Just out of curiosity, is it a function of my age (61) or where I grew up (Georgia, with Tennessee raised parents), that I never heard of a “thigh” until I was a grown man? For 20 years or so, I only heard them referred to as “upper joints.”
Mostly we cook a whole chicken, not cut up. When we carve it, I go with a combination of breast and thigh. Usually I have the drumstick the next day, cold. I save the best for last!
Normally I’m with you. But sometimes when I’ve roasted a good free-range chicken, the breast is amazingly sweet and juicy and flavorful in a way totally different from either dark meat or from factory-farm chicken; in those cases, succulent is a great word for it (whereas the dark meat is more savory).
I’m not saying white meat can’t be succulent. I just find it odd to call it succulent (which to me means “moist & tasty”) as compared with the dark meat.
If I had to eat it plain roasted, I’d choose dark meat. **EDITED TO ADD: ** Those two little rounded pieces of meat embedded in the back bone close to the thigh are, IMO, the very **best **tasting parts of the bird.
Breast meat, though , is a wonderful blank canvas to build a lot of different dishes that might be overpowered by the dark meat.
Yep, those are the oysters, and they go to the cook!
Chicken as chicken – thighs.
Chicken as bar munchies – hot wings. I love hot wings!
I never knew the difference. I just like legs and wings. Anything else with bones is too complicated to eat.
Dark meat, thigh. I use breasts for making chicken based soups/stews and if the only piece left in the bucket is a breast I’ll eat it. But the thigh is my favorite for everything else.
Because what you think is “moist and tasty” in dark meat, I find greasy and gross.
It’s opinions man.
I really never knew the difference until I got married. Up to that point, all chicken came in a bucket and it was all good. Now that I know there is a difference I still don’t really have a preference. If you put it on the plate I’ll eat it.
No man, it’s fact! 
Yes, I know it’s opinions. It’s just that I found it surprising. Now that you’ve explained it, it makes more sense.
Goddammit. No I have to come back and say if the breast ain’t succulent, it isn’t cooked medium rare.
Trust me. It’s the way. Fuck salmonella. Juicy and mouthwatering. All the way toothsome.
meat is meat…
Thighs or wings, in that order. Preferably “well-cooked” – no raw bits.
Charcoal-grilled, southern fried, tandoori, curry-type stuff all yummy.
Otherwise, chicken is B O R I N G.
They’re a close second to the burnt, crispy wingtips of a roasted bird.
Those ALSO go to the cook.
I love dark meat and don’t get the appeal for white. White is less tasty and often dry and tough. Dark meat is softer, juicy, and flavorful
For eating chicken by itself (as opposed to in a stir-fry or something), I prefer dark meat. Thigh over drumstick, because the former has more meat. But white meat is okay.
Yes. It has less fat, which makes it easier to overcook. To prevent that, if you’re roasting a whole chicken, the easiest way seems to be to cover the breast in foil and remove it near the end of cooking time. A chicken breast filet that’s pan-broiled just right is tender, moist, and flavorful.