Recipe

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These juicy pan-seared chicken thighs in a dreamy garlic butter sauce are a recipe you'll make on repeat, guaranteed.

Get out your large skillet because we are making the juiciest pan-seared chicken thighs for a mouthwatering entree.

top view of four seared chicken thighs in a pan

Juicy Skillet Chicken Thighs

If you’re anything like my family and have a thing for dark chicken meat, this recipe for pan-seared chicken thighs is one you’ll always want to have handy.

When you pan-sear a protein, the skillet creates a beautiful golden-brown crust that adds delicious flavor to any cut of chicken or meat and can be used to cook it fully on the stovetop or before finishing it in the oven.

Ingredients

You can pan-sear skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs with your favorite spices and herbs. In this recipe, I'm using paprika (smoked or Spanish), cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. For extra flavor, I include chopped garlic, butter, and optionally, cherry or grape tomatoes.

Bone-in chicken thighs are super juicy but also take longer to cook. To speed things up, use boneless chicken thighs, which still have great flavor and tend to stay moist. Just reduce the cooking time to about 4 minutes per side, and remember to check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Read all about baking bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs here.

How to Pan-Sear Chicken Thighs

Below, I take you step-by-step on how to make pan-seared chicken thighs. Follow each step, and yours will turn out just right:

While the oven preheats, pat the chicken dry so the seasonings stick.
Season both sides of the chicken thighs with the seasoning blend. It will adhere to the raw chicken and create a flavorful crust in every bite once added to the hot oil.
Cook the chicken in a large cast-iron skillet or a stainless-steel pan. Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down until the skin is golden and crispy, about 7 minutes. Remember not to move them!
Flip the chicken thighs and add garlic and tomatoes to the skillet.
To finish on the stove, continue cooking for about 12 minutes. To finish in the oven, bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Both ways, you’ll know the chicken thighs are ready when the internal temperature reaches 175F.

Keeping Seared Chicken from Drying Out

The best way to prevent seared chicken thighs from drying out is to cook them until the internal temperature reaches 175F. Thankfully, chicken thigh meat is naturally very moist so this is rarely a problem! Note that chicken breasts should be cooked no higher than 165F.

What to Serve with Seared Chicken Thighs

Some of my favorite sides to serve with these delicious pan-seared chicken thighs are Southern mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts with bacon, cold beet salad, carrot fries, roasted fingerling potatoes, and healthy zucchini au gratin.

Juicy Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs

Servings: 6 pieces

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 28

Total Time: 38

These juicy pan-seared chicken thighs in a dreamy garlic butter sauce are a recipe you'll make on repeat, guaranteed.

5 from 40 votes

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Ingredients

6 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika, Spanish or smoked
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic , coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F.
Plat dry the chicken thighs and season them generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
In a small bowl, combine paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. Distribute the seasoning on both sides of the chicken thighs.
Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and warm up the pan. Once it's hot, add the olive oil. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear until the skin is golden and crispy, about 7 minutes, without moving them.
This is a good time to cover with a splatter guard (screen) if you have one.
After the skin has been browned, flip the chicken thighs over with kitchen tongs, and add the garlic pieces and cherry tomatoes to the pan.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and finish cooking them, for 18 to 20 minutes until cooked through and an internal temperature of 175F.

To finish off on the stovetop:

Once you flip the chicken thighs, continue cooking for an additional 12 minutes. Once the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 175F, add the butter, garlic pieces, and cherry tomatoes to the pan. Bring the butter to a simmer and toast the garlic, for approximately 3 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the thighs to coat and serve.