Easy Crispy Skillet Chicken Thighs Recipe – Creamy One-Pan Comfort Dinner
Crispy Skillet Chicken Thighs are a simple one-pan dinner featuring golden, crispy skin and juicy, tender meat finished in a light creamy garlic herb sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
- Mix garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Season chicken on both sides.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Cook chicken skin-side down 7–8 minutes until crispy, then flip and cook 15–25 minutes until 165°F internal temperature. Remove.
- Add butter, shallot, and garlic to skillet and cook 1 minute.
- Add chicken broth, lemon juice, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Simmer briefly.
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over, garnish with parsley, and serve warm.
Notes
- Bone-in, skin-on thighs give the crispiest results.
- Boneless thighs cook faster.
- Half-and-half or milk can replace heavy cream if needed.
- Store up to 4 days in fridge or 3 months frozen.
- Reheat in oven or air fryer for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 19 g
- Cholesterol: 131 mg