No, I don’t mean your legs, lol.
We are talking chicken thighs – these tasty little chicken parts get a bad rap in most of America. Maybe we can blame the fried chicken fast food restaurants for making the dark meats a cheaper offering when ordeing a bucket.
Reason #1 Forgivness
The thigh meat is the most forgiving of all the meat on the chicken. It is considered dark meat because it contains more fat content and thus holds more moisture when it is being cooked. Can you dry out a chicken thigh when cooking it? You absolutely can. It just needs less attention to time than the white meat areas, like a breast.
Reason #2 Fat Equals Flavor
The other reason we like it is that it’s higher fat content also means it has more flavor. This means that the thigh meat can be cooked on its own or added to other dishes and not only keeps its flavor but expands the dish and adds sapidity.
Reason #3 Budget Friendly
We like the thigh meat also because it is economical. Thigh meat is less costly than the breast meat of a chicken. For example, you may pay upwards of $2.00 per pound for chicken breast on sale, however you can often find thigh meat for well under $1.60 per pound.
I like to wait until there is a sale on thigh meat so I can prepare and freeze them. I find I can keep them for up to nine months in my freezer. On sale, I can find thighs with the bone intact for as little as .69 cents a pound. I like to debone them to use in a variety of ways.
Reason #4 Versatility
Thighs are one of the main ingredients in the Spanish Paella we like to make at our home. It is a rice, seafood, sausage and chicken masterpiece that has a bit of spice and saffron. Just writing this has me craving some!
I also love them Grilled with some Asian Barbecue Sauce or even with a traditional barbecue sauce. They cook up in no time on the grill and are great for a weeknight meal.
Thighs can be breaded and fried or baked. You could also use them for chicken salad or for stir-fry. I even won a chili contest using thigh meat. Next time you go to the supermarket, look for the chicken thighs and give them a try.
Watch the video on deboning your chicken thighs- it is pretty simple especially if you have a sharp knife that is made to cut meat from the bone.
Want to know which knife we recommend?
Already have the knife? Just want a good thigh recipe?