Have you ever stood over your stove spatula in hand wondering if your chicken thighs are done yet? I know I have! Getting that perfect balance of juicy inside and crispy outside can feel like a culinary tightrope walk. But don’t worry – I’ve got your back with this comprehensive guide to cooking chicken thighs.
The Quick Answer: Chicken Thigh Cooking Times
For those who just want the short and sweet answer:
Pan-frying chicken thighs generally requires about 6-8 minutes per side to achieve that beautiful golden-brown sear and reach the safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C)
But wait! The cooking time varies depending on several factors like thickness, bone presence, and cooking method Let’s dive deeper into what affects cooking times and how to get perfect results every time
Factors That Affect Cooking Time
Bone-In vs. Boneless Chicken Thighs
The presence of bones significantly impacts cooking time:
- Bone-in chicken thighs: These typically take 6-8 minutes per side on medium-high heat
- Boneless chicken thighs: These cook faster, usually requiring 5-7 minutes per side
Why the difference? The bone acts like an insulator, slowing down heat penetration. This means bone-in thighs need about 2-3 minutes extra cooking time per side compared to boneless ones.
Skin-On vs. Skinless Thighs
The skin also plays a crucial role in cooking time and texture:
- Skin-on thighs: Grill for 5-7 minutes on the skin side first (to render fat and crisp up), then flip
- Skinless thighs: Cook for about 5-6 minutes per side, but watch carefully as they can dry out faster
Skin-on thighs offer superior texture and flavor due to the rendered fat, but they require proper technique to get that perfectly crispy skin.
Thickness Matters
Thicker chicken thighs need more time to cook through properly. Always use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness rather than relying solely on cooking times.
I’ve found that using a meat thermometer has saved many of my meals from being either dangerously undercooked or disappointingly dry!
Cooking Methods and Times
Pan-Frying Chicken Thighs
This is my go-to method for quick weeknight dinners:
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels
- Season generously with salt, pepper, and your favorite spices
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a bit of oil
- Place chicken thighs in the hot pan (skin-side down if using skin-on)
- Cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes until golden brown
- Flip and cook another 6-8 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F
Pro tip: Don’t overcrowd the pan! Cook in batches if needed to maintain proper heat.
Grilling Chicken Thighs
When the weather’s nice, nothing beats firing up the grill:
- Bone-in thighs: Grill for 6-8 minutes per side on medium heat
- Boneless thighs: Grill for 5-7 minutes per side
- Skin-on thighs: Start with skin side down for 7-8 minutes to get crispy skin
- Skinless thighs: About 5-6 minutes per side
Always preheat your grill before adding the chicken, and make sure to maintain a medium heat around 400°F (204°C).
How to Tell When Chicken Thighs Are Done
While timing is helpful, it’s not foolproof. Here’s how to check for doneness:
- Use a meat thermometer (the most reliable method) – chicken is safe when it reaches 165°F (74°C)
- Check the juices – they should run clear, not pink
- Visual check – cut into the thickest part; meat should be opaque with no pink
Remember, chicken thighs are more forgiving than chicken breasts. They contain more fat, which keeps them juicy even when cooked a bit longer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Not Preheating Your Pan or Grill
Always preheat! Adding chicken to a cold surface causes it to steam rather than sear, resulting in rubbery skin and less flavor.
2. Flipping Too Soon
I know it’s tempting, but resist the urge to constantly check and flip! Letting the chicken sear undisturbed is critical for developing that beautiful crust. Wait until it releases easily from the pan.
3. Overcrowding the Pan
Give those thighs some space! Overcrowding lowers the pan temperature and causes steaming instead of searing.
4. Skipping the Rest Period
Always let your chicken thighs rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking. This allows juices to redistribute, resulting in moister meat.
Enhancing Flavor: Marinades and Seasonings
Chicken thighs are incredibly versatile when it comes to flavors. Here are some ideas:
Basic Marinade Components:
- Olive oil: Adds moisture and prevents sticking
- Acidic elements: Lemon juice, vinegar, or yogurt to tenderize
- Herbs and spices: Garlic, paprika, thyme, rosemary
- Salt and pepper: Always essential
Marinate your chicken thighs for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.
Essential Tools for Cooking Chicken Thighs
Having the right equipment makes a big difference:
- Good quality skillet: Cast iron works beautifully for even heat
- Meat thermometer: The most reliable way to check doneness
- Tongs: For safely flipping the chicken
- Basting brush: For applying marinades or sauces
- Aluminum foil: For tenting during rest periods
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I cook chicken thighs in the oven?
Oven-baking chicken thighs typically requires 25-35 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Bone-in thighs take longer than boneless.
Can I cook frozen chicken thighs?
While possible, it’s not ideal. Expect significantly longer cooking times and less even results. It’s best to thaw chicken thoroughly before cooking for food safety and best texture.
What’s the best way to get crispy chicken skin?
Pat the skin dry before cooking, use medium-high heat, don’t overcrowd the pan, and cook skin-side down first. You can also finish under the broiler for extra crispiness.
How do I prevent chicken thighs from sticking to the pan?
Ensure your pan is properly preheated, use enough oil, and avoid moving the chicken before it’s developed a good sear.
How long do cooked chicken thighs last in the refrigerator?
Properly stored, cooked chicken thighs will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Nutritional Benefits of Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs aren’t just delicious – they’re nutritious too:
- Protein: About 26 grams per 3.5-ounce serving
- B vitamins: Particularly niacin and B6, which support energy metabolism
- Minerals: Iron and zinc for immune function
- Healthy fats: Support hormone production and help absorb fat-soluble vitamins
Perfect Side Dishes for Chicken Thighs
Complete your meal with these complementary sides:
- Roasted vegetables
- Mashed potatoes or rice
- Fresh green salad
- Pasta with light sauce
- Grilled corn on the cob
My Personal Experience
I remember the first time I tried cooking chicken thighs after years of only using chicken breasts. I was amazed at how much more forgiving they were! Even when I got distracted by my kids and left them on a bit longer than intended, they were still juicy and delicious.
Now, chicken thighs are a staple in our weekly meal rotation. We particularly love marinating them in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and herbs for a Mediterranean-inspired dish that pairs perfectly with a simple Greek salad.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of cooking chicken thighs is all about understanding the basics: 6-8 minutes per side for bone-in, 5-7 minutes for boneless, and always confirming doneness with a meat thermometer.
With these guidelines in mind, you’ll be serving up perfectly cooked, juicy chicken thighs every time. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t exactly right. Keep at it, and soon you’ll be impressing family and friends with your chicken thigh expertise!
What’s your favorite way to prepare chicken thighs? Do you have any special seasonings or techniques you swear by? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Slow Roast (No Brine) & Slow Roast (Dry Brine)
- If brining: The night before you plan to cook the chicken, season the thighs with salt and pepper. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. If not brining, proceed straight to the next step.
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Rub the thighs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place skin-side up in a roasting pan.
- Roast, uncovered, until the meat closest to the bone registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and the skin is crispy, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
A pared-down take on Joan Chicken, this method was not the most efficient, nor did it produce the most aesthetically pleasing specimens. But the meat itself was delicious, more deeply flavored than almost any other method (save for the braise, below), if a bit less juicy. Notably, both the dry-brined and unbrined thighs shrank more than any other thighs, suggesting they rendered more of their fat and juices. The dry-brined thigh was significantly more succulent than the unbrined one, and both had incredibly light, crispy skin that puffed up like a balloon mid-inflation, despite the resulting lighter tones.
Sear & High-Heat Roast
- Heat the oven to 475°F.
- Set a cast-iron skillet or heavy nonstick skillet over high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of canola oil and, as it heats, season the thighs with salt and pepper.
- When the oil is shimmering, add the thighs skin-side down. Sear for 2 minutes, then lower the heat to medium-high. Continue to cook the thighs skin down for another 12 minutes or so, until the skin is crispy and golden.
- Transfer to the oven and roast uncovered for 13 minutes. Flip the thighs and cook for another 5 minutes, until the meat closest to the bone registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
This method was based on the technique in Bon Appétit’s Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs. Check out the full recipe for more details and tips.
These thighs were on the opposite end of the spectrum from the slow roast, both in terms of appearance (caramel-colored with dense, crunchy skin) and efficiency (just 35 minutes from start to finish). The meat was juicy, with very little shrinkage, and cooked satisfyingly evenly, as compared to the skillet-only method. The flavor of the chicken itself was nothing special beyond the usual salt and pepper highlights, but thanks to the juiciness, it would have made for quite an enjoyable dinner were it not 11:15 a.m.
Photo by Ella Quittner
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Set a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of canola oil and, as it heats, season the thighs with salt and pepper.
- When the oil is shimmering, add the thighs skin-side down. Sear for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp.
- Flip and cook the thighs for another 5 minutes, then transfer to the oven.
- Roast uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the meat closest to the bone registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and the skin is puffed and crispy.
This method was based on the technique in Josh Cohen’s recipe for One-Pan Crispy Chicken Thighs, stripped down to just vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Check out the full recipe for more details and tips.
This technique is very similar to the sear and high-heat roast, with two key differences. Firstly, this method features an oven temp of 400°F—75°F lower than the other method. And secondly, Cohen calls for the thighs to be flipped prior to going in the oven, so the undersides get about 5 minutes of direct heat on the stove. This produces a nice crust on the bottom of each thigh, not unlike the skillet-only method, which is a bonus complement to crispy skin. The sear and roast approach is especially efficient (about 35 minutes all in) and user-friendly. The thighs here were a hair less juicy than the sear and high-heat roast results, though I’m not sure I could’ve told the difference blindfolded.
- Season the thighs all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Brown the thighs on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the thighs to a plate and pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat.
- Add roughly 10 ounces of canned chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, and a pinch of salt. Bring the liquid to a simmer, scraping up brown bits. Nestle the thighs in the sauce, skin-side up.
- Cook, partially covered, at a gentle simmer for about 30 minutes, until the thighs are tender and the meat closest to the bone registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
This method was based on the technique in Merrill Stubbs’ Braised Chicken Thighs With Tomato & Garlic, stripped down to just olive oil, salt, pepper, canned chopped tomatoes, and chicken stock. Check out the full recipe for more details and tips.
Braised chicken thighs have a lot going for them. Namely, velvety meat that’s flavored with whatever you simmer them in, and a ready-made serving sauce. The main knock against braised thighs is the lack of bracingly crispy skin. While this technique does have you brown both sides of the thighs before braising, resulting in an initially golden exterior, the skin ultimately wilts during the partially covered braising step. Still beautiful and flavorful, but it’s not going to win any awards for structural integrity.
Photo by Ella Quittner
- Brine or marinate the chicken (in, say, water into which you’ve dissolved sugar and salt and added spices for a brine, or buttermilk spiked with hot sauce, garlic powder, and other seasonings for a marinade), for some hours in advance.
- If you brined in seasoned buttermilk, proceed to step 3. If you marinated in something besides buttermilk, you may at this stage dunk it in seasoned buttermilk. (Some recipes will also call for the addition of eggs and/or vodka to the buttermilk.)
- Dredge the chicken thighs in a mixture of seasoned flour (see the recipes above for specifics, but I used garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, salt, cornstarch, and cayenne pepper).
- Heat neutral oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it’s around 325°F to 350°F, then fry each thigh until golden, about 10 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels before serving.
This method was based on the technique in a few recipes, including Buxton Hall Barbecue’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Aaron Hutcherson’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken, and Chef James’ Classic Southern Buttermilk Bathed Fried Chicken. It’s worth checking out the full recipes for more details and tips.
I would eat battered and fried chicken at any time of day, at any time of year, in any emotional state. I would eat it even if my greatest enemy made it and thereby got to experience the satisfaction of my enjoyment. It’s a pretty much perfect food when done correctly, with a craggy, sapid shell that locks in the thigh’s moisture, so its interior remains juicy enough to inspire a Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion duet.
- Combine 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 cup of warm water in a large bowl. Add the chicken thighs and a tray of ice cubes to brine the meat for a few hours in the fridge. Heat the oven to 400°F and place a roasting pan with a few tablespoons of butter inside as it warms up.
- Combine all-purpose flour and a few pinches each of salt and ground black pepper in a zip-top bag. Pat dry the thighs and add to the bag. Seal and shake, then remove the thighs, tapping off excess flour.
- Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and add the thighs, skin side down. Oven-fry for about 40 minutes, until the skin is crispy and deeply browned. Flip and cook for about another 20 minutes, until the meat closest to the bone registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
This method was based on the technique in Judy Hesser’s Oven-Fried Chicken. Check out the recipe for more details and tips.
If you’re looking for something relatively low-mess that produces a satisfying crunch and juicy meat, the oven-fry technique for chicken thighs is a revelation. It’s not particularly hands-off, nor is it efficient when you factor in the brine (which you shouldn’t skip), but the meat turns out surprisingly tender and soft, with an exterior like a savory version of Magic Shell. Despite the thighs’ shrunken, wizened appearance, they were delightful.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a cast-iron skillet and place over medium heat. Season the thighs with salt and pepper, and add to the skillet, skin-side down.
- Cook, without moving, for 15 to 25 minutes, until the skin is golden and crispy. (If the skin begins to burn, reduce the heat.)
- Flip the thighs and continue to cook until the meat closest to the bone reaches 165°F, 12 to 15 minutes.
This method was based on a pared-down version of Canal House’s technique. Check out the recipe for more details and tips.
Of the bunch, these thighs had the best double crust, by which I mean a caramelized, crisp bottom as well as crunchy skin. (This is excluding the battered-fried and oven-fried thighs, which had unfair advantages in that department.) The skillet-only approach was fairly no-fuss, requiring only a stovetop, and took no longer than 45 minutes. The only disadvantage was that the meat cooked somewhat unevenly, since the thighs didn’t sit flat—I had to jostle them around to make sure the thickest parts were cooking through.