What Are Boneless chicken thighs and How Can I Use Them?
If boneless chicken thighs have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 146 recipes to try them in.
Key Points
- Boneless, skinless thighs are dark meat with no trimming, the weeknight workhorse cut.
- More fat than breast makes them juicy and forgiving, hard to dry out.
- Ideal for stir-fries, curries, and bold sauces that would overwhelm mild breast.
- Cook to 165°F (74°C) minimum, but 175 to 185°F (80 to 85°C) makes them silky.
- Breast or bone-in thighs substitute; use within one to two days or freeze nine months.
What are boneless chicken thighs?
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are dark meat with the bone and skin already removed: all the flavor of the thigh, ready to cook in minutes. They are the weeknight workhorse, the cut that goes straight from package to pan with no trimming.
What sets them apart from breast is fat.
Thighs carry more of it, plus more connective tissue, so they stay juicy and tender even when you cook them a little long. Breast goes from done to dry in a minute or two; a thigh gives you a wide margin for error.
How to Use Them
Boneless thighs are made for fast, high-heat cooking. They sear in a hot pan, take a sheet pan beautifully, and are the right cut for stir-fries and curries where small pieces cook quickly and soak up sauce.
That sauce-soaking is their gift. The richer dark meat stands up to bold flavors that would overwhelm a mild breast.
That is why they carry Chicken Tikka Masala (Main), Dennis' General Tso Chicken, and the slow-simmered Sofrito Chicken (Slow cooker). They also shred well for tacos, and glaze cleanly, as in Chicken Thighs Glazed with Orange-Thyme-Cumin.
Cooking and Pairing
Sear them first if you have the time. A boneless thigh laid flat in a hot pan browns into deep flavor, and that fond becomes the base of a quick pan sauce.
Cook them to 165°F (74°C) for safety, but they are better at 175 to 185°F (80 to 85°C), where the collagen melts and the meat turns silky.
This is the opposite of breast: extra heat makes a thigh tender, not dry.
They pair with almost anything bold, from soy and ginger to mustard and smoked paprika. The one place they fall short is any dish that needs neat, uniform slices, since thighs cook up rumpled rather than tidy.
Substitutes
Chicken breasts are the obvious swap, but they dry out faster, so cook them less and watch them closely.
Bone-in, skin-on thighs give even more flavor and juiciness if you do not mind the extra trimming and a longer cook. Turkey thighs bring a similar dark-meat richness for larger dishes.
Buying and Storing
Choose thighs that look plump and evenly pink with no gray areas or strong smell, and avoid packs sitting in excess liquid. Trim any loose fat or stray cartilage before cooking if you like a cleaner bite.
Use fresh thighs within one to two days, stored in the coldest part of the fridge.
To keep them longer, wrap tightly and freeze for up to nine months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. For the rest of the bird's cuts and general handling, see the parent chicken page.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 unit (yield from 1 lb ready-to-cook chicken) (110g)Quick facts
Where to find boneless chicken thighs: Boneless chicken thighs are usually found in the poultry section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group: Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless are a member of the Poultry Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 鸡大腿，去骨，去皮
- British (UK) term
- Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- en français
- désossées et sans peau des cuisses de poulet
- en español
- muslos de pollo deshuesadas y sin pellejo
How much do boneless chicken thighs weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 unit (yield from 1 lb ready-to-cook chicken) | 110 grams |
| ½ chicken, bone removed | 184 grams |
Related
Poultry Products
Recipes using boneless chicken thighs
There are 146 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Spicy Green Pepper Honey Dijon Chicken
Paleo honey Dijon chicken thighs with serrano peppers and rosemary. Marinate overnight, bake 45 minutes for tender, sweet-spicy results that are naturally gluten-free.
Garlic & Fava Beans Soup
A soup which is a combination of Mediterranean garlic soups with a 17th century East European fava beans soup. Quite good.
Crockpot Jambalaya
Crockpot jambalaya layered with chicken, smoked sausage, and shrimp in a Creole-spiced tomato base. Orzo cooks right in the pot, and the shrimp goes in last so it stays plump.
Chicken Tikka Masala (Main)
Traditional Indian dish of roasted chunks of chicken in a spicy sauce. The chicken is a very good source of lean protein, while the sauce provides important nutrients such as vitamins A and C as well as calcium.
Crispy Mahogany Chicken for Two
Crispy skin, moist chicken thighs with a deep mahogany flavor from the flavorful Asian inspired ingredients. A great one skillet meal. The fat from the skin is rendered and discarded while the dark meat stays moist.
Chicken Thighs Glazed with Orange-Thyme-Cumin Sauce
Very easy to prepare and packed with fairly strong Asian style sweet-sour flavor. Perhaps a bit much on the vinegar, would be good with plain white rice to balance things out.
Hunter's Chicken Stew
From across Northern Italy there are many variations. A rich broth, juicy Italian tomatoes and rich herb simmered for a long time. I used a mixture of sliced mushrooms from my local supermarket and dried lobster, oyster and shitake mushrooms. Then used the mushroom juice in place of chicken broth. Outstanding reduction of rich comfort flavors.
Honey Orange Glazed Chicken Thighs
Boneless and skinless chicken thighs, browned, coated in honey orange glaze and then finished in the oven to keep them juicy.
Apricot Chicken Thighs
Add a new fruity taste to dinner with this scrumptious dish that gets its amazing flavor from apricot nectar and dry sherry.
Osso Buco Chicken Thighs
Rich in flavor - low in cost. Money saving chicken thighs replace the expensive traditional veal in this rendition of an Italian classic.
Chicken with Apples & Bacon
Boneless and skin-less chicken thighs caramelized with bacon then braised with apples and onions.
Dennis' General Tso Chicken
This is my version of the wonderful dish known as General Tso's Chicken (sometimes also called General Chicken.) I use quite a bit of ground chilies in my recipe. (If you prefer a milder version just reduce the amount of ground chilies.)
Easy One Pan Triple-Mustard Chicken Dijon
An easy one-pan stove-stop chicken main dish braised in white wine and three kinds of mustard. Delicious and easy to prepare chicken main. Easy to scale down to two servings or up to serve a crowd.
Thai Tamarind Chicken Stir Fry
Tired of cooking chicken the plain old style? How about making it Thai style this time! And with a hint of tamarind added to it, there is no way you can keep yourself from licking the last morsel of it left off the plate. What’s more? It is quick and easy to make and can be prepared in a jiffy whenever you have unannounced guests at home. A classic Thai recipe, this sweet and sour chicken stir fry even though is a meal by itself but when served with fragrant jasmine rice they take the eating experience to a whole new level. Try is right away!
Chinese Roasted Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts
This easy and tasty dish will for sure satisfy your pickiest eater, and this time they will actually enjoy these deliciously roasted brussels sprouts.
Sofrito Chicken (Slow cooker)
Puerto Rican sofrito chicken made in the slow cooker. Chicken cooks low all day in a base of garlicky sofrito until it's fall-off-the-bone tender and steeped in island flavor. Dump and go.
Chicken Thighs Glazed with Orange-Thyme-Cumin
Very easy to prepare and packed with fairly strong Asian style sweet-sour flavor.
Chicken Soup with Greens & Shiitake Mushroo
A light, ginger-infused chicken soup with sauteed shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, spinach, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Clean, bright, and nourishing.
Tallahassee Chicken Salad
Tallahassee chicken salad keeps it Southern simple: poached chicken thighs, crisp diced celery, mayonnaise, and a hit of hot pepper sauce. Three ingredients, big Florida-panhandle flavor.
Smoked Chicken Tortilla
Smoky grilled chicken thighs served sliced on warm flour tortillas with fresh tomato salsa and avocado relish. A simple, wood-fired Mexican-inspired dinner for 8.
Saint's Fried Chicken
Corn flake fried chicken with a triple coating: seasoned flour, egg wash, then crushed corn flakes for an extra-crunchy, golden crust with cayenne heat.
Sweet & Tangy Chicken
Bacon-topped baked chicken thighs drizzled with a honey-Dijon-curry glaze and a whisper of cayenne. Crispy, sticky, and savory with a sweet kick. Weeknight dinner gold.
Jerk Chicken & Nectarine Salad
Jerk chicken & nectarine salad with honey-lime dressing ready in 30 minutes. Spicy grilled chicken thighs over crisp romaine with sweet, juicy nectarines and scallions.
Chicken Soup with Greens & Shiitake Mushrooms
Clear chicken broth infused with ginger and white wine, loaded with sauteed shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, and wilted spinach finished with sesame oil.
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Baked chicken Parmesan with a mustard-butter dip and crispy Parmesan breadcrumb coating. No frying, no marinara. Just bone-in thighs baked golden and crunchy in one hour.
Chilli Chicken
Mughlai-style chilli chicken with whole cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, yogurt, saffron, coconut cream, and almonds. Aromatic North Indian curry simmered in ghee.
Yucatanstyle Chicken
Grilled Yucatan-style chicken thighs marinated overnight, double-skewered for flat grilling, and served with papaya tomatillo salsa and julienned jicama.
Lemon Oregano Chicken
Lemon oregano chicken thighs: pan-seared until golden, then roasted in a bright lemon-butter-oregano pan sauce. A fast Greek-leaning weeknight dinner with crispy skin and tender meat.
Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Fried chicken strips marinated in honey Dijon, dipped in buttermilk, breadcrumb-crusted, and served over mixed greens with crispy pancetta and honey mustard vinaigrette.
Spicy Chicken Chili
Slow cooker chicken chili with browned thighs, dried navy beans, crushed tomatoes, green chiles, and sharp cheddar. Set it in the morning, come home to a bowl of smoky, spicy comfort.
Chili-Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Rice
Chicken thighs wrapped around cheese-stuffed green chilis, baked on a bed of toasted salsa rice with cumin and cilantro. A complete Southwestern one-dish dinner that's worth every minute.
Skillet Chicken Dinner for 2
Rosemary chicken thighs with red potatoes, caramelized onions, spinach, and olives scaled down for two. A complete skillet dinner for date night in just 30 minutes.
Stephanie Marquesano's Chicken Soup, Thanks Grandma
Not too watery, not too heavy, this recipe is just right! Once again, I often adjust measurements and go by feel!
Beachcomber Chicken
Hawaiian-style Beachcomber Chicken marinated in shoyu, ginger, garlic, sherry, ketchup, and sugar then cooked until glazed and sticky. Island flavors meet easy weeknight cooking for a sweet-savory crowd-pleaser.
Chicken Cooked with Rice
Stir-fried chicken thighs with ginger, soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil poured over steaming rice to finish cooking together in one pot. Traditional Chinese clay pot comfort food.
Yucatan Style Chicken
Marinated chicken thighs grilled over wood or charcoal, served with papaya-tomatillo salsa and julienned jicama. Bold Yucatan flavors with a smoky, charred finish.
Chicken Thighs with Aromatic Spices
Chicken thighs poached with cumin and oregano, rubbed with spice paste, then pan-fried until crisp. Served in a tangy onion broth with banana peppers and apple cider vinegar.
Kohnen's Biryani Supremo
Chicken biryani with toasted rice, whole spices, turmeric, golden raisins, and crispy fried onion flakes. An aromatic one-pot Indian rice dish garnished with hard-boiled eggs and tomato.
Salsa Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
Slow cooker salsa chicken with Brussels sprouts, Ro-Tel tomatoes, jalapeno, and cayenne pepper. Set it and forget it for 7 hours on low for a spicy, hands-off dinner.
Shellfish & Chicken Paella
Grilled paella with chicken thighs, lobster, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, and chorizo over curry-turmeric rice with ancho powder. A show-stopping one-platter feast.
Yogurt Chicken with Garlic-Mint Dipping Sauce
Yogurt chicken oven-bakes plain yogurt-dipped, breadcrumb-coated chicken legs and thighs to crispy golden tenderness. Served with a vibrant garlic-mint herb dipping sauce.
Chicken Picadillo
Chicken picadillo with bone-in thighs braised in a tomato sauce with golden raisins, green chilies, cinnamon, and cumin. A sweet-savory Latin American skillet dinner topped with almonds.
Sindhi Chicken
Sindhi chicken curry with deeply caramelized onions, whole cinnamon and cloves, yogurt, tomatoes, and aromatic ground spices. An authentic Pakistani one-pot chicken thigh curry.
Lemony Chicken
Lemony chicken thighs marinate in fresh lemon juice for 12 hours, then sauté golden and bake in lemon-thyme broth. Make-ahead picnic and potluck classic, served chilled.
Green Chicken Curry with Eggplant
Thai green chicken curry with eggplant simmered in coconut milk and green curry paste, finished with Thai basil, cilantro, and red chilies.
Seoul ful Chicken with Minted Cucumbers
Korean-style grilled chicken thighs marinated in soy, sesame oil, ginger, and honey, served with a cool minted cucumber salad. A bright, balanced weeknight dinner.
Quick Coq au Vin
Quick coq au vin delivers the classic French chicken-in-red-wine stew in 40 minutes using boneless thighs, cremini mushrooms, carrots, and Canadian bacon. A weeknight-friendly version of the traditional braise.
Chicken Jambonette Stuffed with Gouda
Boneless chicken thighs stuffed with a mushroom, shallot, white wine, and port cream filling, topped with melting Gouda, then roasted golden. Restaurant-worthy elegance on a home kitchen timeline.
All 146 boneless chicken thighs recipes
More boneless chicken thigh recipes
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Balsamic Chicken
- Canton Chicken & Chinese Sausages
- Chicken Arabian Style
- Chicken Cooked with Rice
- Chicken in Cream & Herb Sauce
- Chicken in Spicy Sauce
- Chicken Parmesan(Rice)
- Chicken Thighs in Honey-Sesame Marinade
- Chicken Thighs with Leeks & Garlic
- Chilli Chicken
- Crispy Deviled Chicken
- Easy Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Easy Sweet 'N Sour Chicken
- Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
- Green Chicken Curry with Eggplant
- Lemon Chicken with Bitters
- Lemony Baked Chicken
- Lemony Chicken
- Mom's Chicken With Peppers
- Mulligatawny Stew
- Red Wine Braised Chicken with Orecchiette Pasta
- Roasted Winter Squash & Chicken Thighs
- Sancocho with Pumpkin & Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet & Tangy Chicken
