Parmesan Chicken Thighs Recipe | Joyful Healthy Eats

You’ll love these skillet parmesan chicken thighs topped with a garlicky homemade sauce for a quick one-pan dinner! Ready in 35 minutes and perfectly golden on the outside and juicy on the inside for the best bite!

Why You’ll Love These Parmesan Chicken Thighs

These juicy Parmesan chicken thighs have a garlicky kick and are ready in a snap.

• Quick. A 35-minute dinner is my definition of the perfect, lazy weeknight meal.
• Great for gatherings. Prepare several batches and serve it in a large baking dish. Let everyone help themselves to as much as they want!
• Prep-friendly. Rub the chicken with the spice mix in advance to save some time throughout the week.
• One-pan. You won’t have to clean up endless pans and pots once you’re done with dinner. Everything’s prepared in the same pan.

What You’ll Need

The simple spice rub adds smokiness, earthiness, herbiness, and lots of garlicky goodness to every bite. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

• Chicken thighs – Make sure they’re boneless and skinless.
• Seasonings – Garlic powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, salt and pepper.
• Avocado oil – Feel free to use vegetable, corn, canola, or olive oil.

Parmesan Garlic Sauce

• Unsalted butter – Reduce the salt in the rest of the recipe if you use salted butter.
• Garlic – Avoid garlic powder because it’ll make the sauce grainy.
• Parmesan – Use freshly grated cheese.
• Seasonings – Smoked paprika and red pepper flakes.
• Chopped chives – Green onions work too.

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs

Simmering the chicken in the garlicky sauce for those final minutes really makes the difference. Here’s a quick overview of how to make this easy dinner. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.

• Mix the spices. Whisk the garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, paprika, coriander, and black pepper in a bowl until well combined. Set it aside.
• Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
• Add the spice rub. Sprinkle the spice blend evenly over the chicken thighs. Gently massage the spices into the thighs to ensure even coating.

• Brown the chicken. Place a large pan over medium-high heat. Add avocado oil and sauté the chicken on one side for 5-6 minutes until it develops a golden-brown crust. Flip the chicken and cook the other side for an additional 5-6 minutes or until there is no visible pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the heat and set it aside on a plate.

For the Sauce and Serving

• Make the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, and add butter and minced garlic to the pan. Use a spoon to gently scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir until the garlic becomes fragrant and the butter is completely melted. Add in the parmesan, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together.

• Simmer it. Return the chicken into the pan and let it cook for 1-2 minutes over low-heat. Spoon some of the sauce on top. Remove it from the heat.
• Serve. Spoon more sauce over the chicken and garnish it with 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese and chopped chives. Enjoy!

Tips & Variation Ideas

• Use bone-in and skin-on. Make sure to cook the chicken skin-down first until golden before cooking the other side. This will give you a crispy crust and add texture to every bite.
• Choose the right pan. A non-stick pan or skillet are best for cooking chicken in because, unlike stainless steel, it’s less likely it’ll stick and burn.
• Use turkey. Swapping the chicken for turkey in this recipe will give you an easy but festive variation.
• Make it creamy. Remove the chicken from the heat and add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Stir well and gently scrape the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes and season with salt to taste. Drizzle the sauce on top of the chicken.
• Use different parts of chicken. Chicken legs and leg-quarters are great ways to use up whatever parts of the chicken you have at home already.

Serving Suggestions

These parmesan chicken thighs are a wonderful main when paired with simple veggie sides. Air Fryer Green Beans, Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes, and Grilled Asparagus are some of my favorite. If I’m craving soup, I serve it with my Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Bacon. For an easy salad idea, go for my Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad.

Proper Storage

Place the leftovers in serving-size portions in different containers before refrigerating for a quick meal-prep.

• Store it in the fridge: Let the leftovers cool completely before placing them in airtight containers. Refrigerate the chicken for up to 5 days. Keep it away from direct heat and sunlight when on the counter because chicken spoils easily.
• To reheat it: Pop it into the microwave for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it in a pan over medium-low for 7-8 minutes with the lid on.

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