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Hey, chicken lovers! Your girl’s got a dinner recipe that’s about to become your new favorite—Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs. This dish has everything: crispy skin, juicy meat, and a rich, buttery garlic sauce that will have you licking your plate clean. It’s perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or when you want to impress someone with minimal effort.
If you love chicken recipes check out my Crispy Chicken Cutlets, Honey Garlic Chicken Wings or Air fryer chicken parmesan tenders.
Ingredients
Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs: Tender and juicy with crispy skin.
Cajun Seasoning: Adds a little kick.
Paprika: For color and flavor.
Italian Seasoning: A blend of herbs for depth.
Sage Leaves: Freshly chopped for an earthy flavor.
Rosemary Sprigs: Aromatic and flavorful.
Garlic Cloves: Lots of minced garlic for that bold flavor.
Butter: Rich and creamy for the sauce.
Chicken Broth: Adds moisture and flavor.
Olive Oil: For searing the chicken.
Chopped Parsley: For garnish and a fresh finish.
The full written recipe is below on the recipe card.
How to make garlic butter chicken thighs
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Clean and pat dry the chicken thighs, season with Cajun seasoning, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
Then, I sear them skin side down in an oven-safe skillet until that skin gets golden and crispy—just the way we like it. Don’t worry if the skin isn’t fully crisp after searing; it’ll finish up in the oven.
Once the chicken is seared, I whip up a quick garlic butter sauce in the same pan. I add garlic, chicken broth, fresh herbs like rosemary and sage, and of course, butter. The chicken goes back into the pan, and off it goes into the oven to bake to perfection.
The result? Juicy, flavorful chicken with a crispy skin that’s perfect for soaking up all that delicious sauce.
And listen, if you want to take this dish to the next level, try adding a little lemon and honey to the sauce—it’ll blow your mind! Serve these with your favorite sides (like mashed potatoes and broccoli), drizzle some extra sauce on top, and you’re in for a treat. This garlic butter chicken thighs recipe is a winner, so get ready to dig in!
Commonly asked questions
The key? Sear those thighs skin side down in a hot skillet for about 5 minutes before throwing them in the oven. The hot skillet helps render that fat and gives you that perfect golden-brown, crispy finish. Don’t skip this step—it’s everything!
Absolutely! If you don’t feel like turning on the oven, you can finish this dish on the stovetop. After searing, just lower the heat, cover the pan, and let it simmer in that garlic butter goodness for about 20-25 minutes. The flavors will still pop, trust me!
You sure can! Boneless thighs will cook faster, so keep an eye on them. You won’t get that crispy skin, but the flavors will still be on point. Just adjust the cooking time and you’re golden.
Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 sage leaves, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 7 cloves garlic , minced
- ¼ c butter, unsalted
- ¼ c chicken broth
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Clean and pat dry chicken. Cut off any excess skin off the chicken. Season the chicken with cajun seasoning, paprika & Italian seasoning.
- Heat a small amount of olive oil in an oven safe skillet just enough to coat the pan, chicken thighs render fat so you don’t need much. Use medium heat, adjust as needed. Place the chicken thighs, skin side down and sear until crispy. It takes about 5 minutes. I like to sear on medium high for 2 minutes and medium for 3 minutes, but every stove varies so check to make sure you aren’t burning the chicken.
- Remove chicken from pan and discard excess oil. Don’t worry the chicken skin won’t be super crispy when you take it out, it will get more golden when cooked in the oven.
- In the same pan over low heat add the chicken broth, butter and garlic.
- Put chicken back in the pan skin side up and add the sage & rosemary.
- Place in the oven and let cook for 35 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 internally. I like to baste the chicken thighs with the sauce every 10 minutes so the skin doesn’t burn.
- Serve with sauce drizzled over & dried parsley.
- Eat & enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you don’t have an oven safe pan, transfer everything to an oven safe baking dish before putting it in the oven.
- You can substitute thyme for the sage.
- Adding a little lemon and honey to the garlic butter sauce is a tasty way to elevate this dish even further.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfect for a date night at home.
Yes! I hope you enjoy!
This recipe is packed with flavor and offers chicken that is not only crispy, but *moist* (sorry to those who hate this word). I really appreciated how quickly I was able to prep and cook this meal because cooking is usually not a quick endeavor for me. Roasted some broccolini and carrots with mashed potatoes which made for a great pairing.
Thank you! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe.