# Quick question concerning chicken thighs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887 "2013-04-16T22:45:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/1 "2013-04-16T22:45:56Z")
So lately I’ve really been digging on skinless boneless chicken thighs- much more flavorful and moist than breasts, still relatively low in fat, plus hey, no bones or skin. I grill 'em, I bake 'em in the oven with a sauce, I coat 'em with bread crumbs and pan-fry 'em. They come kind of rolled up in a neat little package, and I unroll them and take off the little bits of fat. But are you supposed to flatten them for cooking, or roll them back up like they were? Or does it not matter and I’m overthinking my thighs? I suspect the latter. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/2 "2013-04-16T23:23:38Z")
Overthinking 🙂 They will take less time to cook if you spread them out, of course. I sometimes leave them rolled up depending on how many I’m cooking and the pan I’m using. In that case, I leave them in the oven for maybe 10-15 more with no ill effect. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/3 "2013-04-16T23:32:15Z")
Ah, okay. As I suspected- thanks! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/4 "2013-04-16T23:39:18Z")
The meat stays moister and more tender rolled up, but it takes longer to cook. It’s just chicken thighs, and if you don’t overcook them you shouldn’t notice much difference. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/5 "2013-04-16T23:42:44Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > So lately I’ve really been digging on skinless boneless chicken thighs- much more flavorful and moist than breasts, still relatively low in fat, plus hey, no bones or skin. I grill 'em, I bake 'em in the oven with a sauce, I coat 'em with bread crumbs and pan-fry 'em. They come kind of rolled up in a neat little package, and I unroll them and take off the little bits of fat. But are you supposed to flatten them for cooking, or roll them back up like they were? Or does it not matter and I’m overthinking my thighs? I suspect the latter. I’ve recently come o love them as well. Typically I cut them up. That said, they are remarkably easy to tie together to make chicken cordon blu (sp?) recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/6 "2013-04-16T23:43:35Z")
Whatever you do, DON’T stuff them with strained spinach, feta cheese, and minced garlic, roll them and put them in a casserole dish, oil and salt and pepper liberally (maybe with a squeeze of lemon), and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350, and then serve with a side of vinaigrette couscous salad. Don’t do it I said! ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/7 "2013-04-17T00:59:20Z")
> [@Shark\_Sandwich](#): > > Whatever you do, DON’T stuff them with strained spinach, feta cheese, and minced garlic, roll them and put them in a casserole dish, oil and salt and pepper liberally (maybe with a squeeze of lemon), and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350, and then serve with a side of vinaigrette couscous salad. > > Don’t do it I said! I definitely won’t do this, probably this weekend! It does not sound delicious! Just had some grilled with bbq sauce. Man, those things will make you never want to buy another chicken breast again. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/8 "2013-04-17T01:16:11Z")
When you’re done not doing that, definitely don’t do this, either: Tanzanian Chicken Peanut Curry\* 1 1/2 ounces peanut butter 1 cup coconut milk 3 tablespoons ghee or butter 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs 1 tomato, chopped. (Deskinned first, if you’re an overachiever. I’m not.) 1 onion, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons curry powder 2 lbs spinach, cleaned and chopped (hell, just get the frozen kind. Way faster) Do not mix the peanut butter with the coconut milk and set aside. Then don’t heat the ghee/butter in a skillet and sautee the chicken, onions, tomato and onions, salt and curry power/paste until the onions are translucent and the chicken cooked through. Don’t add the spinach and cook to wilt it. And, whatever you do, don’t add the peanut butter/coconut milk mixture and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Serving it over rice would just be crazy talk. \*I have no idea if it’s authentically Tanzanian or not. Sounds fancy, though. It can also be made vegetarian by leaving out the chicken, and it’s still all kids of awesome. But not very topical to a chicken thread. ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/9 "2013-04-17T01:16:45Z")
Also, don’t sear them and briase them in a homemade molé and serve them with spanish rice or tortilla chips. And deffinetly DO NOT EVER top that with sour cream. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/10 "2013-04-17T02:03:57Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The meat stays moister and more tender rolled up, but it takes longer to cook. It’s just chicken thighs, and if you don’t overcook them you shouldn’t notice much difference. And chicken thighs are very very forgiving to overcooking. I would pretty much say that any slow cooker recipe that calls for chicken breast should be using chicken thighs for (partly) this reason (unless the breast is added in midway through the cooking.) ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/11 "2013-04-17T02:05:55Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > When you’re done not doing that, definitely don’t do this, either: > > Tanzanian Chicken Peanut Curry\* > 1 1/2 ounces peanut butter > 1 cup coconut milk > 3 tablespoons ghee or butter > 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs > 1 tomato, chopped. (Deskinned first, if you’re an overachiever. I’m not.) > 1 onion, chopped > 1 teaspoon salt > 2 teaspoons curry powder > 2 lbs spinach, cleaned and chopped (hell, just get the frozen kind. Way faster) > Do not mix the peanut butter with the coconut milk and set aside. Then don’t heat the ghee/butter in a skillet and sautee the chicken, onions, tomato and onions, salt and curry power/paste until the onions are translucent and the chicken cooked through. Don’t add the spinach and cook to wilt it. And, whatever you do, don’t add the peanut butter/coconut milk mixture and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. > > Serving it over rice would just be crazy talk. > > \*I have no idea if it’s authentically Tanzanian or not. Sounds fancy, though. It can also be made vegetarian by leaving out the chicken, and it’s still all kids of awesome. But not very topical to a chicken thread. This sounds dope! Definitely will try next week! ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/12 "2013-04-17T02:08:35Z")
> [@Amblydoper](#): > > Also, don’t sear them and briase them in a homemade molé and serve them with spanish rice or tortilla chips. And deffinetly DO NOT EVER top that with sour cream. The hell with you, I’m definitely trying this one! And maybe even the other recipes, too! The hell with all of you!!! 😉 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs rule. ---
**Author:** ![Hermione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cdc98d/32.png) [@Hermione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/13 "2013-04-17T02:15:27Z")
[This is one of MY favorite recipes for chicken thighs.](http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-honey-brushed-chicken-thighs-10000002010998/) Incredibly easy and CRAZY good! (You may want to use less cayenne, though, since sometimes it can be a bit over-spicy. Also, it’s good to use smoked paprika in place of the regular.) ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/14 "2013-04-17T02:27:43Z")
All of these recipes look good. I will be coming back to this thread often. Especially considering that these days, I’m mostly cooking just chicken or fish, so am frequently looking for new and interesting recipes for them. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/15 "2013-04-17T03:32:25Z")
Dice a couple of them and season with cayenne, garlic, cumin and black pepper. You could add cilantro if you have the genetics that let you like it. Braise and use in tacos or enchiladas or burritos. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/16 "2013-04-17T09:34:00Z")
Don’t cut them into strips (best not done while they’re still rolled), don’t toss with 5-spice powder and oodles of minced ginger and garlic, and don’t then stir fry them until crispy, with soy sauce and selection of greens like radish greens, basil and baby spinach not added at the end to just wilt. Especially don’t then serve them over cooked egg noodles tossed with liberal dashes of plum sauce. Unrecipes are fun. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/17 "2013-04-17T10:45:24Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Unrecipes are fun. Yes, they’re not. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/18 "2013-04-17T13:14:40Z")
Try this: [Budget Bytes: taco chicken bowls \\$10.66 recipe / $1.33 serving\\](http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2011/07/taco-chicken-bowls-1066-recipe-133.html) Recipe calls for breasts, but its vastly improved by thighs. So good! ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/19 "2013-04-17T13:16:43Z")
Don’t, for god’s sake, make oven-fried buttermilk chicken thighs. Don’t marinate the thighs in a gallon Ziplock bag with buttermilk in your fridge for at least a couple of hours up to overnight. Don’t dip them first in seasoned flour (I use a Creole spice blend, but really, anything goes), then dip them back into more buttermilk (NOT the buttermilk you initially used to marinate, btw), roll/pat them in panko, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Don’t bake at roughly 350F for about 35-40 minutes. And if you serve them with mashed potatoes and lightly steamed green beans, you’re really, really, going to hate eating 'em 😃 ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887/20 "2013-04-17T13:33:54Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > Don’t, for god’s sake, make oven-fried buttermilk chicken thighs. Don’t marinate the thighs in a gallon Ziplock bag with buttermilk in your fridge for at least a couple of hours up to overnight. Don’t dip them first in seasoned flour (I use a Creole spice blend, but really, anything goes), then dip them back into more buttermilk (NOT the buttermilk you initially used to marinate, btw), roll/pat them in panko, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Don’t bake at roughly 350F for about 35-40 minutes. And if you serve them with mashed potatoes and lightly steamed green beans, you’re really, really, going to hate eating 'em 😃 Heck, Imma going to do that, and no one can stop me! But don’t marinate them in plain yogurt overnight, either, and sprinkle with some hot curry powder mixture you found in the Indian grocery store and bake until done and serve with jasmine rice. You’ll be sorry! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-question-concerning-chicken-thighs/655887.md?page=2)