30 Chicken Thigh Recipes to Love (2024)

FAQs

How many chicken thighs to feed 30 people? ›

As a rule of thumb, for a main course, plan on about 1/2 pound of boneless chicken thighs per person, or 3/4 to one pound of bone-in chicken thighs per person.

Baking Temperature and Timing

While chicken thighs only need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees as read by a meat thermometer, I recommend you bake them until they reach 180 – 190 degrees. This takes 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees.

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.

Based on these guidelines, you would need to cook about 15 pounds of chicken to feed 30 people if it is the main dish, or about 7.5 pounds if it is just one part of a larger meal. If you are serving a variety of other dishes along with the chicken, you may want to plan on the lower end of this range.

5lbs of meat per person at a party. So for 3lbs maybe 6. It also depends on how it's being served. If it's in a dish where the chicken is the main component maybe you'd need a little more chicken.

Chicken thighs are a perfect go-to for a hot grill (or grill pan!). Try a rub or marinade, or simply season with salt and pepper. Brush grill grates or grill pan with oil. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

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.

But I know you are wondering– should you cover chicken thighs when they are baking? The simple answer is, no. We don't cover our skin-on chicken thighs because we want that skin to get nice and crispy!

Larger cuts, such as whole chickens or bone-in pieces, often benefit from covered baking to ensure thorough and even cooking. Smaller cuts, like chicken breasts or tenders, can be baked uncovered for quick results. Lastly, think about the desired texture and flavor you're trying to achieve.

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400? ›

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400? It is recommended to bake chicken thighs at 400ºF. This medium-high heat ensures the juiciest results! Chicken thighs should be roasted in the oven at 400ºF for 40-45 minutes, then broiled for 2 more minutes to get juicy meat and crispy skin!

It is very important to marinate chicken whenever you plan to cook with high, direct heat such as grilling or pan searing, as these techniques tend to dry out the meat as it cooks. A marinade is an acidic solution that gets a head start on breaking down the structure of a protein before it is cooked.

Place the chicken thighs skin-side down on the grill or grill pan. Grilling chicken thighs with the skin on is a great way to keep the meat moist in the cooking process. If you don't want the added calories and fat, just remove the skin before serving.

The average package of four chicken thighs will weigh approximately 1 1/2 pounds. One chicken thigh will yield about 3 ounces of meat (without skin or bone), so for big meat eaters, count on two thighs per person. For kids and lighter eaters, one chicken thigh per person should be enough.

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.

Here's a general guideline: Boneless Chicken: If you're using boneless chicken pieces, you'll need around 4-5 ounces (about 113-142 grams) of chicken per person.