Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Kansas City-Style BBQ Glaze
Juicy chicken thighs pan-seared to golden perfection then glazed with a sweet and tangy Kansas City barbecue sauce for a home-cooked dinner classic. This American chicken recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, kosher salt, and black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. 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.
Ingredients
- 4 (about 1.5 lbs) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup Kansas City-style barbecue sauce
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season both sides evenly with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place chicken thighs skin side down and sear for 6-7 minutes without moving until skin is deeply golden and crisp.
- Step 3: Flip chicken thighs and sauté 2 minced garlic cloves in the pan for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 4: Reduce heat to medium-low, brush chicken with 1/2 cup Kansas City-style barbecue sauce, cover skillet, and cook for another 8-10 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Step 5: Remove from heat, spoon extra barbecue sauce over the chicken, garnish with 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot.







