The 16 Best Chicken Thigh Recipes

You'll want to make them on repeat.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Updated March 06, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Smothered and covered chicken and gravy in a skillet.
Sally Vargas

I can't be 100% certain, but I'd be willing to bet that when the famous phrase "Winner, winner, chicken dinner!" was coined, chicken thighs were on the menu. They're one of the easiest cuts of chicken to cook because they're hard to overcook, versatile, and economical.

These 16 recipes showcase chicken thighs in their various forms—bone-in and skin-on, boneless and skinless, even chopped—and include helpful tips and tricks for keeping that skin crispy, getting the most flavor possible, and keeping your dinner relatively hands-off. Enjoy!

  • Basque-Style Chicken With Peppers and Olives

    Basque-Style Chicken with Peppers and Olives
    Sheryl Julian

    "Such a great recipe! We used poblano chilies, a brown onion and prosciutto instead of ham. Also a splash of Pinot Grigio." —Bob, Simply Recipes Reader

  • Easy Grilled Gochujang Chicken Thighs

    Easy Grilled Gochujang Chicken Thighs

    Cynthia Christensen / Simply Recipes

    "This recipe mixes gochujang with maple syrup and apple juice to even out the heat and enhance the sweetness. Using that flavorful paste will allow you to add big flavor to your chicken without the need for a long marination time." —Cynthia Christensen, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Smothered Chicken Thighs in Onion Gravy

    Smothered and covered chicken and gravy in a skillet.
    Sally Vargas

    "The gravy in this dish is made in the same skillet as the chicken with the all-purpose flour acting as the thickening agent, but you can also use white whole wheat flour, or chickpea or fava bean flour for a gluten-free option." —Virginia Willis, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Microwave Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)

    Microwave Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl) in a Microwavable Dish Surrounded by a Small Plate With Cooked Rice and a Small Plate of Kimchi

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "Oyakodon is quick and easy to make at home and is traditionally cooked on the stovetop. But making it in the microwave cuts the cook time in half to under 10 minutes." —Myo Quinn, Simply Recipes Editor

    Continue to 5 of 16 below

  • Sicilian Skillet Chicken With Lemon, Olives, and Capers

    Sicilian chicken in skillet with olives, lemons, and capers.

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    "Salt it up to 24 hours in advance and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. Doing so makes the finished bird especially flavorful." —Katie Morford, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Yotam Ottolenghi’s One-Pan Spaghetti and Chicken

    Ottolenghi One-Pan Spaghetti Topped With the Breadcrumb Mixture in a Dutch Oven

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "As written, the recipe takes one hour 30 minutes to make, but by swapping out bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for boneless chicken thighs, you can cut the cook time down by about half." —Devan Grimsrud, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Chicken Marengo

    chicken marengo served over pasta

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "This recipe already includes thyme, bay leaves, and a final garnish of parsley, but you can also add rosemary, marjoram, oregano, or a sprinkle of Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence." —Coco Morante, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Classic Chicken Provencal

    Classic chicken provencal in pot

    Nick Evans  / Simply Recipes

    "The biggest tip to make this dish special is to give your chicken thighs time to really develop a nice crust and start browning in the skillet before you start the braise. I like to let my chicken brown, skin-side down, in the skillet for at least 10 minutes over medium-low heat." —Nick

    Continue to 9 of 16 below

  • Char Siu Chicken

    Stove Top Char Siu Chicken
    Alison Conklin

    "Oven roasting the chicken yields perfectly fine flavor, but grilling it produces wonderful old-school character." —Andrea Nguyen, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Beer Braised Chicken and Onions

    A plate of braised onions and chicken thighs on pasta
    Elise Bauer

    "I can suggest doing the second half of the cooking in the oven as the lid on top of the stove made the browned skin soggy. I did the first half of the recipe on top of the stove in a large pan with the lid then transferred it to oven on 375 for another 40 minutes without the lid. Skin turned out perfectly crisp and saturated in flavor." —Naomi, Simply Recipes Reader

  • Chicken Gumbo with Andouille Sausage

    A plate of chicken and sausage gumbo ready to eat
    Elise Bauer

    "A gumbo hinges on its thickeners. A roux of flour and fat is the primary one, and is in almost every gumbo I've ever eaten. How dark you take the roux is your preference. Most Louisiana gumbo I've had relies on a roux that's almost the color of dark chocolate." —Hank Shaw, Simply Recipes Contributor

  • Chicken Vesuvio

    Chicken Vesuvio in a Cast Iron Skillet

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    "I use the zest as well as the juice of the lemon. The zest boosts the lemon flavor, while the juice provides the acid for the sauce. It’s also a zero-waste kitchen tip!" —Liz Tarpy, Simply Recipes Contributor

    Continue to 13 of 16 below

  • Spicy Garlic Cashew Chicken

    Spicy Garlic Cashew Chicken
    Elise Bauer

    "Taste the jalapeños first, before using. Jalapeños vary in heat and sometimes you need more, sometimes less to get the desired heat level. If you want to take it up a notch in heat, leave in more of the seeds." —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

  • Skillet Chermoula Chicken

    A plate of chicken on a bed of couscous
    Elise Bauer

    "I made the sauce but used it to top halibut filets instead of chicken, baked in the oven over veggies (peppers, onions, squash). It was AMAZING, and so easy. I'll be making this often." —Jenny, Simply Recipes Reader

  • Instant Pot Chicken Adobo and Rice

    Bowl of Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Next to a Bowl of Rice Topped With Scallions and Utensils, All on a Placemat
    Coco Morante

    "My friend Nancy likes to use rice vinegar in her adobo for its milder flavor. I tried it with both rice vinegar and white vinegar and decided that like the tanginess of white vinegar the best. If you like a more mild flavor, though, try it Nancy's way!" —Coco

  • One Pot Chicken and Orzo

    Skillet Chicken and Orzo
    Elise Bauer

    "I made a Greekified take on this recipe - added bay leaves, marinated chicken in lemon juice and zest, garlic, and oregano, added several cups of sauteed chopped kale, and swapped pearl couscous for the orzo. Topped with crumbled feta, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon." —Christina, Simply Recipes Reader

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