Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs (Print Version)

Bone-in chicken thighs in a velvety garlic cream sauce with herbs, ready in about 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 1 small onion, finely diced

→ Dairy

04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Liquids

06 - ½ cup chicken broth

→ Herbs & Spices

07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
09 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Oils

12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat the olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and begins to foam.
03 - Place the chicken thighs skin side down in the skillet and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side until the skin is deeply golden brown and crisp. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the same skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to incorporate all the fond into the sauce.
06 - Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the heavy cream, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried oregano, and chopped parsley. Mix until well combined and the sauce is smooth.
07 - Return the seared chicken thighs to the skillet, placing them skin side up. Spoon some of the cream sauce over the top of each thigh. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce has thickened.
08 - Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with extra fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • One pan means you get all the flavor with almost none of the cleanup, which is honestly the only reason I keep making it on weeknights.
  • The sauce is so good you will want to drink it straight from the skillet, and no one will judge you if you do.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the chicken before searing because even slightly damp skin will steam rather than crisp and you will end up with flabby skin that no amount of sauce can save.
  • If the sauce seems thin at the end, let it simmer uncovered for 2 more minutes and it will thicken right up before your eyes.
03 -
  • The biggest secret is patience during the sear, so resist the urge to peek or move the chicken around and let the skin do its thing undisturbed.
  • If you are using boneless skinless thighs instead, cut the simmer time down to about 10 minutes and sear them just long enough to get some color on the outside.

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