Pan-Seared Lemon Chicken Thighs with Thyme
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs infused with lemon zest and fresh thyme, finished with a simple pan sauce that pairs perfectly with roasted vegetables. This American-inspired keto recipe (low-carb), ready in about 30 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, olive oil, lemon for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a low-carb week and pairs well with cauliflower rice or roasted green vegetables. 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
- 12 oz bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 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: Pat 12 oz bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season evenly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper on both sides.
- Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 8-10 minutes until skin is deep golden and crispy.
- Step 3: Flip chicken thighs and cook for 5 minutes, then add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 tsp fresh thyme, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Squeeze juice from 1 lemon and add the zest, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internally.








