If chicken pieces have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 91 recipes to try them in.
Key Points
Chicken pieces are a cut-up whole bird or a mix of bone-in legs, thighs, wings, and breast.
Bone and skin add flavor and value, making mixed packs ideal for braises and fried chicken.
Brown pieces skin-side down first, then simmer; the sear builds the dish's deep flavor.
Breast cooks faster than thigh, so pull it early or buy all-dark packs for even cooking.
Bone-in thighs are the safest single-cut substitute; cook all pieces to 165°F (74°C).
What are chicken pieces?
Chicken pieces means a whole bird cut into parts, or a mix of bone-in cuts sold together: legs, thighs, wings, and breast halves in one pack. It is the format old-school braises and fried chicken recipes call for, back when you bought a whole chicken and broke it down yourself.
The appeal is that bone and skin stay on.
Bone keeps the meat from drying as it cooks, and skin renders into flavor and crisp. A pack of mixed pieces also stretches further and costs less than buying any single cut on its own.
When to Reach for Mixed Pieces
Cut-up chicken is built for one-pot cooking, where everything browns in the same pan and then simmers together. The classic is Coq Au Vin à la Slow Cooker, where bone-in pieces go tender in red wine over hours.
For long braises, dark pieces outperform breast, which can go stringy over hours of simmering.
Cooking and Common Mistakes
Brown the pieces first, skin-side down, before any liquid goes in. That sear builds the deep flavor the dish leans on, and skipping it leaves the braise tasting flat.
The mistake people make is cooking mixed pieces to a single time. Breast finishes well before thigh, so pull the breast pieces early or buy all-dark packs for an even cook. Aim every cut at 165°F (74°C), and let the dark pieces ride higher for tenderness.
If a recipe wants mixed pieces and you only have one cut, bone-in thighs are the safest swap: they are forgiving and stay juicy through any cook time.
A whole chicken you cut up yourself works too, and costs less. Boneless cuts will work in a pinch but cook far faster, so add them late and skip the long simmer.
Buying and Storing
Look for pieces that are pink and firm with intact skin and no gray cast or sour smell. Packs labeled for frying or stewing are usually mixed bone-in cuts.
Use raw pieces within one to two days, stored cold in the bottom of the fridge where it stays coldest. Freeze for up to nine months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.
Types of chicken pieces
Specific kinds of chicken pieces and the recipes that use them.
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are dark meat with the bone and skin already removed: all the flavor of the thigh, ready to cook in minutes. They are the weeknight workhorse, the cut that goes straight from package to pan with no trimming.
What sets them apart from breast is fat.
Thighs carry more of it, plus more connective tissue, so they stay juicy and tender even when you cook them a little long. Breast goes from done to dry in a minute or two; a thigh gives you a wide margin for error.
Chicken wings are the small, skin-heavy cut from the bird's shoulder, and the draw is the ratio of crisp skin to tender dark meat.
A whole wing has three parts: the meaty drumette nearest the body, the two-bone flat (or wingette) in the middle, and the bony wing tip, which usually goes to the stockpot.
Most cooks split the wing at the joint into drumettes and flats. Drumettes eat like tiny drumsticks, while flats hold more skin and crisp up harder, which is why flat-lovers and drumette-lovers rarely agree.
Wings are party food: cheap, easy to eat with your hands, and made to carry sauce.
A chicken leg is the whole lower limb: the thigh and the drumstick still joined as one piece, sometimes sold as a leg quarter with a bit of the back attached. It is all dark meat, the richest and most forgiving part of the bird.
Dark meat carries more fat and connective tissue than the breast, so it stays juicy through long cooking and bold seasoning. A leg is cheap and hard to ruin, which makes it the cut to grab when you want chicken that takes care of itself.
A drumstick is the lower half of the chicken leg, the part below the knee joint. It is dark meat on a single handle of bone, which makes it the cut kids reach for and the one that disappears first at a cookout.
Drumsticks are among the cheapest chicken you can buy, and the bone and fat make them nearly impossible to ruin. They stay moist through grilling, baking, and frying, and the built-in handle means no fork required.
A chicken drumette is the meaty first segment of the wing, the part closest to the body. It looks like a tiny drumstick, with a single bone and a knob of meat pulled to one end, which is exactly why it gets the name.
A whole chicken wing has three parts: the drumette, the flat middle section (the wingette), and the bony tip. Cut the wing apart and the drumette is the chunkiest, easiest-to-eat piece.
Crispy fried chicken wings tossed in a sweet-and-spicy sauce with French dressing, herbs, and hot sauce. Served with blue cheese dressing and crunchy veggies.
Classic Buffalo wings with homemade tomato-based hot sauce and creamy blue cheese dressing. Deep-fried golden, tossed in tangy heat, served with chilled celery.
Paleo honey Dijon chicken thighs with serrano peppers and rosemary. Marinate overnight, bake 45 minutes for tender, sweet-spicy results that are naturally gluten-free.
Once upon a time I was reading a magazine article about good cooking. The journalist tried to convince me not to use some combinations of ingredients. One of the "banned" combinations mentioned was green and black olives. And so this soup was born to enjoy me.
Malabar chicken curry is a spicy and aromatic dish that hails from the Malabar region of India. This curry is made with a unique blend of spices that include cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and fennel, which gives it a distinctive taste and aroma. The tender chicken pieces are simmered in a rich and flavorful coconut milk-based gravy, making it a perfect dish for any occasion. The curry can be adjusted to your preferred level of spiciness, making it versatile for all tastes. Whether you're looking to explore new flavors or simply want to add a bit of spice to your meals, Malabar chicken curry is a must-try recipe for any home cook.
A sensational treat for your taste buds as well as tummy, the Rosemary & Lemon Grilled Chicken is a no-fuss recipe that can be had anytime of the day. Packed with flavours, it is a healthy and nutritious alternative to other fried chicken recipes. A meal by itself, it can also be served with a side of salad, mashed potatoes and gravy for an extravagant meal experience.
Coffee liqueur dipper wings: chicken wings marinated in a Kahlua-spiked barbecue sauce with chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and honey. The party wing with a deep, smoky-sweet kick.
Baked parmesan-crusted chicken: bite-size pieces dipped in garlic butter, rolled in a Parmesan-breadcrumb coating, and baked hot until golden and crunchy. The family trick is cutting the chicken small.
A rustic American cassoulet with navy beans, browned chicken legs, crispy bacon, and smoked sausage baked in a tomato and herb broth. Hearty French-inspired comfort food for 4 to 6.
Crispy deep-fried buffalo wings with classic hot sauce and butter coating. Authentic game day chicken wings with cayenne-spiked flour coating, perfect for parties and Super Bowl.
I remember this soup from my childhood. Very creamy and thick, full of dill weed. Let it become thin to feel more intense flavor of chanterelle mushrooms.
Jamaican jerk chicken wings marinated in a fiery blend of allspice, scotch bonnet heat, thyme, scallions, and warm spices, then roasted hot until lacquered and crisp. Island flavor on a party platter.
I like natural flavors of veggies without any seasoning inc. salt.. I often steam them and serve them as a side to other dishes.. sometimes they are tossed into the soup like in this example.. you may steam various veggies in various seasons of the year..
Delicate, spring soup which is my rendition of the traditional Silesian soup called oberiba. Both recipes differ a lot, so this one shouldn't be named as Silesians did.
Sweet-sour chicken wings pressure cooked for tenderness, then glazed with a tomato, orange marmalade, ginger, and garlic sauce and broiled until sticky and caramelized. A hot sauce finish adds adjustable heat.
There are hundreds versions of this very Polish soup. Here you have an original proposition of mine. I used to cook it on the base of my favorite duck and chicken stock. The cream is a must to create wonderful pink color. Optionally you may add a quarter or a half of hard boiled egg to your bowl. By the way, I change my recipe sometimes, for instance by adding dried California prunes instead of sugar, or by adding some white vinegar instead of lemon juice.
Get crispy, tangy chicken wings on the table in 30 minutes with just a microwave and a few simple ingredients. Lemon slices and zesty barbecue sauce transform ordinary wings into a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Crockpot jambalaya layered with chicken, smoked sausage, and shrimp in a Creole-spiced tomato base. Orzo cooks right in the pot, and the shrimp goes in last so it stays plump.
This very old soup is traditionally cooked on Easter. The flavors of my rendition are mild, however if you like horseradish and more spicy flavor, try to add 2 times more grams than I did.
Barbecued chicken legs slathered in a homemade sauce of tomato, chutney, Worcestershire, mustard, paprika, and lemon. Cut, marinate, then grill or broil with frequent basting for layered flavor.
Traditional Indian dish of roasted chunks of chicken in a spicy sauce. The chicken is a very good source of lean protein, while the sauce provides important nutrients such as vitamins A and C as well as calcium.
Broiled sesame chicken wings marinated in a punchy blend of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, coriander, and lemon juice. Coated in sesame seeds and broiled until sticky and charred at the edges.
Crispy skin, moist chicken thighs with a deep mahogany flavor from the flavorful Asian inspired ingredients. A great one skillet meal. The fat from the skin is rendered and discarded while the dark meat stays moist.
Very easy to prepare and packed with fairly strong Asian style sweet-sour flavor. Perhaps a bit much on the vinegar, would be good with plain white rice to balance things out.
Quick and easy chicken main dish simmered in a rich and creamy sauce infused with the flavors of thyme, bay leaf, and saffron enriched with tomato paste. The result is a tender and flavorful chicken perfectly complemented by the creamy and aromatic sauce. This recipe is easy to make and can be served with various sides, such as rice, mashed potatoes, or steamed vegetables.
Crockpot chicken with mushrooms and onions in a creamy soup-and-broth sauce, slow-cooked until fall-apart tender, then finished with crisp crumbled bacon on top. Dump it in and walk away.
From across Northern Italy there are many variations. A rich broth, juicy Italian tomatoes and rich herb simmered for a long time. I used a mixture of sliced mushrooms from my local supermarket and dried lobster, oyster and shitake mushrooms. Then used the mushroom juice in place of chicken broth. Outstanding reduction of rich comfort flavors.
General Tao chicken with crispy deep-fried leg meat tossed in a sweet-sour soy glaze with ginger, garlic, dried chilies, and sesame oil. Better than takeout, ready in 40 minutes.
