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Light One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs: Easy Dinner Recipe

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This Light One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs recipe is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that brings comfort and warmth to your kitchen. With crispy skin, juicy meat, and a bright garlic-lemon sauce, it’s a healthier take on a classic dish that comes together in about 30 minutes with minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs / 680g)
  • 6–8 fresh garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
  • 1 whole lemon (zest and juice)
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt, pepper, paprika, and dried thyme.
  2. Smash the garlic cloves by placing them on a cutting board and pressing firmly with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Set aside.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes until deep golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the smashed garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes until slightly reduced.
  6. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
  7. Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin-side up, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some sauce over the top.
  8. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
  9. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately with pan sauce spooned over the top.

Notes

Pat the chicken dry for crispy skin. Let the skin sear undisturbed for 5-6 minutes. Watch the garlic to prevent burning. Use a meat thermometer for perfect doneness. Deglaze the pan thoroughly to capture all the flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: garlic butter chicken, one-pan chicken, easy chicken dinner, weeknight chicken, crispy chicken thighs, lemon garlic chicken

Find it online: https://crispcraving.com/light-one-pan-garlic-butter-chicken-thighs-easy-dinner-recipe/