Chicken thighs

I could use some help.

Last year we went through several months when chicken was hard to come by. I think it was related to the instances of COVID in meat packing plants. As our reserves in a freezer declined our mostly boneless, skinless chicken breast household bought chicken thighs because they were available and our preference was not.

During our periodic inventory update of the freezer (empty everything out, reorganize with newest on the bottom, and spread things out) we found those thighs.

Chicken thighs are among a couple of things we moved to the top of the freezer to use up. Iā€™m searching through my go-to sources including friends Carolyn Shearlock, Beth Moncel, and someday friend Holly Nillson. Of course Iā€™ve also tried a number of Google searches. The hunt goes on.

What does the HO community suggest for people who like chicken but not particularly fond of thighs? We find it a bit fatty and sometimes greasy. In addition to cooktop and ovens we have a slow cooker and a barbecue grill and a pressure cooker.

Whatā€™cha think?

Are these ones bone-in?

Actually, based on your explanation, my best suggestion is just as good either way: make that fat (which is not really that much, but I know what you mean) into an asset instead of a nuisance, by making the chicken thighs part of a sauce that cooks for long enough to render the fat into the sauce, leaving the chicken thighs falling-apart tender.

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I prefer thighs to breasts for most dishes (the fat is a plus point for me). I find that most recipes for breasts adapt quite easily to thighs, generally just needing a little more cooking time. So, just go with your favourite recipe. Iā€™m assuming that the thighs are boneless but they are easy to bone if needed.

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I too was put off by chicken thighs but now like them recipes where they are cooked to falling apart tender as others have mentioned.
More often than not these are slow-cooker stew-like recipes with assertive flavors, like curries, Mexican recipes, etc. rather than as a whole chicken thigh by itself.

DW hates chicken thighs.

I de-skin and de-bone and de-fat them.
then used for any dish needing ā€˜chunksā€™ of chicken.

unless itā€™s a ā€˜just meā€™ meal - then then get southern fried totally whole.

just finished chicken Marsala - which drew drools and raves.
I opted not to mention the chicken was so tasty because it was thighs and not breast/breast tenderloins . . . . I just have to be careful Iā€™m not spotted during the prep.

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I use thigh skins for rendering chicken fat; usually with a touch of garlic and store it in the frig for roasted potatoesā€¦then I make a recipe that calls for using the meat. This link has some tasty choices. The bone is a bother to eat around, so I find it useful to remove it before beginning.

While chicken breasts are delicious, thighs really soak up sauces and marinades well.

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Just be a tiger or lion, or maybe even a gnu; donā€™t be a leopard or a giraffe. Youā€™ll do just fine. :+1:

All good advice above. If your crowd is used to boneless skinless chicken breast, just do the same with thighs. Chuck the skin and bone (or save for broth), cut the meat into cubes or lengths and proceed as if it were breast. Flatten and smash fillets for chicken piccata or schnitzel, into strips for satay, marinate in soy and cornstarch for stir fry protein in Shanghai noodles, Marsala is a no brainer. As Happy Onion suggests, go for it and say nothing. Sit back and wait for applause.

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I LOVE chicken thighs, but I also love someone who does not. Someone recently shared a recipe I would love to try.

Be right back.
Here it is.

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Thighs are my favorite.

At some point i discovered that leaving the skin on in saucy dishes contributed collagen - not just fat - for a wonderful sauce texture. (Remove skin before serving/eating.)

I like indian dishes best with thighs. You can braise stovetop, or use your PC.

Here are two from Madhur Jaffreyā€™s first book - you can add potatoes to both (in fact you should).

https://prucka.com/index.php/recipes2/11-main-course-poultry/76-chicken-in-fried-onion-sauce/

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Whatā€™s a PC, please?

Iā€™m not Saregamaā€¦ We could wait until she replies, but I think ā€œPCā€ is pressure cooker.

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Oooh. I want to try that. My go to for chicken thighs is Chicken Adobo in the slow cooker. But thisā€¦ this is to add to the repertoire. Thank you.

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I have the same situation, but have found that if it doesnā€™t LOOK like thigh, the meats passes as simply ā€œchickenā€. So, I bone and skin and say nothing.

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He wears one of these, for when he gets suspicious.


JK. But I often joke about it.

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To specifically address your comment about finding them fatty/greasy. I feel the same, and donā€™t love thighs in braises or liquids. However, this recipe was a lifesaver for me, because the method of cooking renders almost all the internal fat out, while crisping the skin beautifully. I donā€™t use any of the spices. Salt and pepper only. But the cooking method is great, and reliable.

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And re other postersā€™ suggestion about just not saying anything, I donā€™t think I have particularly sensitive taste buds, but I can always tell white and dark meat chicken. Both flavor and texture are quite different.

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Agreed. I suppose, though, that there must be dishes where you can sufficiently mask what youā€™re eating

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I suppose. It could be chicken thighs. Or rabbit, snake, turtle, eel. :slight_smile:

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I can tell the difference breast/white meat to thighs/dark meat, blindfolded, standing on my head, with both hands tied to my anklesā€¦

there is an analogy:
Do you like liver?
NO!
Have you ever eaten liver?
NO!

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