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Quick & Easy Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs: One Pan Best Dinner

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A quick and easy one-pan garlic butter chicken thighs recipe that delivers crispy skin, tender meat, and a rich garlic butter sauce in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights and made with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs or 680g)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42g)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (15ml)
  • 4–5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • ¼ cup chicken broth (60ml), low-sodium
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (5g)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper (2g), freshly ground
  • Optional: 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prep the Chicken (5 minutes): Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
  2. Heat the Pan (2 minutes): Place your skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Swirl to coat the pan. Wait until the butter stops foaming and starts to brown slightly.
  3. Sear the Chicken (8-10 minutes): Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot pan. Don’t overcrowd. Press down gently with a spatula for 10 seconds. Cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes until deep golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side.
  4. Create the Garlic Butter Sauce (2 minutes): Reduce heat to medium-low. Push chicken to one side. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and minced garlic to the empty space. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth and add thyme sprigs. Stir, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
  5. Finish Cooking (5-7 minutes): Nestle chicken back into sauce, skin-side up. Spoon sauce over each thigh. Simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, basting occasionally, until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part (or 175°F/80°C for more tender meat).
  6. Rest and Serve (5 minutes): Remove from heat. Let chicken rest in pan for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley if using. Serve hot with garlic butter sauce spooned over the top.

Notes

Pat chicken dry for crispy skin. Don’t move chicken too early when searing. Add garlic after searing to prevent burning. Baste chicken with sauce while simmering. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. For extra crispy skin, let chicken sit uncovered in fridge for 30 minutes before cooking. Leftovers keep in fridge for up to 4 days; reheat in skillet with splash of broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic butter chicken, one pan chicken, quick chicken dinner, weeknight chicken, crispy chicken thighs, garlic butter sauce, easy chicken recipe

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/quick-and-easy-garlic-butter-chicken-thighs-one-pan-best-dinner/