Facing rising poultry prices, restaurants are introducing the humble chicken thigh to menus
Chicken thighs—the sometimes neglected middle child of poultry cuts—have landed in the spotlight. In the past year alone, the cost of wings and boneless, skinless chicken breast has doubled, leading restaurants from Wingstop to Just Salad to introduce the humbler, cheaper, and much more easily available thigh to their menus. Grocery shoppers appear to be giving thighs more of a chance at home, too. According to poultry processor Perdue Farms, sales of boneless thighs rose by 15 percent in 2021. “That demand has been spectacular,” the company’s president told The Wall Street Journal. Of course, thighs may be overshadowed in the coming weeks as chicken wings enjoy their annual 15 minutes of fame ahead of the Super Bowl. —Jessica Fu
