The immense popularity of chicken breast meat has overshadowed the succulent goodness of chicken thighs, legs and drumsticks. One of the reasons for the lack of demand for dark meat is that it's gotten a bad rap for being high in fat and calories. When in fact, it's still healthier than most other red meats. Three ounces of skinless, boneless cooked dark meat has only about 130 calories and 4 grams of fat. Think chicken curry, chicken cacciatore, garlic chicken and more.
Dark meat can stand up to longer cooking times than white meat.
That means it's perfect for slow cooker dishes and long oven braising. Any recipe calling for boneless chicken breasts can be made with boneless chicken thighs. Help to keep the fat and calories in check by removing the skin. But skinless chicken meat can have a tendency to dry out, so it is important to use a cooking method that will help to keep the meat moist. The cooking methods that work best include braising, stewing, poaching and stir-frying.