Boneless Thighs Experiment (Heart Healthy)

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Bearcarver

Gone but not forgotten RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
Group Lead
Sep 12, 2009
45,279
18,182
Macungie, PA
Boneless Thighs Experiment (Heart Healthy)


I thought it was time to give this a proper Test:
I made a few Chicken Drums a few weeks ago without Breading, and they were Pretty Darn Good.
So I figured the best way to really compare “Breading vs. No Breading” would be to try them “Side by Side”.

So this is what happened:
I thawed out 8 Boneless & Skinless Chicken Thighs, and had my Breading Machine (AKA Mrs Bear) only Bread 4 of them.
Then I sprayed them with a little olive oil, and put them all in one of my Crisper Baskets.
Then into the Air Fryer #360 @ 380°, set for 30 minutes, so I can check them @ 25 minutes.
I checked them at 25 minutes & they weren’t done yet, so I coated the Non-Breaded Thighs with Jeff’s Sauce, and I went to 30 minutes, and that finished them.
So for my First Night’s Supper, I had One of each, with Peas, and Mashed Taters with Cream of Chicken Soup for Gravy.

Then for my Second Night, I had One of each, Regular & Sweet Tater Fries, and a mixture of Jeff’s BBQ Sauce & Frank’s Hot Sauce, for Dipping.

My Third Night, I had the last one of each Thigh, a Pickled Egg, and a bunch of Olives.

These Thighs were All Great, and We both agreed that the ones without breading were just as good as the ones with Breading. So we will be doing all of our Chicken parts without Breading, and coated with Jeff’s Sauce a few minutes prior to finishing them to at least 165°. This will also cut down on even more Calories & Sodium from eliminating the unnecessary Breading.

On another note: After 51 Years, This gives my Breading Machine a Break Too. Now she only has to Bread my Fish.

This has been a Fun Experiment, and everything was Great, Breaded & Not Breaded, mainly because this AirFryer really makes Great Fried Chicken.


Thanks For Stopping By,

Bear

4 Breaded---4 Not Breaded:
IMG_4624.jpg


In the Crisper Basket & Ready for My Air Fryer #360:
IMG_4625.jpg


In the Fryer:
IMG_4626.jpg


Set at 380° for 30 minutes:
IMG_4627.jpg


Pulled out at 25 minutes, to check Temps & add Jeff's Sauce to the Naked ones:
IMG_4628.jpg


Finished at 30 Minutes, and Pulled:
IMG_4630.jpg


BearView of same:
IMG_4629.jpg


Bear's first Supper of 1 of each Thigh, Mashed Taters with Cream of Chicken Soup for Gravy, and Peas:
IMG_4632.jpg


Second Night's Supper of 1 of each thigh, Regular Fries & Sweet Tater Fries, and a dipping sauce mixture of "Jeff's BBQ Sauce and Frank's RedHot"
IMG_4633.jpg


BearView of same:
IMG_4634.jpg


Third Night was the last 1 of each Thigh, a Pickled Red Beet Egg, and a bunch of Olives:
IMG_4636.jpg
 
Beautiful Bear, just beautiful. Strangely your experiment confirmed the same results I got long ago in the pre-Tracy era. I love chicken but she is allergic to it. At one point I was on a HUGE wing kick and got them every place I could find them on a perpetual quest to find the best. I had them breaded and without breading. Decided the best way to try the best wings was to make them myself and basically ran the exact same experiment you did. The non breaded chicken won hands down!! Now fried chicken is a whole 'nother story :emoji_wink:

Perfect presentation and LIKE!!
Robert
 
Last edited:
This looks like a great experiment, and often.... adding flavor can take the place of fat and carbs. The air fryer sounds like a cool appliance for sure.

From the heart smart viewpoint, I noticed you did not remove some of the fat on the thighs. 1 gram of fat has 9 calories, but a gram of protein or carbs has around 4 calories. Cutting 25 calories from each thigh is one way to look at it. Another way to see it is you could eat more proteins or carbs (maybe 1/3 more) for the same amount of calories if you removed more surface fat. There is also a kernel of fat hidden on the bone side of the thigh that sometimes isn't removed when processing.
 
Nice job my Big Bear Buddy ! Love the side by side. We are using our 360 a lot everything so far has been great. All of those meals make me Hungry

Gary
 
This looks like a great experiment, and often.... adding flavor can take the place of fat and carbs. The air fryer sounds like a cool appliance for sure.

From the heart smart viewpoint, I noticed you did not remove some of the fat on the thighs. 1 gram of fat has 9 calories, but a gram of protein or carbs has around 4 calories. Cutting 25 calories from each thigh is one way to look at it. Another way to see it is you could eat more proteins or carbs (maybe 1/3 more) for the same amount of calories if you removed more surface fat. There is also a kernel of fat hidden on the bone side of the thigh that sometimes isn't removed when processing.


Thank You!!
This is another good thing about not breading the Boneless Chicken Thighs.
We get all the fat we can get off, without going too crazy, however after 30 minutes @ 380° all of those little bits of fat have melted & dripped off into my Baking Pan below.
If breaded, the breading would absorb the melting fat, and it would be eaten with the breading.

Bear
 
Beautiful Bear, just beautiful. Strangely your experiment confirmed the same results I got long ago in the pre-Tracy era. I love chicken but she is allergic to it. At one point I was on a HUGE wing kick and got them every place I could find them on a perpetual quest to find the best. I had them breaded and without breading. Decided the best way to try the best wings was to make them myself and basically ran the exact same experiment you did. The non breaded chicken won hands down!! Now fried chicken is a whole 'nother story :emoji_wink:

Perfect presentation and LIKE!!
Robert


Thank You Robert!!
I was never crazy about Wings, because they are usually all Skin & Bones, and cost way too much. These Boneless Thighs go on sale often for $2.29.
I'd like to treat these Boneless & Skinless Thighs just like people treat wings, but Mrs Bear doesn't like things hot & Spicy. So all I can do is add some hot stuff to my portions individually, when I get the chance.
Funny thing is, if you could check out my Chicken Smokes, over my first 9 years on this forum, you'd see less than a dozen times I made any kind of chicken in 9 years. I've already made more than that since I got this AirFryer #360, and I'm loving it !!!
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear
 
Nice job my Big Bear Buddy ! Love the side by side. We are using our 360 a lot everything so far has been great. All of those meals make me Hungry

Gary


Thank You Gary!!
One of my favorite Toys!!
And Thanks for the Like.

Bear
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky