Meat and poultry
Substitutes for chicken breasts or thighs
Breasts are lean and quick to dry out; thighs have more fat and flavor and forgive a few extra minutes. Most recipes take either.
Safety: Cook all chicken to 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, checked with a thermometer.
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In place of chicken breasts
Chicken thighs
- How much
- The same weight
- What changes
- Juicier and richer; cook a few minutes longer. Thighs are safe at 165°F and most tender closer to 175°F.
- Best in
- Stir-fries, curries, grilling, sheet pans.
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In place of chicken thighs
Chicken breasts
- How much
- The same weight
- How
- Pound thick ends even or cut into equal pieces, and pull them at 165°F.
- What changes
- Leaner and milder; cooks faster and dries out sooner.
- Best in
- Grilling, stir-fries, salads.
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Extra-firm tofu or chickpeas
- How much
- About the same weight of pressed tofu, or 1½ cups chickpeas per ½ lb chicken
- How
- Press tofu 20 minutes and brown it before adding sauce.
- What changes
- A different dish, but it takes the same seasoning well.
- Best in
- Curries, stir-fries, sheet pans.
Simmerbee recipes with chicken breasts or thighs (23)
- Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
- Air-Fryer Chicken Katsu
- Cajun-Style Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
- Coq au Vin with Chicken Thighs
- Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken with Spinach
- Crispy Chicken Parmesan
- Easy Oven-Baked Chicken Breasts
- Juicy Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts
- Lemon Caper Chicken Piccata
- Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
- One-Pot Chicken Cacciatore
- Oven-Roasted Jerk-Inspired Chicken
- Pan-Fried Chicken Katsu
- Pressure Cooker Butter Chicken
- Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Sheet-Pan Chicken Shawarma with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- Sheet-Pan Chicken Souvlaki with Peppers and Onions
- Sheet-Pan Honey Mustard Chicken with Potatoes and Green Beans
- Skillet Chicken Teriyaki
- Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
- Takeout-Style Orange Chicken
- Thai-Inspired Red Curry with Chicken
- Weeknight Chicken Tikka Masala
On those recipes, tap Swaps next to the ingredient for the short version.
More meat and poultry swaps
Ingredient guides: Chicken thighs: pick, store and measure, Chicken breasts: pick, store and measure