Quick chicken thigh recipes are midweek lifesavers, and these Garlic Chicken Thighs are one of my gold nuggets!
With a crispy, garlic crusted surface, juicy insides and a garlic butter sauce, this is a 5 ingredient boneless skinless chicken thigh recipe. It’s almost unbelievable how outrageously delicious such an effortless recipe can be!
The BEST quick chicken thigh recipe I know
There’s one key thing about this recipe that distinguishes it from most quick and easy chicken thigh recipes – these are CRISPY skinless chicken thighs.
Crispy crust? With skinless chicken thighs?
YES YOU CAN!
Here’s the secret: garlic powder, salt and pepper sprinkled on the chicken thighs. Cook on a relatively low heat = deep golden, crispy crust with terrific savoury garlic flavour.
And not only do you get all the pleasure of devouring that garlicky crispy crust, the brown bits in the pan from the searing* is the base for an incredible pan sauce that takes 1 1/2 minutes to make.
* The official word for the gold stuff in pans is fond.
Chicken thighs – all the way!
I’m pretty sure chicken breast is the most popular cut of chicken here in Australia – and probably many western countries.
Yes breast is leaner – just marginally. Does it surprise you to know that 100g/3.5oz chicken thighs only has 2 teeny tiny grams more fat than breast? 2 grams is nothing for all the extra flavour and juiciness you get from chicken thighs!
In all honesty, when it comes to stress free quick and easy meals with chicken, go chicken thighs all the way. It’s juicier so easier to cook, less prone to drying out because you overcooked it by 90 seconds, can be cooked with less oil and it has better flavour than breast. 🙂
What to serve on the side?
Make dinner extra fabulous by serving these Garlic Chicken Thighs with this addictive Curried Basmati Rice or Mushroom Rice! Add this Everyday Cabbage Salad for crunch (a great standby salad) or make a quick garden salad.
There are very few recipes in this world that are truly made from scratch that call for such few ingredients, are seriously quick and easy, don’t call for a tub of butter and cream, are economical and yet so lip smackingly delicious, you’d proudly serve this up for company.
This Garlic Chicken Thighs recipe makes the cut. Terrific back pocket recipe! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 – Nagi x
More skinless boneless chicken thigh recipes:
Greek Chicken Gyros – long time reader fave!
Sticky Baked Chicken Thighs – country style sauce, pantry staples!
Asian flavours – Thai Grilled Chicken, Chinese BBQ Chicken, Thai Coconut Chicken, Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Bone in, skin on chicken thigh recipes:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 700 g / 1.2 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs (5 to 6)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml dry white wine (or broth or water)
- 25 g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 large garlic cloves , minced
- Finely chopped parsley , optional
Instructions
- Sprinkle both sides of chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in skillet smooth side down.
- Press down lightly with with spatula. Cook for 5 minutes until deep golden and crispy.
- Turn and press lightly with spatula. Cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and butter, cook for 1 minute until garlic is light golden and it smells amazing.
- Add wine, then turn up heat. Stir around the chicken to dissolve golden bits stuck on the skillet into the wine. Simmer rapidly for 1 1/2 minutes or until alcohol smell evaporates.
- Remove from heat. Serve chicken with sauce.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
This is what’s in your face if you eat on the couch (with or without grey trackies and ugg boots).
the chicken was delicious! turned out absolutely phenomenal. i decided to slow cook on low with the chicken broth at the end instead of the wine and i highly recommend.
This recipe is to die for congratulations I have cooked several of your recipes as I have two of your cookbooks changed my whole idea of tasty food thank you
Not as much flavor as I expected though I followed the recipe to a T. I think chicken is better when marinated.
Loved the recipe. Thanks!
Great recipe! Made this tonight with no white wine but used water and was able to still get it to cook down to a butter sauce using high heat. Will say I left the chicken cooking a little longer than what was listed and covered it for a few minutes to speed up internal cooking of chicken. Otherwise fantastic!
Omg! Melts in your mouth! Loved this and I will make it again for sure!
Thank you for this beautiful dish. Garlic Chicken. Made it for the first time for my 26year old granddaughter who came for dinner tonight. . We all loved it.❤️
A great easy weeknight recipe. Will look to add to our “brainless crowd pleaser” list – thank you! Used soup base stock instead of wine
TLDR: MAKE THIS ASAP. But add cooking time! This is a gorgeous dish that’s easy enough for a weeknight but delicious enough to impress guests. Serve with salted white rice and sautéed asparagus.
I made this for my family on a night when everyone was sick. We needed a quick, nutritious meal, and boy did it deliver. The recipe came together beautifully, with minimal prep and no fussy techniques needed. For ease, I skipped the fresh garlic (I’m sure it’s even better with it, but it tasted perfect without it. There is plenty garlic powder). I cooked the chicken for 5 full minutes on each side before adding the butter and wine (I do recommend cooking it longer than directed, then checking the thickest spots with a meat thermometer). After the sauce thickened, I added a little water. It might not look like much, but the sauce is SO flavorful, it really is plenty—make sure you coat the meat with it on both sides before serving, then use a small spoon to scoop some more on top. I cannot express how tasty this was for a dish so simple. My husband kept gushing over it then made the astute observation that it’s giving adobe chicken—it’s rich and lush, but the acidity of the wine cuts through and rounds everything out. Lastly, use garlic POWDER not garlic salt, as I suspect one commenter did. We will be making this on repeat.
This is absolutely an excellent and super recipe I will definitely use over and over again. Not only does it come together quickly, but is very economical..
I followed this pretty much as suggested, but had to make a couple minor tweaks.
First I seasoned with garlic salt and paprika, then placed them on medium heat in a cast iron skillet pressing down gently for about 4 minutes. ( Yes they really were nice and brown with a thin crust ) Flipped them over about another 3 minutes, depending on how thick they are. While I was cooking, I added alot of mushrooms.
I didn’t have white wine so I added just enough vegetable stock to scrape all the bits off the bottom.
Thats it!! Easy Percy. This comes together pretty quickly, so i would suggest making your sides ahead of time.
Thanks SO much, and I will definitely be trying more of these recipes 😋
Oooops forgot to rate it, 5 stars for ease and taste
I first made this to partner plenty of mash potato, some quick broccoli, peas and corn, thickened up the sauce and it was a great quick mid week meal.
The next night I had a couple of fillets left over so followed the same process but changed the ending. I used the fillets in a chicken burger with cheese and bacon, a good amount of lettuce a few slices of tomato , absolutely amazing I’m not sure my tribe will eat hamburger’s again. Great recipe Nagi you have made me a hero in my house
Amazing! I used garlic & herb seasoning and seasoned salt, and then added fresh ground pepper at the table. So flavorful! A big hit with my family. Served it with roasted cauliflower & broccoli and drizzled the sauce over that as well.
This is such a winner. I made it tonight and it’s perfect as written. So easy and so good! I served it with a parsley rice pilaf and the plates were clean. Thank you for a great recipe.
Quite lovely! Used dry sherry instead of wine. Added a titch of Chicken bouillon. Wanted to lick the plate!
This was delish. On the cooking time, I think it varies. I did mine a couple of minutes extra on turned over side and 5 minutes simmering in the sauce, mmm that sauce! Was perfect with your creamy cauliflower mash and lemon broccolini. Thanks x
Juicy thighs and tasty sauce, it was the perfect meal for guests and so easy!
The family loved this one! Especially the opinionated 9 yo! Will be in rotation. I found a recipe that doesn’t require marinading AND tasted delicious!
Although, I did have to cook it longer, I think bc I’m not used to using gas stove. Mine didn’t have sauce at the end, as I cooked it all the way down. It was still very tasty.
Great foolproof recipe for a weeknight. Might even try with duck next time!
Made this tonight for dinner for my family and we all loved it. It is now a keeper in my recipe box. So simple it taste like you spent a lot of time on it.