Chicken Thigh Recipes For Dinner in 20 Minutes

Make dinner in 20 minutes with chicken thigh tonight! I love having skin on, bone in chicken thigh stocked in my fridge and freezer at all times! Whether it’s a scallion chicken, a comforting coconut curry, or a hearty soy chicken rice bowl, the chicken thigh recipes options are endless and always delicious. If you’re short on time, here are some recipes to help you master 20 minutes chicken thigh dinners.

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Cooking with Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs have great flavor and are so versatile. It’s probably my favorite part of the chicken! Chicken thighs contain higher iron content than chicken breast, and contain a higher fat content, making the meat extra moist and rich. . The higher levels of iron results in a darker tint of meat, compared to “white meat” cuts like chicken breast.

Chicken thighs are extremely versatile and can handle high heat for fast cooking, which is great for our 20 minute dinners. The cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of the meat and cooking method. To avoid undercooking, use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If you prefer a leaner cut of chicken, you can replace thigh with chicken breast.

Deboning Your Chicken Thigh

For dishes like fried rice where I don’t want pieces of bone, you’ll need deboned chicken thighs. They’re more tender, so the cooking time decreases. If you’re having a hard time finding deboned chicken thigh, it’s super easy to do yourself at home! It takes only 5 minutes. I made Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken a while ago, and I showed you all how to debone your bone-in chicken thighs. Nothing goes to waste though – because I save the bones to make chicken stock later.

Garlic Lemon Chicken

6 Chicken Thighs, skin on (optional), boneless, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
2.5 tablespoon soy sauce
1.5 tablespoons oyster sauce
0.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Black pepper to season
1 lemon, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
10-15 cloves of garlic, chopped
Handful of cilantro, chopped

Garlic Lemon Chicken

This Lemon Garlic Chicken is a healthy and refreshing chicken dish for hot days that takes only 20 minutes! Inspired by Malaysia's spicy lemon chicken, this recipe is a pan-fried version of the popular dish. This tart, savory chicken reminds me so much of my travels, and I keep making this for a quick lunchbox addition or dinner again and again!

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Chicken Fried Rice

1 lb chicken cut into strips (breast or thigh)
1.5 tsp soy sauce
1.5 tsp oyster sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp oil

FRIED RICE

3-4 large eggs beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper
4 green onion chopped (separate whites and greens)
5 cups cold cooked rice
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp white pepper
5 tbsp oil
2.5 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp dark soy sauce optional
1 cup frozen vegetables

Chicken Fried Rice

This is my truly better than takeout Chicken Fried Rice recipe. This fried rice recipe is super easy to make at home and uses ingredients you already have in your fridge and pantry! Plus, I give not one, but TWO tips on making the perfect fried rice! Forget about takeout – just make this super easy Chicken Fried Rice.

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Marinating For The Most Flavorful Chicken Thighs

For many beginners in the kitchen, marinating meat before cooking might be a foreign concept. It’s actually the easiest way to achieve flavorful, juicy meat in your dishes. Marinating your chicken thighs will help them retain moisture and season the meat with the flavors of the marinade. A typical chicken thigh marinade I make might include soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil.

Scallion Chicken

5 chicken thigh boneless skin on
4 stalk green onion chopped
2.5 tablespoon Soy Sauce
3 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 pinch black pepper
1.5 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine optional

Stir Fry Scallion Chicken (20 Minutes!)

Back with another EASY and DELICIOUS recipe that will be your go-to recipe for quick lunch boxes or last minute dinners: Stir Fry Scallion Chicken. These chicken bites are flavorful, easy to eat, and goes perfectly with a big bowl of rice. You can make this in 20 minutes with simple, easy-to-find ingredients that make this chicken extra tender. Get your rice ready, and don’t say I didn’t warn you about how addicting my Scallion Chicken is!

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Soy Glazed Chicken Rice Bowl

5 chicken thigh, boneless skin on
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3.5 tablespoons oyster sauce
0.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce, optional
A pinch of black pepper
1 can of Coke, 12 fl oz
Sesame seeds and green onion to garnish

Soy Glazed Chicken Rice Bowl

If you are looking for an EASY 20-minute dinner, try making my Soy Glazed Chicken Rice Bowl. It’s the perfect balance between savory and sweet. This Soy Glazed Chicken Rice Bowl will be your new go-to weeknight dinner! I have the perfect secret weapon to make this deliciously savory-sweet. Plus, this is also a perfect dish for meal prepping throughout the week.

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Cooking Chicken Thighs with Crispy Skin

Don’t forget the the skin ! When baked or pan-fried at high heat, the skin becomes crispy and delicious. When it comes to making chicken skin crispy, the dryer the better. I like to pat my chicken skin dry with a paper towel before cooking, and dust with some starch. That way, the chicken will be extra crispy, which will also help soak up all the sauce.

I find that starches give the chicken a crispier and lighter texture compared to using regular flour. Cornstarch will help lightly coat the protect the chicken, ensuring the inside stays nice and crispy! Other gluten-free flours you can use are tapioca starch and rice flour. All you need is a thin layer, dust off any excess, and that’s it!

Spicy Cilantro Chicken

4 pieces chicken thigh, boneless skin-on
Salt and pepper
¼ cup cornstarch
2 tbsp of soy sauce
4-5 stalks of cilantro, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Thai red chili, chopped (adjust to own spice level)
1 lime, juiced (around 6 tablespoons)
0.5 tbsp sugar

Thai-Inspired Spicy Cilantro Chicken

Indulge in a burst of vibrant flavors with this super easy Thai-inspired Spicy Cilantro Chicken recipe. A perfect mouthwatering recipe that balances heat, freshness, and herbaceous goodness.

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Creamy Coconut Chicken

6 chicken thigh (bone-in and skin-on)
Salt and Pepper
0.5 tbsp of Tumeric
0.5 tbsp of Paprika
1 tbsp of Garlic Powder
1 Can of Coconut Milk (~14 ounces)
2 tbsp of Tomato Paste
1.5 tbsp of minced Garlic
1 large onion (sliced)
10-15 Mushroom (sliced)
2 tbsp of Curry Powder
0.5 tbsp of Garam Masala

Creamy Coconut Chicken

Who doesn’t love one-pot dinners? Easy and delicious CREAMY Coconut Chicken is one of my favorite lazy weeknight dinners from my student days! The chicken is tender and coated in a creamy mushroom coconut curry sauce and will have you eating bowls and bowls of rice. This Coconut Chicken also tastes fantastic the next day, perfect for meal prepping! Give this creamy coconut chicken a try, and I promise you will also be making it every week.

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Soy Glazed Chicken

2 Chicken Thigh (boneless with skin)
3 tbsp of Corn Starch
3.5 tbsp of Soy Sauce
2.5 tbsp of Honey
1.5 tbsp of Minced Garlic
0.5 tbsp of Five Spice Powder
Salt & Pepper

Soy Glazed Chicken

Soy Glazed Chicken is the perfect weeknight dinner that takes only 20 minutes. All you need is a few simple ingredients to make delicious Soy Glazed Chicken that is crispy and juicy at the same time! Get your rice ready because you will want to drizzle the addicting sauce all over your rice and vegetable.

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Chicken Thighs are Perfect One-Pot Dinners

I love one-pot dinners, and chicken thighs are the perfect protein for them. In one pot, you get protein, vegetables, AND carbs; plus, it is also affordable and quick to make at home. If you’re busy and don’t want to do a lot of dishes, or if you have a lot of mouths to feed, one pot dinners are exactly what you need.

Creamy One Pot Mushroom Chicken

6 chicken thighs, boneless, skin on
¼ cup of corn starch
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp salted butter
⅓ cup of heavy cream
½ cup of chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, minced
½ tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder – optional
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp paprika
2 cups of sliced mushroom, any will work, I used cremini and shiitake
1 cup parmesan cheese

Creamy One Pot Mushroom Chicken

This creamy 20 minute One Pot Pan Fried Mushroom Chicken recipe is going to be your next go-to chicken dinner recipe. Creamy mushroom sauce on pan-fried chicken thigh, amazing for a quick dinner or a packed lunch!

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Creamy Chicken Udon

Creamy Mushroom Udon garnished with green onions

2 Serving of Udon
10 Shiitake Mushroom (sliced)
2-3 boneless chicken thigh
Salt and Pepper
2 tsp of Oregano
1 tbsp of Garlic Powder
1.5 tbsp of Garlic (minced)
1 cup of Cream
1 tbsp of Miso Paste
Green Onion
Seaweed Powder (optional)

Creamy Chicken Udon

Who doesn’t love ONE POT DINNERS? Team UDON, I am back with another DELICIOUS and easy udon recipe; this time, we will be making Creamy Chicken Udon. The udon is coated in a creamy and umami miso white sauce that is super addicting and savory. The best part is, this creamy chicken udon takes less than 25 minutes to make, plus it tastes fantastic the next day, which is perfect for meal-prepping. What are you waiting for? You NEED to give this udon recipe a try!

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