The Most Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes | Canadian Living (2024)

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By: CanadianLiving.com / Recipes by The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

From balsamic-glazed chicken thighs to chicken tacos, here are some of our favourite chicken dinners that are always winners any day of the week.

Yogurt-Spiced Chicken with Grilled Tomato Kabobs

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Image by: Jeff Coulson By: Irene Fong and The Test Kitchen

Charring the cherry tomatoes adds flavour, and they still hold their shape.

Get the recipe: Yogurt-Spiced Chicken with Grilled Tomato Kabobs

Thai Coconut Chicken Simmer

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By: Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Fragrant with coconut, ginger and shallots, this bright flavored curry is best served over jasmine rice or rice noodles.

Get the recipe: Thai Coconut Chicken Simmer

Slow Cooker Lemon and Olive Chicken

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Image by: Yvonne Duivenvoorden By: Rheanna and The Test Kitchen

This is a slow cooker version of one of The Test Kitchen's favourite braised chicken dishes

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Lemon and Olive Chicken

Slow Cooker White Bean and Kielbasa Chili

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Image by: Ryan Brook By: Jennifer Bartoli and The Test Kitchen

Kielbasa sausage gives this chili a hearty texture and lots of flavour.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker White Bean and Kielbasa Chili

Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Curry

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Image by: Jeff Coulson By: Canadian Living Test Kitchen

This mild, sweet curry has all the comforting flavours of a curry without too much spice, making it a great choice for the entire family.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Curry

Fig Balsamic-Glazed Chicken Thighs

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Image by: Jeff Coulson By: Rheanna and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

A sweet glaze makes grilled chicken shine-literally!

Get the recipe: Fig Balsamic-Glazed Chicken Thighs

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Grilled Rosemary-Mustard Chicken

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By: Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Tender chicken thighs make a juicy canvas for painting on this rosemary and mustard glaze.

Get the recipe: Grilled Rosemary-Mustard Chicken

Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi

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Image by: Ryan Brook By: Irene Fong and The Test Kitchen

I love Vietnamese food and have fond memories of bonding with my mother over hot bowls of pho and crispy fresh rolls.

Get the recipe: Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi

Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs with Lemon-Broccoli Couscous

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Image by: Jodi Pudge By: Gilean Watts & The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Simple pantry ingredients make a flavourful sweet-and-sticky glaze for juicy chicken thighs.

Get the recipe: Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs with Lemon-Broccoli Couscous

Cheese and Jalapeno-Stuffed Chicken Thighs

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Image by: Jeff Coulson By: Leah Kuhne and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

These cheesy chicken thighs taste like Jalapeno poppers and are the perfect fit for a family-friendly meal.

Get the recipe: Cheese and Jalapeno-Stuffed Chicken Thighs

Souper Chicken Noodle

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Image by: Ryan Szulc By: Amanda Barnier and The Test Kitchen

With plenty of noodles, kale, sweet potatoes and chicken in every bite, this soup is satisfying and healing for your taste buds, your body and your soul.

Get the recipe: Souper Chicken Noodle

Miso Chicken with Broccoli Slaw

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By: The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

You know what saves time on a busy weeknight? Making a marinade that doubles as a salad dressing base.

Get the recipe: Miso Chicken with Broccoli Slaw

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Quick Chicken and White Bean Stew

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Image by: Jeff Coulson By: Jennifer Bartoli and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Ideal to dig into on a chilly evening, this one pot chicken stew comes together in no time.

Get the recipe: Quick Chicken and White Bean Stew

Curried Lentil and Chicken Soup

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Image by: Jeff Coulson By: Jennifer Bartoli and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Chicken thighs are less expensive than breasts and they give this robust soup added heartiness.

Get the recipe:Curried Lentil and Chicken Soup

Lemongrass Chicken Tacos

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Image by: Joe Kim By: Jennifer Bartoli and The Test Kitchen

Topping Vietnamese-inspired tacos with a fresh carrot salad adds the perfect amount of crunch.

Get the recipe: Lemongrass Chicken Tacos

Chicken Ratatouille with Lemon Basil Polenta

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Image by: Jeff Coulson By: Amanda Barnier and The Test Kitchen

This sodium-reduced, vegetable-packed dinner is full of flavour and comes together in half an hour.

Get the recipe: Chicken Ratatouille with Lemon Basil Polenta

Quick Cassoulet Stew

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Image by: Jodi Pudge By: Leah Kuhne and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

This hearty French stew (named after the earthenware pot that it's traditionally cooked in) normally takes hours to prepare. Using canned beans and chicken thighs (instead of the usual duck confit) allows you to get in on the table in minutes.

Get the recipe: Quick Cassoulet Stew

Chicken Skewers with Peanut Lime Dipping Sauce

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The Most Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes | Canadian Living (20)

Image by: Jodi Pudge By: Jennifer Bartoli and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

These skewers pair nicely with sesame noodles or sautéed greens.

Get the recipe: Chicken Skewers with Peanut Lime Dipping Sauce

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Chicken Pilaf with Spinach and Walnuts

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Image by: Ryan Brook By: Rheanna Kish and The Test Kitchen

Economical one-pot recipes like this one are essential in everyone's repertoire. Toasted walnuts and fresh herbs bring a pleasant crunch and bright flavour to this Mediterranean- inspired dish. Use California walnuts for the freshest flavour.

Get the recipe: Chicken Pilaf with Spinach and Walnuts

Slow Cooker Saffron Chicken and Apricot Tagine

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Image by: Jeff Coulson By: The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Tagine is a stew eaten all over Morocco served in earthenwear pots of the same name. All tagines start with a spice base, often including cinnamon, saffron, turmeric and cumin. Serve with lemon wedges over couscous or with flatbread to soak up the delicious juices.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Saffron Chicken and Apricot Tagine

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH HERB SALAD

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Get the recipe here.

SZECHUAN CHICKEN STIR-FRY

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Get the recipe here.

CHINESE-STYLE BARBECUE CHICKEN

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Forget your ordinary barbecue chicken. After trying this version—a twist on the flavourful Hong Kong-style char siu barbecue pork—you'll never go back to basic.

Get the recipe here.

SLOW COOKER SMOKY CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

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This classic Hungarian dish is traditionally made with sweet paprika, but we used smoked paprika to add depth to the sauce. Add it to your repertoire for a seriously unforgettable meal.

Get the recipe here.

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CHICKEN & WILD MUSHROOM STEW

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Be sure to use bone-in chicken thighs as they are more flavourful than breast meat and stay moist and tender during cooking.

Get the recipe here.

SPICED GRILLED MAPLE LIME CHICKEN

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Marinating the chicken in a spiced buttermilk keeps it moist and tender. We love this marinade for juicy chicken thighs and thick pork chops.

Get the recipe here.

CHILI CHICKEN TACOS WITH MANGO SLAW

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Look for dried chilies in major supermarkets and at Latin American grocers.

Get the recipe here.

TERIYAKI SKEWERS

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Yakitori, a Japanese skewered chicken, is so easy to make. We love using thigh meat because it stays nice and juicy on the grill. Save any leftover sauce for stir-fries or noodles.

Get the recipe here.

CIDER-BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SMASHED POTATOES

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Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs are a bargain at the grocery store, plus they're so much juicier than boneless thighs or breasts. Look for smaller thighs to ensure they cook quickly; if they're on the larger side, they may need a few extra minutes.

Get the recipe here.

ONE-POT CHICKEN DINNER

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Get the recipe here.

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CHICKEN IN AU GRATIN ONION SAUCE

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Get the recipe here.

SKILLET TURMERIC CHICKEN & RICE

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Get the recipe here.

MAPLE BUTTERMILK GRILLED CHICKEN

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Everyone will love this sweet and savoury chicken. Mix it up by using a variety of white and dark meat so that they all get their favourite pieces. Be sure to cut chicken breasts in half crosswise, through the bone, to make them more similar in size to the thighs and drumsticks. For a fun garnish, cut a lime in half to grill alongside the chicken for the last 10 minutes.

Get the recipe here.

CURRY & HONEY CHICKEN

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Get the recipe here.

CHICKEN WITH GRAPES & BALSAMIC VINEGAR

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Get the recipe here.

CHICKEN, RICE AND THYME BIRYANI

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Browning the chicken and cooking the biryani in the same pan keeps cleanup to a minimum and infuses the rice with flavour.

Get the recipe here.

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BROCCOLI & CHICKEN WITH WINE SAUCE

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Get the recipe here.

SLOW COOKER BUTTER CHICKEN

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This recipe can easily be left to simmer away in a slow cooker for eight hours before adding the chicken. It yields a large quantity of sauce that freezes well if you're feeding a smaller group. Serve over hot steamed basmati rice.

Get the recipe here.

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The Most Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes | Canadian Living (2024)

FAQs

How to make chicken thighs taste better? ›

12 Ways To Add More Flavor To Chicken Thighs
  1. Buy thighs with the skin on. ...
  2. Salt or brine thighs before cooking. ...
  3. Use a splash of spirits in your marinade. ...
  4. Use leftover pickle juice for an easy marinade. ...
  5. Give the thighs a poke before marinating. ...
  6. Cook them low and slow. ...
  7. Use dairy as a marinade. ...
  8. Don't shy away from sweetness.
Jan 29, 2023

Why are chicken thighs so good? ›

Chicken thighs are a fattier cut of meat, which means they're going to have more intense, rich flavor than their white meat counterparts. No matter the cooking preparation, chicken thighs will always yield a richer, more flavorful product.

What is the difference between chicken thighs and chicken thigh portions? ›

Chicken thighs can be bought as thigh fillets with skin and bone removed, or thigh cutlets, with bone and skin still attached. Chicken thigh meat is brown and has a little more fat then the breast, but also slightly more flavour. Thigh fillets are great sliced or chopped in stir-fries, or in casseroles.

How to make chicken more flavorful? ›

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

Do chicken thighs get more tender the longer you cook them? ›

Unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs and drumsticks actually become more tender the longer they cook. That's because of their makeup. Dark meat has an abundant amount of connective tissue, which dissolves into gelatin as the meat cooks, rendering it juicy and tender.

Should you sear chicken thighs before baking? ›

Tips and Tricks for Oven Baked Chicken Thigh Success

We love searing the thighs before pouring the sauce over them and baking. This will render some of the fat as well as help the skin get nice and crispy.

Should I cover my chicken thighs when baking? ›

But I know you are wondering– should you cover chicken thighs when they are baking? The simple answer is, no. We don't cover our skin-on chicken thighs because we want that skin to get nice and crispy!

Why do chefs prefer chicken thighs? ›

While the breast is very low in fat, chicken thighs are higher in fat, and in cooking, fat equals flavor. It also means the thighs are more tender and less likely to dry out than chicken breasts—in other words, they are very easy to cook and very difficult to ruin.

Which is healthier chicken breast or thigh? ›

Chicken breasts do have a higher content of some B vitamins and minerals whereas chicken thighs have higher amounts of vitamin B12, she adds. Chicken thighs are typically less expensive by the pound. However, chicken breasts can be a challenge to cook because they can easily dry out and be overdone.

Are chicken thighs bad for cholesterol? ›

Chicken, by nature, has lower cholesterol and lower fat than most meats. Chicken breast contains the least cholesterol, followed by the thighs, wings, and legs. However, its cholesterol-raising effects depend on the part of the chicken you use and the method of preparation.

Why do chicken thighs take so long to cook? ›

Bone-in thighs will also require more cooking time. The bone slows down how quickly the meat can heat up. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are often the most expensive chicken thigh option. That's because the butcher has to do extra work to prepare this.

What is the most expensive part of the chicken? ›

The most popular but also the most expensive cut is chicken breast. This is the lean boneless white meat from the pectoral muscles. Suggested cooking methods are grilling, baking, roasting, frying, or barbecuing.

Which is healthier chicken thighs or drumsticks? ›

Physiologically speaking, drumsticks would be healthier than thighs as they are leaner & do more to hold most of the body weight & most of the work. They will thus have less fat & consequently less meat.

How much real meat is in a chicken thigh? ›

About 79% of uncooked weight if you include skin as “edible meat” (but only 66% for just muscle), for skin on. If you start with a skinless chicken thigh, the meat is about 76%.

How to infuse flavor into chicken thighs? ›

To make tender and flavorful grilled chicken thighs, follow these steps: Marinate the chicken thighs for at least 30 minutes overnight in a mixture of your choice, such as a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, herbs, and spices.

Why don't I like chicken thigh? ›

Some possible reasons could be: Texture: Chicken legs can have a slightly tougher texture compared to other parts of the chicken, such as the breast meat. Some people may not enjoy the texture of the meat or find it too chewy. Flavor: Chicken legs have a distinct flavor that may not be appealing to everyone.

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