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Home » Recipes » 30-Minute Meals

Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs

By Erin · January 21, 2021 · Updated September 26, 2021 · 14 Comments

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cook chicken in a skillet with text overlay

You're going to love these Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs! They're seasoned with dry rub, then completely cooked in a skillet, making them crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside. This is an easy weeknight dinner recipe that comes together in about 25 minutes total!

cook chicken thighs with skin in a skillet

More chicken?! That's right! These pan-seared chicken thighs are the easiest weeknight dinner, and they're made in one skillet so clean-up is a breeze!

See, I used to find chicken bland and boring, but not anymore! I've developed a repertoire of go-to chicken recipes, such as my air fryer chicken thighs and Instant Pot whole chicken, both of which are anything but boring.

Recipe features

  • A quick weeknight dinner that's ready in just 25 minutes
  • Made with an easy, flavorful dry rub
  • Pan-seared to perfection so the skin is crispy but the chicken is juicy
ingredients on a plate on a table with text

Ingredient notes

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients; the full ingredient list is below in the recipe card.

Chicken thighs - I tested this recipe using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; you can use boneless, skinless chicken but you'll have to adjust the cook time (see notes below)

Olive oil - Can also sub avocado oil, butter or ghee if you prefer

Broth - Chicken or vegetable

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Heat oil. Start by heating the oil/butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. We want the oil to be hot by the time we add the chicken.

Step 2: Make the dry rub. Next, combine all of the dry rub ingredients in a bowl, then use your hands to rub the dry rub all over the chicken thighs, making sure they're completely coated.

  • various spices in a small bowl
  • seasoned uncooked chicken on a pink plate

Step 3: Cook the chicken. Place the chicken skin side down in the skillet, then cover it with a lid and cook for 7 minutes. Then, flip the chicken over, place the lid back on and continue cooking for 8-12 minutes.

chicken being seared in a skillet with some olive oil

The final step is to reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute before pouring in the broth to scrape up any brown bits from the pan.

Tips and tricks

-Use a deep skillet, and one large enough to fit all 4 chicken thighs without over-crowding the pan.

-Always start by cooking the skin so it gets nice and crispy, then flip it over so it can continue to cook all the way through.

-Once you place the chicken in the skillet, do NOT move it around; the skin will get crispy if it sits in the same place for the first 7 minutes.

Can this be made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs?

Yep! You'll follow the exact same steps, but reduce the cook time. If you're going this route, cook the chicken for 5 minutes on the first side, then 6-7 minutes on the second side.

Is there a sauce I should serve this with?

After you add the broth, you'll be left with a "sauce" made from broth, garlic and the seasoning that you can spoon over the chicken, which results in an incredibly moist chicken recipe. You could also whip up my chipotle aioli to pair with it.

How should I store leftovers?

Store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place chicken in a baking dish, along with some chicken broth, and cook in the oven at 350° until it's reheated. PureWow has a great article on how to reheat chicken.

cooked chicken thighs in a large skillet

More delicious dinner recipes

  • Pan-Seared Salmon Burgers
  • Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
  • Teriyaki Salmon Bowl

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

cook chicken thighs with skin in a skillet

Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs

You’re going to love these Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs! They’re seasoned with dry rub, then completely cooked in a skillet, making them crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside. This is an easy weeknight dinner recipe that comes together in about 25 minutes total!
5 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 27 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Erin

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. chicken thighs bone-in, with skin
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ⅔ cup chicken broth
  • fresh parsley for garnish chopped, optional

Instructions

  • Add oil or ghee to a large, heavy-bottomed skillet/cast iron/dutch oven and heat over medium heat.
  • While it's heating up, make the dry rub: combine salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, parsley, oregano, and pepper in a bowl. Next, pat the chicken thighs dry, then rub the dry rub over them until they're completely coated.
  • Place chicken skin side down in the skillet, then cover with a lid. Cook chicken for 7 minutes, then flip over, place the lid back on and cook for an additional 8-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute before pouring in the chicken broth to remove any brown bits from the skillet. Top with chopped fresh parsley (optional), and use a spoon to spoon the chicken broth/garlic mixture over the chicken. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

*Calories are an estimation and are per serving
-To make with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, reduce the cook time: cook for 5 minutes on the first side and 6-7 minutes on the second until the internal temperature reaches 165° 
-Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days

Nutrition

Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 901mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Leave a comment below and tag @thealmondeater on Instagram!
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About Erin

Erin is the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind the healthy food blog, The Almond Eater. She's been blogging since 2014 and loves to create food for many different diets, including vegan, gluten free and/or Whole30 recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yolanda says

    March 22, 2023 at 5:19 pm

    5 stars
    I made this last week, cooking it again now with chicken drums this time.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      March 23, 2023 at 8:06 am

      Happy to hear you're loving this recipe!

      Reply
  2. Tammy says

    March 01, 2023 at 10:40 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe, made tonight. Very flavorful and juicy. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      March 02, 2023 at 7:31 am

      Thanks for the 5-star rating, Tammy!

      Reply
  3. Lance says

    December 29, 2022 at 6:21 am

    5 stars
    Hella good chicken, this recipe was my first step towards expanding my repertoire after moving out on my own. Thighs are so cheap, so healthy, and with this recipe they're so tasty! I mess with the seasoning balance, my current favorite is a base of lawry's season salt (which I know has the other stuff but it's about the balance) with garlic powder, smoked paprika, and just a touch of onion powder and crushed oregano. If you finish these off in the oven in a cast-iron or on a sheet with foil, the crisp is even better! My friend is huge into old bay seasoning so we're figuring out a good spice balance for that, chicken is versatile as all get-out.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      December 29, 2022 at 11:29 am

      YUM! Love the sound of that seasoning blend -- I'm so glad you liked the chicken!

      Reply
  4. Jess says

    November 01, 2022 at 10:33 pm

    Can this be done in a stainless steel pan? I don’t have a cast iron but this looks so good

    Reply
    • Erin says

      November 02, 2022 at 8:08 am

      Yes that should work!

      Reply
  5. Sara says

    August 31, 2022 at 9:36 am

    5 stars
    After searching for “best pan fried chicken thighs” I chose this recipe. It is a keeper! Very tasty and moist, delicious juice in the pan from the chicken broth, garlic and drippings. Be sure to spoon some of the juice over the thighs before serving. I used 4 medium sized bone-in thighs with skin. Would definitely recommend using thighs with skin. Used cast iron skillet and got a fabulous result! Served it with steamed broccoli and couscous. Thanks Erin, for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      August 31, 2022 at 10:23 am

      Thanks for the kind comment and positive review, Sara -- I'm glad you liked the chicken!

      Reply
  6. Julia says

    August 04, 2022 at 10:52 pm

    5 stars
    Wonderful, easy and flavourful recipe. I cheated and instead of olive oil used bacon fat, but the plates were licked and I used chicken/bacon fat to sauté some veggies and still had enough gravy to add to rice. Perfect for busy family with younger children, but could easily be served for a fancy adult dinner as well. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      August 05, 2022 at 8:33 am

      Thanks for the kind comment, Julia. I'm glad you enjoyed the chicken!

      Reply
  7. Carmen Crater says

    June 22, 2022 at 1:42 pm

    5 stars
    I was wanting some sort of lemon chicken when I saw this. I didn't get the skin crisp, but that was my fault, I don't think I got the oil hot enough. I really liked the seasoning rub. I did go ahead and splash about a1/4 cup of lemon juice after the broth. I don't know how much it changed the flavor other than giving it a little twang, but I really liked it. Will definitely keep this recipe and make again. Just gotta let my oil get hot enough

    Reply
    • Erin says

      June 23, 2022 at 7:52 am

      Thanks for the review -- I'm so glad you liked the chicken!

      Reply

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