Yes, you can butterfly a chicken thigh! Butterflying a chicken thigh refers to the process of slicing the thigh open and laying it flat. This cooking technique allows the chicken to cook more quickly and evenly. Butterflying is a great option for bone-in chicken thighs, as it helps the seasoning penetrate deeper into the meat and also exposes more surface area for crisping up the skin. Keep reading to learn all about how to properly butterfly a chicken thigh, the benefits of this technique, and some recipe ideas to try it out.
What is butterflying a chicken thigh?
Butterflying a chicken thigh involves cutting the thigh almost all the way through horizontally and opening it up so that it lies flat. Typically, you’ll leave the thigh attached on one side by 1⁄2 inch or so. The look of the slashed, flattened thigh is said to resemble a butterfly’s wings, hence the name “butterflying.”
Essentially, you are slicing through the thicker part of the thigh to create a thinner, more even thickness perfect for quicker, more consistent cooking. Leaving the thigh still partially attached helps keep its structure intact. Once butterflied, the chicken thigh should open smoothly into one larger, flat piece of meat ready for seasoning.
Why should you butterfly a chicken thigh?
There are several advantages to butterflying chicken thighs:
– Cooks faster: Butterflying allows for quicker and more even cooking since you are thinning out the thicker part of the thigh. The cooking time is reduced, helpful for weeknight meals.
– Enhances flavor: Opening up the thigh exposes much more surface area to seasonings and marinades. Spices, herbs, sauces, etc can penetrate deeper into the meat compared to a whole thigh.
– Gets crispier skin: With so much more skin available to crisp up, you’ll get deliciously crispy chicken skin all over the butterflied thigh.
– Lies flat: Butterflying lets you lay the thigh flat to cook evenly and makes it easy to pound to an even thickness if desired. Flatter chicken also stacks and packs better.
– Easier to eat: Since the bone is more accessible, diners can easily remove it if desired. The meat also pulls away easier.
So in summary, butterflying makes chicken thighs cook faster, absorb more flavor, achieve crisper skin, lie flatter, and get eaten more easily!
How to butterfly a chicken thigh
Butterflying a chicken thigh is easy to do at home with just a sharp knife. Follow these simple steps:
1. Start with a fresh, raw chicken thigh. Rinse under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
2. Place the chicken thigh smooth-side down on a cutting board. Hold it steady with your weaker hand, keeping fingers curled under to be safe.
3. With your dominant hand, use a sharp chef’s knife to slice into the thicker side of the thigh, stopping about 1⁄2 inch from the opposite edge. You are cutting almost, but not completely, through the entire thigh.
4. Open up the thigh slowly like a book into one larger flat piece. Check that the thigh is still partially connected on one side.
5. Make sure to slice to the bone so the meat can lie fully flat. Carefully run your knife over any thicker spots to further flatten and even out the thickness.
6. If desired, place the butterflied thigh between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a meat mallet to gently pound and flatten further. Be careful not to tear the meat.
7. Season the chicken as desired and cook using your preferred method. Enjoy the quick cooking time and juicy, flavorful meat!
Some helpful tips:
– Use a sharp chef’s knife for clean, easy cuts. Serrated knives also work well.
– Cut slowly and be cautious of your holding hand’s placement.
– For safety, you can also place the thigh on a paper towel for holding steady.
– Let the knife do the work rather than forcing through the meat.
– Be sure to slice all the way to the bone to fully flatten.
– Don’t overdo pounding to avoid ripping the meat. Just a few gentle taps will further flatten.
Chicken thigh butterflying techniques
There are a couple of different ways you can butterfly a chicken thigh depending on the finished result you want:
Bone-in: This is the most common method where you slice around the bone while leaving it intact on one side. The bone remains in for added flavor.
Boneless: For this technique, you detach the whole bone first by running your knife along one side to remove it. Then make parallel slashes in the meat, leaving attached on one side.
Spiral cut: Makeyour initial cut starting on one side and spiral around in circles until you have one flattened, spiral cut thigh for unique presentation.
Crisscross: Rather than one long slice, make several shorter perpendicular slices across the thigh for a crisscross pattern that opens flat.
Choose your preferred technique based on whether you want to keep the bone in or out and how you want the final presentation to look on the plate.
Should you remove the skin?
Many recipes call for removing the skin before butterflying chicken thighs. However, leaving the skin on is recommended for the most benefit from this technique. The broad expanse of skin gets ultra crispy from all of the direct heat contact. Let it render out during cooking, and the rich fat contributes flavor throughout the meat.
Of course, you can still remove the skin either before or after cooking if you prefer to avoid the fat and calories. But for ideal texture, flavor, and appearance, cook chicken thighs with the skin on after butterflying.
How to cook butterflied chicken thighs
Butterflying chicken thighs provides so many options for quick and easy cooking methods. Here are some of the most popular ways to cook flattened thighs:
– Roasted in the oven – Roast at high heat about 20-25 minutes.
– Grilled – Gets nice char marks in just 8-12 minutes on medium high.
– Pan fried or sautéed – Cooks in a skillet in just 6-8 minutes over medium high heat.
– Air fried – Cooks up super crispy in an air fryer in about 15 minutes at 400°F.
– Baked – Keep moist in a 375°F oven for 30-40 minutes.
– Broiled- Gets a nice crust under the broiler in 12-15 minutes.
– Slow cooked – Braise for hours for ultra tender meat.
– Instant Pot – Pressure cook to fall-off-the-bone perfection in 20 minutes.
No matter which cooking method you choose, butterflying ensures your chicken thighs cook up quickly browned, tender, and juicy every time. Just be sure not to overcook them or the meat can dry out.
Flattening tips
To get the most even thickness and flattest butterflied thighs, here are some useful tips:
– Place the chicken between sheets of plastic wrap, wax paper or parchment before pounding. This prevents tearing.
– Chill the thighs for 30 minutes before cutting and flattening which makes the meat easier to work with.
– Trim off any excess fat or skin before butterflying to reduce overall thickness.
– Use a flat meat tenderizing mallet or the back of a heavy pan to gently pound.
– Press down evenly on all parts of the thigh to flatten. Don’t overdo it.
– For flat chicken, slice across the natural grain of the meat which runs lengthwise.
– Flatten drumettes more gently since the meat is thinner. Focus on the thicker parts.
Taking the time to properly flatten your butterflied thighs makes them perfect for cooking fast and evenly.
Marinade and seasoning tips
Butterflying chicken thighs provides more surface area to maximize flavors from marinades, rubs, and seasoning. Follow these tips:
– Marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight in the fridge. The acidic marinade tenderizes the meat.
– Use a zip top bag to marinate for easy flipping and coating all over.
– Rub spices and seasonings directly onto every bit of exposed meat and skin.
– Let sit at least 15-30 minutes after seasoning so the flavors are absorbed before cooking.
– Oil or pat the skin completely dry before seasoning for optimal crispness.
– Stuff flavorful ingredients like herbs, garlic, citrus between the meat and skin.
– Pierce the skin with a fork before marinating to help the flavor penetrate.
Take advantage of all that open space when butterflying to really amp up the flavors before cooking.
Should you brine?
Chicken thighs are naturally quite moist and flavorful on their own. However, soaking them in a brine before cooking can impart extra juiciness and seasonings into the meat when you butterfly them open.
To brine chicken thighs, dissolve salt, sugar and desired aromatics like citrus, herbs, and spices into water. Submerge the thighs and refrigerate 1-2 hours. Rinse and pat dry well before cooking.
Quick brining seasons the chicken throughout while also helping it retain moisture, especially helpful for leaner breasts. For fatty thighs, it’s an optional additional step to absorb more flavor.
Recipe ideas
Below are some delicious recipe ideas that are perfect for utilizing butterflied chicken thighs:
– Fried chicken – Crispy southern style pan fried chicken is easy to crust and fry quickly when flattened.
– Chicken parmesan – Bread crispy pounded thighs and simmer in tomato sauce topped with melted cheese.
– Chicken satay – Marinate in coconut milk and spices and grill on skewers for Thai street food flavor.
– Chicken tikka masala – Marinate thighs in yogurt and Indian spices before simmering in tomato curry sauce.
– Chicken cordon bleu – Stuff ham and Swiss between flattened thighs then bread and bake until crispy.
– Chicken tacos – Top warmed tortillas with juicy shredded thighs, salsa, avocado, queso, and more.
– Chicken caesar wraps – Dice and wrap with crisp lettuce, parmesan, and creamy dressing.
– Chicken banh mi – Layer marinated grilled thighs on crusty rolls with veggies and spicy aioli sauce.
You really can’t go wrong with quick cooking, ultra flavorful butterflied chicken thighs!
Conclusion
Butterflying chicken thighs is an easy and effective cooking preparation that results in quicker cooking time, juicier meat, optimized seasoning, and delicious crispy skin.
By slicing the thigh almost all the way through and opening it up, you expose more surface area for getting browned and crispy. Flattening out the thicker part also promotes even thickness and consistent cooking. Leaving the thigh still partially attached maintains its structure for easier handling.
From pounded and fried cutlets to skewers to tacos, marinated and grilled butterflied chicken thighs make endless quick and tasty weeknight meals. Experiment with your favorite seasonings and cooking methods to enjoy optimal texture and flavor. Now that you know all about how to properly butterfly a chicken thigh, you’ll have a go-to trick for speedy, foolproof chicken dishes any night of the week!