heirloom Garlic Clove Chicken Thighs

Save yourself some time on dinner prep and marinate your chicken in a blend of garlic, ginger, soy sauce and orange juice the night before.

Get the Recipe: Dirty P's Garlic-Ginger Chicken Thighs

Massaging the marinade into the chicken works its flavors into the meat, cutting down on marinating time. And you can make the sweet-and-savory watermelon salad while the chicken marinates.

Get the Recipe: 30-Minute Grilled Chicken Thighs with Watermelon and Feta Salad

These chicken thighs are coated in a potent breadcrumb mix that's laced with chili powder and cayenne. Serve them with juicy grilled tomatoes to offset the intensity of the heat.

Get the Recipe: Crispy Grilled Chicken Thighs

Chicken paprikash becomes a one-dish dinner in this casserole. Bell peppers aren't traditional, but they add a lot of vitamin C and natural sweetness to the dish. The brown rice soaks up the sauce and becomes incredibly rich and satisfying.

Get the Recipe: Chicken and Rice Paprikash Casserole

This recipe is for the ultimate garlic lover. Chicken thighs are braised until tender in a rich, roasted garlic sauce, then topped with fried garlic chips. There's even enough roasted garlic paste to whip up a loaf of garlic bread while the chicken cooks.

Get the Recipe: Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Think of this light, healthy supper as a next-level take on pasta with meatballs. Instead of a ground-meat mixture, though, there are chunks of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which stay moist and tender while simmering in the sauce.

Get the Recipe: Rigatoni with Chicken Thighs

Anne Burrell combines lemon juice with fresh sage and fresh rosemary for an earthy marinade. Grill up some halved lemons and serve alongside the chicken for a rustic touch your guests will appreciate.

Get the Recipe: Lemon and Herb Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs

Bring the sweet and the heat with this simple dish. Mango nectar and jerk seasoning work together to give chicken thighs some Caribbean-inspired flair — in under an hour!

Get the Recipe: Grilled Honey Chicken Thighs with Eggplant Mango Salad

Using both the zest and the juice of the citrus gives these chicken thighs their intense flavor. Add a little heat with a few dashes of cayenne pepper.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs

This rich dish of boneless chicken thighs and potatoes is flavored with lemon and parsley. It's hearty and filling, yet perfect for warmer weather.

Get the Recipe: Spanish Chicken and Potato Roast

Ellie proves that white meat isn't the only good-for-you part of the chicken. She uses bone-in chicken thighs with the skin removed and brushes the meat with a tangy low-fat glaze before baking.

Get the Recipe: Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs

Turmeric, the bright orange spice that is sweeping the nation, is popular in smoothies and juices, but we upped the ante and used it to season boneless chicken thighs. Mixed with pumpkin pie spice (you read that right--it can be used for more than just pie!), it makes a flavorful seasoning for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Served on top of crispy naan and drizzled on a tangy yogurt sauce, you've got a complete meal in just 20 minutes!

Sweet citrus and tangy, grainy mustard work together to create the perfect flavor for juicy chicken thighs. Cook on a preheated sheet pan (along with veggies) for a complete meal in just 40 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Orange Roasted Chicken Thighs

For this sweet marinade, look no further than your pantry! Essentials like honey, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic are all you need to give your chicken thighs great flavor.

Get the Recipe: Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

If you’ve been to New York City, you’ve definitely come across food carts selling “chicken over rice.” These food carts, also known as halal carts, were originally run by Egyptian immigrants, and their food quickly became a New York classic. The term halal refers to the methods used to prepare the meat in accordance with Islamic law. The chicken is marinated in a combination of spices and olive oil, then seared in a cast-iron skillet until golden and crispy on all sides. Paired with yellow rice, salad and the famous white sauce, this is street food at its finest.

Get the Recipe: Halal Cart Chicken