Cast Iron Pan-Seared Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-12 · Updated 2026-05-12

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Juicy chicken thighs pan-seared in cast iron with a bright lemon garlic sauce, perfect for a quick dinner. This American chicken recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, olive oil, and unsalted butter for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Build a week of meals around this recipe" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 25 min Serves 4 American cuisine 350 cal/serving

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Ingredients

6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat dry 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Step 2: Place chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot pan and sear for 7-8 minutes without moving until the skin is deep golden and crispy. Flip and cook on the other side for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pan. Spoon the melted butter and garlic over the chicken for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 4: Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, then sprinkle 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves over the chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken is cooked through.
Step 5: Remove chicken from pan and spoon the lemon garlic sauce over the top before serving.