Nom Nom Paleo + Whole30 by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com

There’s no hiding it: I’m a huge chicken thigh fan, which means almost all of my Whole30 chicken recipes call for dark meat. Although I used to go for chicken breast when offered a choice between white or dark meat, I never really liked eating it. I just thought it was the healthier way to go and begrudgingly choked down bland, dry, and chalky chicken.

A collage of Nom Nom Paleo's best Whole30 chicken thigh recipes

Once I went paleo and discovered that I didn’t have to obsessively count calories and eat low fat stuff to be healthy, chicken thighs quickly made their way back onto my menu. Good thing, too. Hands down, chicken thighs are my favorite part of the bird—they’re way more flavorful, easier to cook, and cheaper than chicken breast, too. Even if you think you don’t like thighs, give one of my crispy-skinned thigh recipes a try and you might decide to join the dark side with me!

My favorite Whole30 Chicken Thigh Recipes

Ollie’s Cracklin’ Chicken: The most popular chicken recipe on my site! It’s so simple, yet amazing!

A closeup of Ollie's Cracklin’ Chicken with golden crispy skin on a wire rack.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken: This recipe won best paleo recipe of 2015 in Paleo Magazine and it does not disappoint! Find yourself some lemongrass and make this dish ASAP.

An overhead shot of Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken on a platter with fresh herbs and lime wedges.

Umami Roast Chicken: Got some Magic Mushroom Powder? This simple roast chicken dish will prove to you the life-changing power of umami. 

Someone holding a platter of Umami Roast Chicken.

Cantonese Crispy Chicken Thighs: This fab crispy chicken thigh dish is a mash up of Ollie’s Cracklin’ Chicken and one of my mom’s home-style dishes. Yes, that means it’s a winner!

An overhead shot of Cantonese Crispy Chicken Thighs in a skillet surrounded with fresh cilantro and scallions.

If I haven’t convinced you to switch over to dark meat, check out my favorite Whole30 Chicken Breast recipes here!


A note to my Nomsters: This is one of a series of daily blog posts I’m writing in the month of January 2019 to help those doing a Whole30 to kick off the New Year. Not sure what the Whole30 is, or want info on how to get started? Read my Whole30 prep post—and then come back to Nom Nom Paleo every single day for recipes to inspire, delight, and sustain you on your Whole30!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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