Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Lemon-Garlic Mediterranean Sauce
Crispy seared chicken thighs finished with a bright, tangy lemon-garlic sauce inspired by Mediterranean flavors. This Mediterranean-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 35 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 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 "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.
Ingredients
- 6 pieces (about 2 lbs) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 tbsp butter
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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 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Place chicken thighs skin-side down in the skillet and sear without moving for 7-8 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy.
- Step 3: Flip the chicken thighs and cook for an additional 6-7 minutes until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside, keeping warm.
- Step 4: Reduce heat to medium and add 4 minced garlic cloves to the skillet. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, then carefully pour in 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Step 5: Stir in 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano and 1 tbsp butter, simmering the sauce for 2-3 minutes until it slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 6: Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, spooning the lemon-garlic sauce over them. Cook together for 1 minute to meld flavors, then serve hot.









