Chicken Thighs problems, diagnosed

Check temperature and tenderness separately. Poultry is safe at 165°F / 73.9°C, but thigh meat contains more connective tissue than breast meat and can still feel firm at that point. Food Network notes that thighs often become more tender around 175°F / 79°C. If the meat is already dry and stringy, however, more cooking is the wrong fix.

Start with surface moisture and fat rendering. Chicken skin crisps when water leaves the surface and enough fat renders underneath it. Food Network recommends drying the skin, exposing it to heat and, for skillet cooking, allowing the skin-side fat to render gradually. Crowding or keeping the skin in liquid can leave it soft or rubbery.