October 1, 2020
updated
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Is there anything better than a one-pan recipe that can feed everyone at once? This skillet chicken thighs recipe yields perfectly cooked juicy chicken meat with crisp outsides with an au jus (sauce) that’s simply epic.
In the same skillet, you’ll cook the veggies and potatoes at the same time for an irresistible meal. Did I mention that it’s super easy to make? Check it out in this video.
Easy Skillet Chicken Thighs
If you want an easy recipe for chicken thighs that can be made in a skillet, this is it! Hopefully, you watched the video and saw that as long as you have one large pan and a lid, this recipe is one you’ll want to make more than once.
Easy recipes like this one, with easy-to-find and affordable ingredients, are what you’ll find inside a weekly meal plan like the MOMables’ Classic Meal Plan.
Each weekly dinner meal plan includes 5 dinner recipes, a step-by-step meal prep sheet, and a printable shopping list. Plus, with recipe videos like the one you just watched, you’ll gain confidence in the kitchen while adding a variety of meals to your rotation.
Each weekly dinner meal plan includes 5 dinner recipes, a step-by-step meal prep sheet, and a printable shopping list. Plus, with recipe videos like the one you just watched, you’ll gain confidence in the kitchen while adding a variety of meals to your rotation.
Grab a sample MOMables printable Meal Plan here.
How to Cook Chicken Thighs in a Pan
For this recipe, we’re cooking bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs in a pan. The skillet (or pan) that I’m using has high sides (about 3″) and a lid to hold all the ingredients and sauce in.
The step-by-step of cooking chicken thighs:
- Season the chicken
Seasoning both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper as well as any spices is an essential first step. - Heat your pan and oil or butter
It’s important that you heat up your pan first, then add some oil or butter to the pan, and once heated, about 30 seconds, you place the chicken on the pan. - Sear both sides of the chicken thighs
I personally prefer to brown the skin-side of my chicken thighs first so they get that golden color and crispy sear first. The skin will also leave those amazing tidbits on the pan that will be incorporated into the sauce later.
Once the skin-side is seared, flip the thighs and sear the underside of the meat. This will start the cooking process and seal the juices in the meat. - Remove the chicken thighs from the pan
For this recipe, since we’re going to lightly toast veggies and potatoes on the same pan, we first want to remove the chicken thighs onto a plate even though they aren’t fully cooked yet, don’t worry. - Sauté the veggies and potatoes
Place the chopped veggies and potatoes on the pan, sauté for a few minutes to get them lightly cooked. Then sprinkle some corn starch (or tapioca starch) on the veggies to thicken the sauce, pour some chicken broth over the veggies, and scrape the bottoms to incorporate. - Place the chicken back in the pan
Once the veggies are slightly tender, place the chicken thighs back in the pan on top of the veggies and potatoes, skin-side-up, cover, and cook for an additional 25 minutes on medium heat.
How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs on a Stove
Like all the chicken recipes on this website, I always suggest that chicken should be cooked by temperature, not just time.
For this recipe, we’re cooking the chicken thighs on a stove for a total of 30 minutes, approximately, until the internal temperature reaches 175F (80C).
How to Tell if Chicken Thighs are Undercooked
Say you don’t have a meat thermometer and are wondering if you can actually tell if the chicken thighs are undercooked before you start serving.
To check for doneness, using a sharp knife, slice the middle of the chicken thigh (at the thickest point) and check that the meat inside is white, there are no pink edges or veins showing.
If you have a meat thermometer, probe the chicken thighs at the thickest point and make sure the temperature reads 175F (80C).
Tips for Juicy Chicken Thighs
We’ve all that the unfortunate experience of eating a piece of chicken (cooked on a skillet) that was dry and pretty tasteless. With these tips, you’ll get juicy chicken thighs.
- Use a large skillet where the chicken has enough room, at least 12-inches
- Season generously with salt and pepper and any other seasonings the recipe calls for -don’t skip!
- Don’t flip the chicken thighs over too soon. Let them sear enough that they easily flip to the other side, about 5 minutes.
- Add a liquid to make a sauce, like chicken broth, and scrape the bottom tidbits from the pan to add additional flavor.
- Finish cooking the chicken thighs covered so the pan retains moisture and the chicken “steams” inside.
- Don’t cook chicken thighs longer than needed, check for doneness by the internal temperature of 175F (80C).
What to Cook with Skillet Chicken Thighs
One of the things I love about this particular recipe is that other ingredients can cook in the skillet with the chicken thighs at the same time.
This recipe has carrots and potatoes but other veggies you can use are:
- Brussels sprouts
- Peppers
- Turnips
- Green beans
- Mushrooms
- Squash
- Eggplant
Pro tip: making sure your veggies are cut in similar sized pieces will ensure that they are all cooked evenly.
More Recipes Using Chicken Thighs
Skillet Chicken Thighs with Potatoes & Veggies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on , fat trimmed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoons butter or ghee
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 pound red-skinned potatoes, about 2 inches in diameter, quartered
- 8 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 ⅔ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
Instructions
- Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and generously with paprika. In a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm butter. Add the chicken and cook until brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Add onion to the frying pan and stir. Add potato quarters and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until vegetables are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add starch and stir to coat. Gradually mix in the broth. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through, stirring and turning the chicken over occasionally, about 25 minutes.
- Mix in the thyme. Adjust seasonings to taste. Divide the chicken and vegetables among 4 warmed plates and serve right away.
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