Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Garlic Lemon Pan Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

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 to golden perfection, finished with a bright garlic lemon sauce. This Mediterranean-inspired Easter recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" 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: 20 min Serves 6 Mediterranean cuisine 400 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Nonstick skillets worth buying → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat dry 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season both sides evenly with 1 tbsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 7-8 minutes without moving until the skin is deep golden and crisp.
  3. Step 3: Flip the chicken thighs and add 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves to the pan. Cook for another 6-7 minutes, basting the chicken with the melted butter and garlic until cooked through and juices run clear.
  4. Step 4: Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Pour 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup chicken broth into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Simmer the sauce for 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
  5. Step 5: Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, then return the chicken to the pan, spooning sauce over the thighs to coat. Serve hot with the garlic lemon pan sauce drizzled over the top.

Related recipes