Say hello to your new favorite dinner recipe, these garlic butter chicken thighs are so decadent in flavor, they will impress your family any night of the week. They’re now my husband’s new most requested weeknight protein recipe, he says they’re even more delicious than the roasted chicken at our local restaurant!
We wanted to make sure we created the ultimate juicy and golden brown chicken thighs, and after recipe testing a few different methods, we found our favorite. Our method uses only one pan for easy cleanup. We sear the chicken thighs first so the skin becomes extra crispy, then roast them in the oven to make sure they’re super tender. Once you try this method, we promise you will never make chicken thighs any other way! Better yet, we love to use any leftover meat in our chicken quesadillas or fried rice.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 5-ingredient chicken recipe. We guarantee you already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen for these delicious chicken thighs. We love to keep these basic kitchen staple ingredients around so we can make this easy chicken at a moments notice.
- A main course that pairs with any side dish. What we love most about these garlicky chicken thighs is that they can be served with any side. Vegetables, potatoes, rice, and more, they’re all delicious.
- The professional chef’s method for making chicken. After doing lots of research when developing this recipe, we found that our method is how they cook chicken thighs in restaurants. They sear the skin first in a skillet and then cook them through in the oven to the perfect temperature.
Tips for Busy Cooks
We use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this garlic butter chicken recipe because they become beautifully golden brown and stay very juice and moist after roasting. If you want to use breasts or boneless thighs, that’s fine, the cook time in the oven will change.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – You’ll want to buy about 2 pounds here. We love thighs that are bone-in because they never dry out after being baked in the oven. You can use boneless, just know the cook time will be much shorter.
- Salted butter – They key ingredient to make garlic butter for cooking the thighs in.
- Coarse kosher salt and ground black pepper – We season the chicken thighs with a lot of salt and pepper to bring out their flavor and to compliment the garlic butter.
- Head of garlic – You want to buy fresh garlic and a whole head! Sounds like a lot, but this is the amount we use to make the best garlic chicken you’ve ever had.
- Fresh thyme – Adds nice herbal flavor to every bite.
- Loosely packed parsley – A fresh garnish to add color and flavor.
How to make garlic butter chicken thighs
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Thinly slice the garlic cloves and set aside.
Step 2: Pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towels and generously salt and pepper both sides.
Step 3: In a large oven-safe skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
Step 4: Add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip the chicken using a pair of kitchen tongs. If the chicken is stuck, don’t force it. Let it cook a minute or so longer, then try again.
Cook for another 5 minutes.
Step 5: Remove from heat, then add the sliced garlic, remaining butter pieces, and thyme.
Step 6: Bake the chicken until the internal temperature reaches at least 180°F, about 30 minutes.
Expert Tips:
- Make sure you pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towel before searing. This will help them brown evenly in the pan and also prevent them from sticking.
- If your chicken thighs are sticking to the skillet, let them cook a minute or two longer. The skin will release easily when the chicken is correctly cooked, so resist the urge to tear the skin to flip the chicken in the pan too early.
- We sear the thighs before baking them in the oven. This is the professional chef method for making chicken. The skin will get beautifully crispy and golden brown in the skillet, and then the oven will continue to cook the chicken to the correct temperature.
- For ease, you can bake the chicken in the same skillet as you sear, just make sure your skillet is oven-safe. We love this method since it makes the chicken dish a one pan recipe. if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, then just transfer the chicken to a baking dish to cook through.
- You’ll know the chicken is done roasting when an oven thermometer reaches at least 165ºF, preferably 180ºF on a meat thermometer. This is the easiest test. When you insert the thermometer into the chicken, the juices should also be clear in color.
What to serve with garlic butter chicken thighs
These buttery garlic chicken thighs really are the most versatile main course protein. We have so many options of what to serve them with. Here are some of our favorite side dishes:
- Baked potatoes in the Instant Pot
- Air fryer Brussels sprouts
- Greek lemon roasted potatoes
- Garlic butter rice
- Roasted mixed vegetables
Storing Tips
Store leftover garlic butter chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat for a few minutes in the microwave, on the stovetop with a splash of stock, or in the oven.
These thighs also freeze well too so you can enjoy them at a later date. Again, add them to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Be sure to thaw them completely before reheating and serving.
FAQs
We sear the chicken thighs in a skillet then add more butter as well as garlic to roast them in the oven until they are juicy and cooked through.
You can use either! We use butter in these garlic butter chicken thighs to infuse the chicken with that rich and delicious flavor.
Right before you add them into the oven. You don’t want to add the butter while the thighs are searing, or it has a higher chance of burning.
Uncovered to allow the skin on top to continue crisping. It will become even more golden brown and delicious.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs about 2lbs
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons salted butter cut into 1 tablespoon chunks
- 1 head of garlic peeled and sliced
- 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- ¼ cup loosely packed parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towels and generously salt and pepper both sides.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip the chicken using a pair of kitchen tongs. If the chicken is stuck, don’t force it. Let it cook a minute or so longer, then try again.
- Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, then add the sliced garlic, remaining butter pieces, and thyme.
- Bake the chicken until the internal temperature reaches at least 180°F, about 30 minutes. (This is my go-to instant meat thermometer!)
- Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy!
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Notes
– Store leftover garlic butter chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat for a few minutes in the microwave, on the stovetop with a splash of stock, or in the oven.
-These thighs also freeze well too so you can enjoy them at a later date. Again, add them to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Be sure to thaw them completely before reheating and serving.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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