How to Debone Chicken Thighs Like a Pro

You can unlock a world of delicious possibilities with deboned chicken thighs easily customizing your meals and saving money in the process. Deboned thighs can be stuffed, rolled, pounded thin for cutlets, or simply pan-seared for a quick and flavorful meal.

There's no need to pay extra for boneless chicken thighs! This quick and easy tutorial shows you exactly how to debone chicken thighs yourself at home! You'll need just a few minutes and a sharp knife to unlock a pocketful of savings and versatile boneless chicken dishes.

Eight Easy Steps to Debone Chicken Thighs

You'll be amazed at just how easy it is to remove the bone from a chicken thigh and you'll appreciate the savings you'll realize for your food budget!

Eight Easy Steps to Debone Chicken Thighs

Here are the steps to debone chicken thighs:

1.  Prep your workspace:  Wash and pat dry your chicken thighs, if you wish.  Have a clean cutting board and a sharp knife. A boning knife, a paring knife, or a chef's knife will all work.  I prefer a boning knife.

2. Trim the chicken thigh:  Remove excess skin and fat with your knife or kitchen shears.

3.  Find the bone: Lay the chicken thigh skin-side down on your cutting board. Feel for the thigh bone running down the center.

4. Cut along the bone: Starting at the thick end of the thigh, carefully cut along the bone with your knife.  Use a sawing motion and hug the bone closely to remove as little meat as possible.

5.  Release the meat: Once you've cut most of the way down, slide your knife tip under the meat and gently detach it from the bone.  Use short strokes and keep the knife angled slightly towards the bone.

6.  Pop the ball and socket:  Near the thinner end of the thigh, there's a ball and socket joint.  Carefully cut around the joint to free the bone completely.

7 . Debone the final bit: Flip the chicken thigh over and cut away any bits that remain. Run your fingers over the deboned chicken to check for any remaining bone fragments or gristle.  Remove them with the tip of your knife.

Skin or no skin?  If you want skinless thighs, simply peel the skin off with your fingers. Easy Peasy!

Tip: Don't throw away the bones!  Use them to make a delicious chicken stock for soups, stews, and risotto.

There you have it! With just a few minutes and some practice, you'll be deboning chicken thighs like a pro. Not only will you save money compared to buying boneless, skinless varieties, but you'll be ready to explore the world of culinary possibilities. 

Deboned thighs can substitute for boneless chicken breasts in many recipes. They can be stuffed, rolled, pounded thin for cutlets, or simply pan-seared for a quick and flavorful meal. So grab your knife, and give it a try! You might be surprised at how easy and rewarding it is to debone your own chicken thighs.