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Skillet Chicken Thighs

Skillet chicken thighs with crackly-crisp skin and a quick garlic butter pan sauce. Chicken is seared skin-side down, finished in the same skillet, then spooned with reduced thyme-lemon broth.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Pan Sauce
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear
  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry, then season both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.
  3. Place the thighs skin-side down and sear, undisturbed, for 6-7 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and crackly-crisp.
  4. Flip the thighs and cook for another 6-7 minutes, until nearly cooked through.
  5. Remove the chicken thighs to a plate and set aside.
Make the garlic butter pan sauce
  1. Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, while the butter foams lightly.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice, then stir in the thyme and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until slightly reduced.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin-side up, and spoon the sauce over the top.
  2. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F internally.
  3. Top with the chopped parsley and serve hot with the pan sauce spooned over.

Notes

For maximum crackling, pat the thighs very dry and leave them undisturbed during the first sear. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat gently in a skillet until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the skin texture softens. For a lower-fat option, use reduced-fat butter and skin-on chicken still works best for crisping (texture may be slightly less crackly).