Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Preserved Lemon and Thyme

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 developed and reviewed.

Juicy chicken thighs pan-seared to golden perfection, infused with the bright tang of preserved lemon and fragrant thyme. This Mediterranean-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, preserved lemon, finely chopped, fresh thyme leaves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 370 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.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 30 min Serves 4 Mediterranean cuisine 370 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

The pan we’d use for this → 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 with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add chicken thighs skin-side down. Sear for 6-7 minutes without moving until the skin is deeply golden and crisp.
  3. Step 3: Flip the chicken and add 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon, and 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves around the thighs. Cook for 3 minutes until garlic is fragrant.
  4. Step 4: Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover skillet and simmer for 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
  5. Step 5: Remove lid, increase heat to medium-high, and cook for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly and glaze the chicken. Serve hot.

Related recipes