Description
Sticky garlic butter chicken thighs are the kind of dish that makes your kitchen smell amazing while requiring minimal effort on your part. Just sear the thighs until golden, then simmer them in a garlicky butter sauce that coats each piece with glossy, savory goodness you can serve over rice or with roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- 6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pat your 4 to 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs completely dry using paper towels, then sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper all over each piece.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 6 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup honey, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons chopped thyme until combined.
- Place 1/2 cup unsalted butter in your large skillet and let it melt over medium-high heat at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once your butter is foaming, carefully lay your chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan and let them sear for 5 to 7 minutes until the skin turns golden.
- Flip each thigh over and cook the other side for 5 minutes at medium-high heat.
- Pour your garlic mixture over the chicken thighs, then reduce your heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and let everything simmer together for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Take the lid off your skillet and increase the heat back to medium-high for the final 5 minutes so the sauce bubbles down and thickens around your chicken.
- Transfer your finished chicken thighs to a serving dish, drizzle all that sticky sauce over top, add a fresh sprinkle of thyme if you like, and serve while everything is still hot.
Notes
- Drying the chicken skin thoroughly before searing helps it get crispy and golden instead of steaming in its own moisture.
- The honey in your sauce will caramelize as it reduces, so watch carefully during that final 5 minutes to prevent burning while still achieving that sticky, glossy coating.
- For a gluten-free version, swap the soy sauce for tamari in the same amount and your sauce works perfectly.
- If your chicken thighs are particularly thick, add an extra 5-10 minutes to the covered simmer time to ensure they cook through completely before reducing the sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-37 minutes
- Category: Sautéed Chicken
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 510 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg