Listen, I'm only going to say it once, and I'm not going to say it again. Chicken thighs are the best cut of chicken. End of story. Discussion is over. Thanks for coming to my TED talk. Whether we're talking boneless, skinless or bone-in, skin-on, I don't really care, because both are superior to every other part of the bird. I am a dark meat girl 'til the day I die and I'm here to shout it off the rooftops. And I have proof. Here are the many reasons:
Easier to Cook
One of the most underrated and not-talked-enough-about qualities of chicken thighs is that it's nearly impossible to overcook them. The beauty of dark meat! Unlike the other most common cut of chicken (breasts), thighs are extremely forgiving when it comes to cook times. If you let 'em cook for several minutes after they've reached 165°F, don't sweat it — you'll still have juicy, succulent chicken and nobody will have to know that they may have been slightly overcooked. Breasts, on the other hand, will be sure to tell all your guests that you cooked them for just a minute too long. They can go from tender and flavorful to bone-dry and just plain sad after a few too many minutes of cooking. If you're hesitant to cook chicken because you're nervous about cook times, start with thighs.
Any good cook knows that fat is flavor, and that is yet another reason why thighs are superior to breasts. 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. Chicken thighs are commonly sold with their skin on, unlike like a skin-on breast — which is quite hard to find unless you're buying your bird whole and breaking it down yourself. If you're concerned about calories, well... I'm not a nutritionist, but chicken is chicken. Sure, more fat might equal more calories, but life is meant to be lived and chicken thighs are meant to be eaten.
While prices vary from store to store, generally speaking, chicken thighs are cheaper than breasts. Boneless, skinless will run you a bit more than their bone-in, skin-on counterparts, but both are typically less expensive than breasts or tenders. Plus, when you buy bone-in thighs, you can carve out the bones and save them in your freezer for future stocks. Now THAT is how you get a real bang for your buck. Can't do that with breasts, now can you?
So, have I made my point clear? Why waste your time buying any other cut of meat when chicken thighs exist? I've said what I've needed to say, and that is all. Carry on.
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.
Chicken thighs are the upper part of the chicken's leg, the part from the knee up to the leg joint. This is dark meat. And the type of muscle it is made of is considered “worked”. This means that it is more tender and more flavorful.
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.
Many people say that the thighs are the best part of the bird because they're tender and juicy. You can buy them bone-in or bone-out, with the skin on or off. Because chicken thigh meat is darker and firmer, it needs slightly longer to cook. They are great for kabobs, one-pot meals and sheet pan dinners.
Both chicken breasts and chicken thighs are good sources of micronutrients including vitamin B12, iron, zinc, potassium, and phosphorus, however, the increased myoglobin content of the dark meat of chicken thighs means it contains more vitamins and minerals than the white meat of chicken breasts.
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.
Does Chipotle use chicken breast or thighs? The original Chipotle chicken recipe uses thigh meat, not breasts as we do in this recipe. Keep in mind, however, that the restaurant makes it in large quantities and well in advance, not just before serving as we're doing here.
The chicken industry has faced several challenges that have contributed to shortages and high-price movements. Growing demand has impacted inventories and prices, as chicken thighs are so versatile and forgiving to cook with. The pandemic certainly didn't help the thigh supply chain.
Compare this to thigh meat, which is from the leg of the chicken. It gets used a lot more and has more connective tissue and fat. It's considered dark meat, and it has a richer, more intense flavour than breast.
In fact, the more you cook chicken thighs (up to a point), the better they get because that connective tissue dissolves, leaving behind fork-tender meat. So if you've got a batch of chicken thighs for dinner, it's not only okay to overcook them, it's encouraged.
Between their protein and the boatload of nutrients that they provide, including chicken thighs in an overall healthy diet is A-OK. Just focus on trying to prepare the thighs in a healthy way and pairing them with vegetables and whole grains for extra staying power.
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.
The average 4.5-ounce chicken thigh has about 3 ounces worth of meat, so two thighs per person is a good number. If you are serving smaller children or appetites, one thigh should be enough.
Breast meat needs to be cooked to 145 degrees.Thigh meat needs to be cooked to 160–165 degrees. Don't fall prey to the idea to just over cook everything. If you want to learn to cook food that is delicious as well as safe to eat, USE A THERMOMETER.
The price differences have to do with the processing
The price difference between chicken leg quarters and, say, boneless, skinless breasts, mimics the way that whole chickens can be more cost-effective than buying chicken pieces (via Serious Eats).
To recap: legs do more work in chickens than breasts, so they have a much higher proportion of red, slow-twitch muscle fibers, and also a higher proportion of connective tissue to support the work they do.
Having big thighs can also protect you against degenerative joint disease, which increases sensitivity to cold. Research reveals that strong thigh muscles lower the risk of developing in women. So, if you've been avoiding squats and leg extensions for fear of making your lower half beefier, stop holding back.
Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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