How to Debone Chicken Thighs Perfectly Every Time

It’s easy to debone chicken thighs, which can save you money and give you more ways to use chicken in recipes. Chicken thighs are usually sold with the bones still in them, but learning how to take them out yourself gives you more cooking options. Read on for step-by-step instructions and tips on how to quickly and easily debone chicken thighs.

Why Debone Chicken Thighs?

There are a few key reasons you may want to debone chicken thighs at home rather than buying pre-deboned thighs at the store

Cost savings – Bone-in chicken thighs are significantly less expensive per pound than boneless, skinless thighs. Deboning them yourself saves money.
Keep the skin on – Removing the bone at home allows you to keep the nutritious and flavorful chicken skin intact if desired. Most boneless thighs sold in stores are also skinless.
Better control – You can remove exactly as much bone and skin as needed for your recipe when doing it yourself.
Faster cooking – Boneless thighs cook faster than bone-in. Great for quick weeknight meals.
Easier eating – No bones to navigate around when eating boneless thighs in stir-fries, salads, sandwiches, etc.
Flexible use – Boneless thighs are easier to chop, shred, or dice for recipes like soups, tacos, and casseroles.

How to Debone Chicken Thighs – Step-by-Step

A chicken thigh can be deboned in just a few easy steps. Here is a step-by-step guide:

1. Place thigh skin-side down

Lay the chicken thigh flat on a cutting board with the skin facing downwards. The underside of the thigh should be facing up.

2. Locate the bone

Feel for the long, narrow bone that runs through the middle of the thigh. Visually locate it as well.

3. Cut along both sides

Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut down along both sides of the bone, separating the meat from the bone.

4. Scrape meat from bone

Use your knife to gently scrape or cut the meat away from the bone, detaching the meat completely.

5. Cut bone at joints

To get rid of the bone completely, cut through the cartilage and connective tissue that surrounds the two bumpy joints on either end.

6. Trim excess

Trim off any excess skin, fat, or cartilage with your knife. The thigh is now completely deboned and ready to use!

Tips for Deboning Chicken Thighs

Follow these tips for clean, easy, and fast chicken thigh deboning:

It works best if you use a chef’s knife or kitchen shears that are very sharp. A dull knife makes cutting more difficult.
Let thighs sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before deboning for easier cutting.
Cut slowly and carefully around bones to avoid leaving meat behind.
Save bones to make homemade chicken stock. Freeze until ready to use.
Leave skin on or remove it as desired. Skin adds flavor and crispiness.
Rinse deboned thighs and pat dry before marinating or cooking.
Once deboned, thighs can be refrigerated for 2-3 days or frozen for 4-6 months.

How to Use Deboned Chicken Thighs

Once deboned, the applications for chicken thighs are endless. Here are just a few ideas:

Grilled thighs – Brush with sauce and grill until nicely charred.
Chicken salads – Dice and mix with greens, veggies, cheese, etc.
Fajitas or tacos – Slice and sauté with peppers and onions.
Casseroles or pot pies – Combine with vegetables and sauce in a baking dish.
Curries or stews – Simmer in flavorful sauces.
Shredded chicken – Shred/chop for sandwiches, nachos, or BBQ.
Skewers – Alternate with veggies and pineapple on skewers.
Stir fries – Cut in strips and stir fry with rice or noodles.

So don’t be afraid to grab those value packs of bone-in thighs and debone them yourself! With this simple technique, you’ll save money and enjoy bone-free chicken any way you want.

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Importance Of Boning Knives

Boning knives are efficient kitchen tools that can separate the toughest cuts of meat from even tougher bones with very little effort. Boning knives help trim excess fat, and how to reveal the bone to make delicious appetizers like crispy skin garlic chicken, and other chicken thigh recipes. A boning knife is an impressive tool as it can be used to cut and chop vegetables, as well.