32 Chicken Thigh Recipes to Put in Your Weeknight Dinner Rotation You'll love these budget-friendly chicken thigh recipes that come together in under an hour. Close Credit: Nico Schinco Chicken thighs are one of our favorite cuts and we use them in all kinds of recipes. Try them baked, braised, broiled, grilled, roasted, sautéed, or seared—any way you make them, they're flavorful and juicy. Like white meat, they are quick to cook, but don't dry out like chicken breasts (and they're a better buy for your budget!). We're celebrating the versatility of chicken thighs with these recipes. Go ahead and make one for dinner tonight. 01 of 32 Broiled Yogurt-Marinated Chicken and Chickpeas Credit: Chris Simpson Boneless, skinless chicken thighs get a quick lime-yogurt marinade before they join carrots and chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and get the broiler treatment. Serve this sheet-pan dinner with couscous. View Recipe 02 of 32 Chicken With Herbed Pea Purée and Spinach Credit: Armando Rafael This winner chicken dinner features spinach two ways—as a purée and a salad. Browning the chicken thighs on the stovetop and finishing them in the oven ensures that they have super juicy meat and crispy golden skin. View Recipe 03 of 32 Crispy Chicken Tacos Credit: Paola + Murray Here's a not-to-be-missed dinner that starts with shredded, baked chicken thighs. Use them to fill crispy fried corn tortillas and add the easiest of salsa—chopped tomatoes are tossed with onion, jalapeño, and lime juice, and seasoned with salt. It's a meal you'll add to your regular rotation. View Recipe 04 of 32 Chicken-Thigh Piccata With Broccoli Rabe Credit: Nico Schinco Chicken thighs bring depth to a lemony piccata. They make a smart swap for the cutlets you might have used before: They cost less and are tastier and juicier, too. View Recipe 05 of 32 Spiced Chicken Kebabs With Pita Credit: Con Poulos This recipe comes together in 40 minutes, and uses a pound of chicken thighs. Za'atar seasoning takes the flavor profile up a notch. View Recipe 06 of 32 Chicken Scarpariello Credit: Chris Simpson An Italian-American favorite for good reason, this dinner recipe calls for braising the chicken thighs in a broth infused with rosemary, shallots, and pickled peppers. View Recipe 07 of 32 Instant Pot Chicken Curry Credit: Bryan Gardner Cook chicken thighs with fresh grated ginger, coriander seeds, Spanish paprika, chile powder, and cinnamon sticks in your Instant Pot on those nights when you want a curry and a meal that can be on the table in only 30 minutes. View Recipe 08 of 32 Chicken-and-Mushroom Congee Credit: Lennart Weibull This comforting meal is comprised of rice porridge flavored with chicken and mushrooms. We use short-grained rice, such as arborio, for the congee. It's not a traditional choice, but we like it for the creamy consistency it produces. View Recipe 09 of 32 Thyme-and-Sesame Crusted Chicken Thighs Credit: Justin Walker Looking for a quick dinner with a bit of crunch? Try these chicken thighs, which are coated in panko breadcrumbs, sesame, and thyme. The crispy coating contrasts perfectly with the tender chicken inside. View Recipe 10 of 32 Instant Pot Chicken Adobo and Rice Credit: Bryan Gardner It's not a traditional adobo, but this take on the vinegar-braised national dish of the Philippines is a flavorful one-pot and a favorite way to use chicken thighs. View Recipe 11 of 32 Spicy Basil Chicken Stir-Fry Credit: Justin Walker Tight on time? In just 35 minutes your family will be enjoying this tasty stir-fry. It gets its bold flavor from soy sauce and oyster sauce. View Recipe 12 of 32 Roasted Chicken With Kale and Tomato Panzanella Credit: Justin Walker For a hands-off meal, roasted chicken just can't be beat. This colorful and hearty summer dinner is on the table in 50 minutes. View Recipe 13 of 32 Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Marbella Credit: Bryan Gardner This retro dish features chicken thighs, salty olives, and sweet prunes atop polenta. Using the Instant Pot streamlines cooking time, so this classic will be ready in 50 minutes. View Recipe 14 of 32 Emeril's Braised Chicken Thighs Credit: STEVEN FREEMAN Chicken thighs are coated in Creole seasoning, seared in oil and butter, then braised in flavorful gravy until totally tender. Serve with rice to soak up as much of that gravy as possible. View Recipe 15 of 32 Baked Chicken Veracruz Credit: Julia Gartland Why let seafood have all the fun? The spiced tomato sauce known as Veracruz sauce is traditionally combined with seafood, such as red snapper or shrimp. As this recipe shows, it also works wonderfully when baked with chicken thighs. View Recipe 16 of 32 Chipotle Chicken and White-Bean Soup Credit: Alpha Smoot Not only is this take on chicken tortilla soup brimming with flavor, but it also uses one pot—and only takes 35 minutes to make. View Recipe 17 of 32 Saffron-Yogurt Chicken Kebabs Credit: Bobbi Lin Marinating your meat overnight means quick and easy cooking the next day—and delicious, tender chicken thighs for dinner. View Recipe 18 of 32 Chow Mein Credit: Martyna Szczesna Fast and packed with flavor, our take on a Chinese-American favorite takes just 25 minutes to make. Shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and Chinese broccoli star alongside crispy noodles and bite-sized pieces of chicken thigh meat. View Recipe 19 of 32 Chopped Barbecue-Chicken Sandwich Credit: Con Poulos Hit the grill with some boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and in the last minutes of cooking, brush on a five-ingredient BBQ sauce. Then cut up the meat, pile it on buns with a simple cabbage slaw, and enjoy sandwich bliss. View Recipe 20 of 32 Chicken Enchilada Casserole Mild green tomatillo sauce gives this enchilada recipe its green hue. Chicken thighs are shredded and added to the cheesy tortillas for a hearty meal. View Recipe 21 of 32 Quick Chicken Curry With Spinach and Peas Credit: Bryan Gardner Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are cooked in a spiced coconut milk sauce for this delicious curry. Spinach and peas raise the nutrition factor. View Recipe 22 of 32 General Tso's Chicken Credit: Martyna Szczesna The chile-spiked sweet-and-sour sauce paired with fried chicken makes this Chinese-American favorite a crowd-pleasing dish. View Recipe 23 of 32 Cashew-Chicken Kebabs Credit: Armando Rafael For these irresistible skewers, red curry paste and cashews are blended to make a paste you brush on pieces of chicken thigh meat. The result is a grilled dinner that's sure to delight. View Recipe 24 of 32 Easy Chicken and Shrimp Paella A few shortcuts mean this easy paella takes less than an hour to make. It might not be an authentic preparation, but it's a winning dish. Chorizo adds a spicy Spanish kick, while chicken and shrimp add more protein and flavor to each bite. View Recipe 25 of 32 Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Credit: Yunhee Kim Few things are more satisfying than chicken soup on a cold winter day. This one is made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and gets added heartiness from wild rice. View Recipe 26 of 32 Cornflake-Fried Chicken Credit: Bryan Gardner Whether you enjoy these fried chicken thighs with waffles or on mashed potatoes, this is an easy recipe you'll want to make time and time again. View Recipe 27 of 32 Chicken Chili With Hominy Credit: William Meppem Chicken thighs maintain their moisture better than white meat, which means this chicken chili tastes just as good when eaten as leftovers as it does on the first night. View Recipe 28 of 32 Quick Coq au Vin Blanc Credit: James Ransom An update on the classic French dish, this dinner uses dry white wine along with low-sodium chicken broth as its base. View Recipe 29 of 32 Chicken and Dumplings The epitome of comfort food, this recipe combines chicken thighs, cornmeal dumplings, and plenty of vegetables. It's a memorable meal that's on the table in an hour. View Recipe 30 of 32 Grilled Marinated Chicken Thighs Credit: Marcus Nilsson A tasty main that's on the table in under 30 minutes? Yes, please! Serve these grilled chicken thighs alongside your favorite roasted vegetables for a satisfying meal. View Recipe 31 of 32 Chicken and Mushroom Tagliatelle Credit: Romulo Yanes Heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and mushrooms combine with chicken thighs in this rich pasta dinner. View Recipe 32 of 32 White Bean Chicken Chili Credit: Rachel Marek In just an hour, chicken thighs are transformed into a hearty, spicy chili that's loaded with beans, onions, poblano peppers, and canned green chiles. You can keep the pieces of chicken large, or shred them if desired. View Recipe Explore more: Ingredients Meat & Poultry Chicken Chicken Thighs