Print

Easy One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs – Best 30-Minute Dinner

one-pan garlic butter chicken thighs - featured image
Print Recipe

This easy one-pan garlic butter chicken thighs recipe is ready in 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for busy weeknights, it delivers crispy skin, tender meat, and a rich garlic butter sauce—all in one skillet.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 8–10 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4–5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Optional: fresh parsley, flaky sea salt, lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prep the chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Prepare garlic and herbs: Smash garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife, remove skins, and leave mostly intact. Pick thyme leaves from sprigs. Cut lemon in half.
  3. Heat the pan: Place a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, let melt and foam, then swirl to coat.
  4. Add chicken skin-side down: Place chicken in skillet skin-side down without crowding. Cook undisturbed for 6-7 minutes until skin is deep golden and releases easily.
  5. Flip and cook: Flip chicken. Add smashed garlic and thyme sprigs to pan. Cook 5-6 minutes, basting occasionally with butter. Reduce heat if butter browns too much.
  6. Add broth and baste: Pour in chicken broth. Scrape up browned bits from pan bottom. Cook 2-3 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken.
  7. Check temperature: Insert instant-read thermometer into thickest part of thigh (avoid bone). Target 165°F (74°C). Cook 1-2 minutes more if needed.
  8. Rest the chicken: Transfer chicken to a plate and let rest 5 minutes.
  9. Finish the sauce: Squeeze lemon juice into pan, stir, and adjust seasoning. Simmer to reduce if too thin, or add broth if too thick.
  10. Serve: Place chicken on platter, spoon garlic butter sauce over top, garnish with parsley and flaky salt if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Pat chicken dry for crispy skin. Don’t crowd the pan—cook in batches if needed. Let chicken rest before serving. Butter can burn easily; reduce heat if it darkens too much. Leftovers keep 3-4 days in fridge and freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic butter chicken, one-pan chicken, 30-minute dinner, chicken thighs, easy weeknight dinner, crispy chicken, skillet chicken

Find it online: https://emmastirs.com/easy-one-pan-garlic-butter-chicken-thighs-best-30-minute-dinner/