The Trick to Enjoying a Delicious Chicken Leg-Thigh

The legs and thighs are chicken cuts containing darker meat than most other parts of the chicken, like the breast. This means they have a moderate level of fat and that fat does a great job of keeping the finished meat nice and moist. While removing the skin from the leg-thigh prior to cooking is sometimes recommended for health reasons to keep the meal as low in fat as possible, we suggest enjoying the entire piece for maximum flavor!

For the most part, the average consumer is familiar with chicken legs and has thrown them on their grill (at least) once or twice during a good ol’ fashioned cookout. The chicken leg is easy to prepare but if you’re not starting with quality ingredients, it’s likely you may not have been too pleased with your final dish and decided that chicken legs-thighs are not for you. That’d be a shame though because not only are legs-thighs delicious, they house a significant amount of nutrients and minerals. Chicken is high in protein and low in calories, making it an excellent addition to your weekly meal cycle.

The key, as always, is to start with quality ingredients. As we discussed briefly in a previous blog, it can be extremely difficult at the grocery store to identify truly good product. There are, sadly, quite a few misleading labels and certifications which is why it’s always best to get as close to the source as possible and cut out the “middleman” steps where label scrutiny tends to happen.

When you go directly to the farmer or to a place such as Dutch Meadows where we offer access to a collective of farmers, there are several benefits to enjoy. For starters, there’s less time from farm to table which preserves flavor and nutrients (yes, even when flash frozen...in fact, especially when flash frozen). Small farmers are also more likely to allow their animals to live naturally and receive the proper amount and type of food and nutrition that they were intended to. That’s certainly the case at Dutch Meadows. The chicken from Serenity Meadows Farm is raised on pasture where the animals have plenty of room to roam and healthy soil to feast from.

So, now that you’re starting with a proper chicken leg-thigh, how should you prepare it? We’re fond of throwing them on the grill but love a good roast, too, where we let the skin get extra crispy and the inside extra juicy.

Sometimes cooks feel inclined to add a marinade, sauce, or juicy to their chicken recipes. We suggest keeping it simple ESPECIALLY WHEN you’re starting with a naturally good product. You can always drizzle the leg-thighs with a little honey for a delicious spin or wrap the leg-thigh up in foil for the first half of cooking so the moisture is retained. A chunky-crispy breading option is a great way to mix things up as well though.

Now that you’re hungry and raring to enjoy the experience of a properly prepared leg-thigh meal, you can always consider our economical option, the leg-thigh bundle which is perfect for a big family, hosting a few friends, or can even be stretched out and enjoyed by an individual or couple over quite some time!