Why Covering The Pan When Cooking Chicken Thighs Is A Major Mistake

When done right, chicken thighs can make for a juicy and delicious dinner, ready to be paired with any number of side dishes. But before you can pick out your accompaniment, you need to make sure that the chicken thighs are cooked perfectly.

Here's one major tip to keep in mind: Don't cover the pan when cooking chicken thighs. It may seem like a good idea to make sure the chicken cooks through, which is why it's one of the common mistakes that everyone makes with chicken thighs. Keeping the lid on will actually just get in the way of what we want: crispy skin. This is because the lid traps in steam, which leads to condensation accumulating. Because of this extra moisture, the skin won't dry out and, thus, crisp up. So next time you're making chicken thighs for dinner, make sure to leave the lid in the kitchen drawer.

After learning that the skin of the chicken thighs is a bit temperamental and requires a no-lid cooking process, you may be wondering if you should just opt for a skinless cut instead. This would actually be a mistake because the skin plays a big role in keeping the meat from drying out. Plus, who doesn't love a crispy piece of chicken skin?

Additionally, you'll want to pay attention to the heat — namely, you should avoid cooking chicken thighs with high heat. The high heat will brown up the skin much faster than the time that it takes for the interior to cook through. Instead, cook the thighs on medium-low heat. It will take longer, but the end result will be chicken thighs that are tender and juicy on the inside, crispy and perfectly golden brown on the outside.

With these tips in mind, you can start planning out your meal week with chicken thigh recipes that your family will love.