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Cozy One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs – Easy Fall Dinner

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This cozy one-pan garlic butter chicken thighs recipe is the kind of meal that makes fall feel like fall. It’s warm, comforting, and comes together without a lot of fuss or fancy techniques, with a garlic butter sauce that’s so good you’ll want to spoon it over everything on your plate.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs total)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • ½ cup heavy cream (optional, for a richer sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Crusty bread or cooked rice (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Position the rack in the center.
  2. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides with the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes without moving them, until the skin is deep golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Once melted, add the sliced garlic and fresh thyme. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the broth simmer for 2-3 minutes until reduced by about half. If using heavy cream, stir it in now and let simmer for another minute until the sauce thickens slightly.
  6. Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin-side up, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon a little sauce over the tops. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  7. Remove the skillet from the oven and squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the top. Let the chicken rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread or rice.

Notes

Don’t skip the resting time after baking—it keeps the meat tender. For extra crispy skin, finish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes after baking. If using boneless thighs, reduce oven time to 12-15 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic butter chicken, one-pan chicken, fall dinner, chicken thighs, comfort food, easy dinner, skillet chicken

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