Cooking Chicken Thighs

I made chicken cacciatore last weekend with chicken thighs. It was wonderful. My 7 year old son said it was the best chicken he had ever eaten. There are plenty of recipes online for it.

Good luck!
L.

Chicken and dumplings. Boil the chicken thighs, when done, shred them. Use same water and put in egg noodles with 4 cubes of chicken boullion cubes or to taste (I usually put in 4, depending on how much water is in the pot). You can throw in an onion, some celery or make it a chicken noodle soup, still using the egg noodles and add a pack of mixed veggies.

I almost only cook using boneless skinless thighs (chicken that is). You can use any recipe you use breasts in with thighs... they just come out jucier and more flavorful and are done a lot faster. (1/2 the time, typically).

One of my favorites is this one for Green Chile (Salsa Verde) Chicken Enchiladas (Recipe follows)

Another is Chicken Marsala... yum. Recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken...

Enchiladas: ((Recipe Updated, because I goofed my cut/paste from my documents))

Green Chile Salsa
(or Substitute a big jar or two of Safeway Salsa Verde)
1 pound tomatillos, husked
1 white onion, peeled, sliced, quartered or whole
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapenos
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 lime, juiced
For the salsa:

On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky. ((I personally seed and devein the jalapenos because kiddo doesn't like heat))

Enchiladas
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock, storebought
Chopped cilantro leaves
3lbs (apx) Chicken Thighs (pan fried or roasted until temp is 180, then chopped/shredded)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
10 large flour tortillas
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 cups sour cream
Chopped tomatoes and cilantro leaves, for garnish

Spicy Black Beans, recipe follows

Yellow Rice, recipe follows

Guacamole, optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the salsa:
On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

Enchiladas:
Meanwhile heat a 2 count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized - this should take 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for a further minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn't burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a veloute. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo chile salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F and begin assembling the dish. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Now take the flour tortillas and briefly flash them over the stove-top flame (or put them briefly under the broiler if using an electric stove). Using a shallow bowl, coat each tortilla lightly with the reserved salsa mix. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll like a cigar to enclose it. Using a spatula place the tortillas in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. Finally pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Garnish, cilantro and tomato.

Serve hot with Spicy Black Beans and Yellow Rice, the remaining tomatillo salsa, sour cream and fresh guacamole, if desired.

Spicy Black Beans:
2 cups (about 1 pound) dried black beans, picked over, soaked overnight
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
In a large pot, soak beans overnight covered in water by 2 inches. Drain and set aside.

In the same pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, jalapeno pepper, garlic, and bay leaf and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and cover with water by about 1-inch. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Taste the beans and season with salt and pepper.

Yellow Rice:
2 cups long-grain rice
4 cups water
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bay leaf
Put all the ingredients into a heavy-bottomed pot, stir well, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat until the rice has absorbed the water, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Discard the garlic and bay leaf, fluff with a fork, and serve.

I use chicken thighs to make tortilla soup. I used to use breasts, but the dark meat in thighs makes it taste SO much better! Here's the recipe...you will need a crock pot:

In the crock pot combine uncooked chicken thighs, 1 can beef broth, 1 can chicken broth, 1 can italian tomatoes, 1 can corn, 1 small can chopped green chilies, and 2 cups of water. Cook on low about 6 hours. In the last 30 minutes or so add 1 package of frozen chopped zucchini and squash.

Serve in a bowl over tortilla chips and top with grated cheese and sour cream. YUM!!

Love the Yellow Rice Riley mentioned, I like making that too. A similar version.

I ONLY use boneless skinless chicken thighs, for cooking, even if it says to use breasts... I find breasts to be too dry...

Anyway, I marinate a lot. I use "Ponzu" sauce (A Japanese sauce you can find in a bottle in the grocery store). Then I BBQ it. REAL good. Or you can broil it or bake it in your oven.

Chick thighs, are easy. Better, moister, than breasts. You can use thighs for anything you use breasts for.

Also, if you like Japanese dishes, this is real easy, its called "Shoyu Chicken.":
Combine in a pot,
1/2 Cup Shoyu (soy sauce)
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1/2 Cup sugar (you can lessen this amount if you want or use Splenda etc.)
*You can also add in a dash or two of Sesame Oil, and Sesame seeds. And some chopped green onions. (both the white and green parts)
Mix it all together in a bowl.

Then, pour it over the chicken thighs which you have in the pot. (I usually use 6-8 thighs).
Just cook it on medium or simmer, until it is cooked and the sauce has colored the thighs real well... and absorbed into the thighs. And occasionally gently stir to get the sauce evenly coating the chicken.
Cook for Maybe 45 minutes. That's it.
(If you want more sauce, just increase it, using equal parts for each ingredient).

Serve it with the Yellow Rice!
REAL good, and REAL easy and quick!
Or use "Basmati rice" or "Jasmine Rice".

I also use skinless/boneless thighs for making "Cassoulet" (A french dish) in my crock-pot. Or you can do it on a stove top.
You should get a crock-pot... its great! And easy!

good luck,
Susan

Cranberry Chicken - It's so easy and so delicious! Make sure the fat is removed from the chicken thighs. Place the thighs in a casserole dish and sprinkle with some seasoning salt and garlic powder. Then take a can of whole berry cranberry sauce (has to be WHOLE berry, not jellied) and spread the cranberries out over the chicken. Bake at 350 for about an hour. (I usually use the thighs with a bone, so it may take a little less time without a bone, you might want to check after 45 minutes to see if done). I usually serve this with stuffing, steamed carrots, and dinner rolls. It's a pretty big hit and really easy!

I stuff the chicken thighs with a mix of wilted and well drained spinach, sour cream and parmesan, seasoned with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 for 45 min and serve with rice and a nice tossed green salad.

Just dump the package in a shallow pan, dump a package of onion soup mix on top dribble olive oil over it all, stick it in the oven on 350 for about an hour.

This tastes awesome!

Cut them up into bite size pieces, saute on med-high in a little olive oil until they get a little color, and use a packet of taco seasoning (using slightly less water than directed) and simmer for a few minutes (10 minutes or less).

Stir in a little sour cream or yogurt to give it a creamy texture--or use coconut milk and a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to make a curry-like sauce (don't make that face...everyone does until they try it...lol).

Make tacos, taco salad, or serve over rice with vegetables.

Pace Chicken Tacos - Or Salsa Chicken Tacos
- Place boneless skinless legs/thighs in a skillet
- Cover with salsa store bought or homemade
- Allow to simmer until chicken is cooked covered stirring occassionally (usually only about 15-20 minutes)
- Remove chicken shred with forks
- Place chicken back in pan and allow it to cook until all salsa is absorbed (at least 90%) - higher heat will expedite process just watch closely the higher you cook it
- Best with corn tortillas and avacado & lettuce/tomato if desired
*you can also use excess meat to make spice up mac n cheese for a quick lunch for the kiddos and/or for enchildadas if your family likes them

--- Hope this helps this is one of my families favorites adults and kids---

Go to www.recipesource.com. I use this site a lot. They have a great recipe library with different ways to search: ingredient, title, ethnicity, region, country.

Also go to www.foodnetwork.com

I know you need to cook any chicken with bones longer but can't remember off-hand since it really depends on the temperature, etc.

I do have one tip. Leave the chicken out to come to ROOM temperature, not just thawed. If the meat is thawed but still even refridgerator-cold then the outside will be cooked just fine but the inside could turn out raw even though yu cooked it at the correct time & temp.

great and easy recipe! The chicken comes out so tasty.
Put thawed chicken in baking dish. Pour barbque sauce over chicken generously. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

i like to put thighs into any type of casserole reciepe and save the breast for stand alone reciepies.
chicken n dumplings, chicken pot pie, chicken n rice ect.

you can't use the "juices run clear" rule to know when thighs are done

My husband doesn't like any chicken other than chicken thighs, because they taste so much better than white meat. Anyway, I brown them in a non-stick pan with a little spray. Heat pan to medium-high. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs. Get them really good and brown on both sides, and then put a lid on the pan. Lower the heat, and let them cook slowly for 30 minutes or so. Cook some rice or noodles and steam some fresh veggies (we love broccoli and carrots) while you're letting the chicken cook through.

I'm mostly vegan, so I don't eat meat, but I always have to cheat and have a bite of this chicken when I fix it for the family. It's very moist and good. It takes about 15-20 minutes to get the thighs brown enough at the beginning, so don't rush that part. If you like gravy, you can add a can of cream soup (mushroom, chicken, celery) and stir it into the drippings in the pan. Season and heat through and serve on your rice or noodles.

350"
non-stick oven pan

clean the chicken- pat dry- arrange in pan
sprinkle with garlic salt and lemon

put it in the oven for 40-50 minutes
you can let the meat rest in the oven (turn it off) and cover it with foil-
I let mine rest for 20 minutes or so while I finish my sides and get the
table ready- foil is important so the meat doesn't dry out.

That sounds delicious. What my dad does is he'll bake them and marinade them in cream of mushroom soup and once that bakes then you can use the "juice" so to speak to go on top of rice. It's a quick and delicious meal. It's no special recipe or a quantity you should add. Typically if you have like 5-7 pieces of meat then i'll use two cans of the cream of mushroom. You may be able to use three cans but that may be overloading it. Of course season the chicken however you like and I always throw a small amount of butter in there so that it'll make the chicken even more flavorful.

I have cooked them in a pan (med/high) until they are nicely browned and then used barbecue sauce on them and served.
You can also rub some dry seasoning and/or herbs into them and bake them in the oven.
You can use a "simmer sauce" in a big pan---meaning brown them a little and then pour in a jar of whatever sauce you like and let them simmer for a while. The sauce will thicken a bit.
Or if you have a dutch oven, or a crock pot, you could cook them in broth with some vegetables. The broth will boil for a while and the meat will probably come off the bone easily.
Basically, when meat is cooked in liquid, it stays tender, even if you cook it a long while.
Many websites---like Cooking Light--have recipes available for free online.

Only 2 ways to be sure chicken is done. - cut it open and check, or use a meat thermometer.

last night I seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dredged in a little flour and browned on the stove. Then I added a can of creamed chicken and herb soup and cooked covered for 25 mintures. My honey loved it.

I also buy a good bottled jerk sauce. Rub into the chicken well. Cook on the grill or in the oven.

You can roast in the oven. Just put a little olive oil and italian herbs, salt, pepper, and garlic on the chicken and put in the oven. You can toss potatoes in olive oil and herbs as well and roast alongside.

You can take the chicken off the bone to use in stir fry, etc.