Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Lemon-Herb Butter Sauce
Juicy chicken thighs pan-seared to crisp perfection, finished with a bright lemon-herb butter sauce that enhances every bite. This Mediterranean-inspired Super Bowl recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 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 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3, smashed garlic cloves
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
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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 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season evenly with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper on both sides.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 7-8 minutes without moving until skin is deep golden and crisp.
- Step 3: Flip chicken thighs and add 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 3 smashed garlic cloves, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, and 2 fresh rosemary sprigs to the pan. Tilt the pan and spoon melted butter over the chicken repeatedly for 5 minutes until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Step 4: Remove chicken to a plate and discard herb stems and garlic. Lower heat to medium-low and stir 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest into the butter sauce, simmering for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 5: Pour lemon-herb butter sauce over the chicken thighs and garnish with 2 tbsp chopped parsley before serving.









