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Garlic and Herb Chicken Thigh Recipe

By
Charlotte Brooks
-

This incredibly easy Garlic and Herb Chicken Thigh Recipe is ultra flavorful with bursts of garlic, lemon and fresh herbs. 

Pair this gorgeous chicken recipe with my Fluffy Mashed Potatoes and Parmesan Roasted Green Beans for a complete meal that everyone will love.

black skillet with roasted garlic and herb chicken thighs in it, with added lemon slices.

Garlic and Herb Chicken Thigh Recipe

For this particular chicken skillet, if you want it to turn out nice and juicy (and totally addicting) then you MUST USE CHICKEN THIGHS…WITH THE SKIN! It really makes all the difference.

Ingredients Needed

Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to make this delicious chicken thigh recipe. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.

  • Chicken Thighs – boneless, with the skin ON
  • Italian Seasoning – use my homemade blend!
  • Butter
  • Onion – yellow onion preferred
  • Garlic
  • Fresh Herbs – Sage, Thyme & Rosemary
  • White Wine – for deglazing the pan and creating an amazing pan sauce
  • Chicken Broth – low sodium
  • Lemon 

Ingredients for chicken thigh recipe on wooden surface with fresh herbs and lemons.

How To Make Garlic and Herb Chicken Thighs

To make these chicken thighs extra crispy in the skillet you’ll want to make sure you’re using a large enough pan so the chicken isn’t crowded when you cook them. 

SEAR CHICKEN THIGHS

Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add in plenty of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

Sear the chicken thighs on each side for about 8 to 10 minutes (depending on how large your chicken thighs are). Keep cooking until they register at 165 degrees F when tested with an instant read thermometer.

cooking chicken thighs in a large black pan.

PRO TIP: Start your chicken thighs skin-side down so the skin gets nice and browned and crispy.

MAKE GARLIC HERB SAUCE

Once the chicken thighs are cooked through, remove them from the pan to a plate and cover loosely with foil. 

Back to the skillet, over medium heat, add in the butter and onion, then sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion is nice and tender.

Butter and onion in black skillet.

You’ll notice that there may be some browned bits still left in the pan from when the chicken was cooking. Leave them be!

Those browned bits will help create an amazing flavor for the pan sauce.

Herbs and onions added to black skillet.

Once the onion is tender, toss in the garlic and freshly chopped herbs to the pan and give them a quick stir until they’re nice and fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Quickly stir in the white wine and scrap any of those remaining browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

pouring in white wine and lemons to create pan sauce.

Let the white wine cook down and reduce, allowing it to bring out a delicious flavor with the garlic and herbs.

Finally, to create a more luscious and bright gravy, stir in a little bit of chicken broth along with the lemon slices to bring the pan sauce to fruition. 

garlic and herb chicken thighs in pan with lemon slices on top.

RETURN GARLIC AND HERB CHICKEN THIGHS TO PAN

All that is left to do is add the chicken thighs back to the pan with the sauce and spoon that buttery, herby, and bright sauce over the chicken thighs.

Make sure you spoon that sauce over some rice, mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles to really get the full effect.

Can I Use Chicken Breast Instead of Chicken Thighs?

Yes, you can definitely swap out the chicken thighs for chicken breast in this recipe. However, you’ll want to pay close attention to these adjustments.

  1. Make sure you pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness to help cook evenly.
  2. Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking the chicken. 
  3. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
  4. Using a skinless chicken breast will not give you a crispy skin like the thighs, but if seared and browned correctly, will still result in a delicious flavor. 

chicken thigh with crispy skin on a wooden spoon over black skillet.

Make Ahead and Storage

Due to the crispy nature of the chicken thighs when cooked, it’s best to serve these chicken thighs right away. 

However, this chicken will last up to 3 days in the fridge and reheats well in an air fryer. Keep the pan sauces and reheat them either in a skillet or simply pop in the microwave.

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

Chicken thighs are fantastic because they tend to be much cheaper at the grocery store. They are also a dark meat, meaning they tend to be more juicy when cooked. 

Here are a few more tasty recipes using chicken thighs that you can quickly make at home…

browned garlic and herb chicken thigh with crispy skin in black skillet with lemon wedges.

I can’t wait for you to give this quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe a try! I know you’re going to love it as much as we do!

HELPFUL PRODUCTS TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:


Last updated on August 10, 2023 12:23 pm

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chicken thigh with crispy skin on a wooden spoon over black skillet.

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Garlic and Herb Chicken Thigh Skillet

Leave dinner stress at the door with this Garlic and Herb Chicken Thigh Skillet. Just a handful of easy to find ingredients, a single skillet and 30 minutes are all that stand between you and dinnertime magic.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time30 minutes

Total Time40 minutes

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Calories: 326 kcal

Author: Shawn

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs, boneless, with skin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup onion, finely diced
  • 3 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup white wine, optional
  • 1/3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 lemon, sliced

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

  • Add chicken to the skillet and cook over medium heat approximately 8-10 minutes per side or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F and skin is crispy. Transfer to a plate to rest.

  • Return skillet to the stove and add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, sage, thyme and rosemary and sauté for 1-2 minutes more.

  • Turn heat to medium high and stir in the dry white wine. Allow the wine to cook off for one minute before adding the chicken broth and lemon slices.

  • Return chicken thighs to the skillet and simmer everything together for 4-5 minutes, or until chicken is heated through. Spoon the pan sauce over the chicken and serve immediately with mashed potatoes, rice or buttered noodles.

Notes
*Removing the bone from the chicken thighs will allow the chicken to cook more quickly in the skillet. 
If you can’t find chicken thighs with the bones already removed, simply turn them skin-side down on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice alongside the bone on each side. Carefully slice underneath the bone, removing it completely. 

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 232IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

Keywords: chicken thigh, Easy, Garlic, herb, Quick, Skillet

 

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