Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Smoky Chipotle Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-17 · Updated 2026-06-17

Juicy chicken thighs pan-seared to crispy perfection and coated in a smoky, spicy chipotle tomato sauce. This Mexican-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 45 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 400 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 salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 peppers, minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp lime juice

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat dry 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season evenly with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 7-8 minutes until skin is deep golden and crisp. Flip and cook 5 minutes on the other side. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Step 3: Reduce heat to medium; add 1 medium finely chopped yellow onion to the skillet and sauté for 5 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized.
4. Step 4: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/2 tsp ground cumin; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Step 5: Add 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Simmer sauce for 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
6. Step 6: Return chicken thighs to the skillet, skin-side up, nestling into the sauce. Cover and simmer on low for 12 minutes until chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F).
7. Step 7: Remove from heat, stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro and 1 tbsp lime juice. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve with rice or tortillas.