How Long to Boil Chicken Thighs

Learn how long to boil a chicken thigh so that they’re safe and delicious.

Boiling chicken thighs is a quick way to cook them, helping them to retain moisture and stay succulent and juicy. But you can’t just throw them in the pot and let them boil away without being mindful of time, or they’ll end up dried out and overcooked. Ready to learn how long to boil a chicken thigh?

Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs Photo — (Lisa Grant)

The time required for boiling a chicken thigh is dependent on whether on not it has bones. Bone-in thighs require more time to cook — about 45 minutes or so — whereas boneless chicken thighs only require 30 minutes cooking time.

When you boil chicken thighs, also known as poaching, it is important that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Use a meat thermometer and insert the probe into the thickest part of the thigh to get an accurate reading. Never serve chicken that is below this temperature as there is a risk of salmonella.

Both bone-in and boneless chicken thighs are great boiled, but only when you know just the right amount of time to boil them for before serving.

Pan Roasted Chicken with Peach Blueberry Sauce Photo — (Mary Kay DeSola)

Boneless chicken thighs are great for shredding or cubing, so you can boil up a large batch of fresh boneless thighs and create a freezer stash of cooked chicken, ready to add to your favorite meals like enchiladas, pastas, and soups!

Bone-in thighs are meant to be served whole so it is a good idea to boil them in a flavorsome broth for succulent results.

There are quite a few factors that affect the time required for boiling chicken thighs. Let’s take a look:

Size of the Chicken Thigh

Larger chicken thighs will require more boiling time, so do bear in mind that the times we have listed previously are just a guideline. Always use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature of the chicken meat.

Similarly, smaller thighs require less time, so monitor them carefully, so monitor them carefully while you maintain a rolling boil on medium-high heat.

Remember — it all depends on the size of the thighs! You’ll end up with more delicious and tender chicken thighs if you pay close attention, take their temperature regularly, and season your boiled chicken well so you end up with flavorful meat.

Spicy Ginger Grilled Chicken Thighs with Mango Avocado Salsa Photo — (Meghan Bassett)

Frozen or Thawed Thighs?

You can actually throw thighs into a pot of boiling water without thawing them, but you will need to add up to 7 minutes onto the boiling time for bone-in thighs and 5 minutes for boneless.

Keep an eye on the thighs as they warm, so you can make sure they are separated as they thaw out.

You could also thaw your frozen chicken by running it under cold water for 10-15 minutes — just make sure there’s enough water to cover the bone-in chicken thighs.

But the best way to do this that will waste less water (and therefore also be cheaper) is to take your airtight container or freezer bag of uncooked, raw chicken out of the freezer the night before and thaw it in the fridge overnight.

Regardless of your approach, the most important step is to check that your cooked chicken thighs have reached a safe internal temperature in the cooking process.

The Impact of Altitude on How Long to Boil

Yep, you read that right! Altitude does affect the boiling time of chicken thigh meat. If you live 3,000 feet or more above sea level, the boiling time changes.

Air is much drier and moisture evaporates faster at higher altitudes, so this means you need to boil your thighs for longer.

You can also increase the heat to help speed up the boiling time needed, but just make sure your thighs aren’t drying out.

Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs Pic — (Lisa Grant)

You may need to add more water as it will evaporate faster at higher altitudes.

A general rule of thumb is that you will need to add 5-7 minutes to the boiling time if you are cooking thighs at higher altitudes.

Luckily, chicken thighs are much more forgiving when compared to chicken breasts and do not dry out as much, so if you do cook them a little longer than you should have, they should still be delicious!

Crispy Cast Iron Chicken Thighs Picture — (Lisa Grant)

Alternative Methods for Cooking Chicken Thighs

If you’ve read this and realized, for whatever reason, that boiling a chicken thigh isn’t the best approach for you, that’s okay!

You’ve got options.

You could choose to fry your chicken thighs. While this is more popular for wings and breasts, there’s certainly no reason you can’t fry a thigh — people do it all the time!

Another great way to cook this dark meat is to bake it in the oven. This might be a particularly appealing way of cooking chicken thighs for you because chances are if you wanted to boil them originally, you’re looking for a healthier option than frying.

Just season your chicken thighs — could be with a complex seasoning mix or simply seasoning salt and black pepper — and put them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Step up your recipe by adding some fresh herbs on top and drizzling lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

Cook them for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees F if they’re bone in, and check the internal temperature after 20 minutes if they’re boneless.

Easy Keto Slow Cooker Middle Eastern Chicken Thighs Image — (Taylor Kiser)

If you’re baking from frozen, they’ll take longer obviously. We recommend checking them after 50 minutes, but anticipate needing at least an hour. Boneless will take less time. And just as we said above, the internal temperature you’re aiming for is 165°F.

You could also cook your fresh chicken thighs in an air fryer, pressure cooker, Instant Pot, cast iron skillet (for crispy skin), or even cook them in the microwave using a microwave-safe bowl (though the latter is less likely to give you the best results).

Slow cookers are particularly popular for imbuing extra flavor over time, so douse your thighs with buffalo sauce, garlic powder, or whatever additional seasonings or favorite sauce you want and don’t worry about needing to keep a close eye on it.

Regardless of what cooking method you choose, we know you’ll love incorporating flavorful chicken thighs into various dishes using these simple steps!

Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs Picture — (Lisa Grant)

Ready to eat? Try some of our most popular chicken thigh recipes, including this creamy chicken linguine recipe, our spicy ginger thighs with mango avocado salsa, or our easy keto Middle Eastern chicken thighs.

Need something more straightforward? Our rosemary garlic chicken thighs are an excellent place to start, whether you’re a beginner home cook, a picky eater, or just want to streamline the process of making dinner.