Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Roasted Garlic and Zucchini
Juicy chicken thighs pan-seared to a golden brown paired with tender roasted garlic and zucchini for a satisfying Whole30 meal. This Mediterranean-inspired Whole30 recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves 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 Whole30 week and pairs well with roasted sweet potato or a simple olive-oil salad. 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
- 4 pieces (about 1.5 lbs) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 8 whole garlic cloves
- 2, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds medium zucchini
- 2 tsp, chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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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: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss 8 whole garlic cloves with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and wrap in foil, roast for 20 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Step 2: While garlic roasts, pat dry 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season all over with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 6-7 minutes until skin is deep golden and crisp.
- Step 4: Flip chicken and add 2 sliced medium zucchinis and 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme around the pan. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until zucchini is tender and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Step 5: Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and gently mix with the zucchini and thyme, then serve alongside the chicken thighs.








