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 Super Bowl recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, kosher salt, and black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner. 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 "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
- 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 garlic cloves, smashed
- 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.









