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
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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).
Looks delicious 😋 I will have to try this
Great recipe for the work week. Quick and super tasty.
I love that garlic chicken thighs. I will try that one for sure.
Every recipe of yours I have tried has been sensational, and this was no exception. This was so quick and easy and the flavour… oh my! Absolutely delicious. We served with roast veg and greens and the sauce went beautifully with them too. Have added this to our dinner rotation. Thank you!!
Chicken thighs do not cook in 91/2 min. Great recipe but took a lot longer. I cooked them in the oven after for another 15ish min covered at 350
Recently the grocery store chicken parts seem a lot bigger. The thighs are huge, and the breasts are DDD cup! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Sometimes there is a range of sizes in one package. I just make sure that before I add the butter and garlic, the largest thighs are almost done, 155-160 degrees F. If there really is a big difference in size, I put the biggest ones in the pan first.
Crispy chicken thighs were awesome I will definitely make again
Thank you for this tip. I’m planning to make this tonight and your advice I’m sure will be helpful because I noticed that there is a considerable size difference in the package I bought.
Boneless & skinless ones do 🙂
Minimum effort and maximum taste. This was delicious thank you
After I took the chicken out, I whisked in a 1/2 cup of broth and thickened it with teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a bit of water to make a gravy. It was lovely to serve over brown rice drizzled with gravy, tossed greens and peas with grass fed butter and smoked salt! will make this again!
Nice addition to make a gravy
Good taste. Easy and quick to prepare compared to some more traditional Spanish style recipes for same.
Hi Nagi. Love this recipe. How is this different from your Crispy garlic chicken thighs that is exclusive in your cookbook?
OMG. The flavour in this… So easy and soooo tasty. Will be making this one again post haste. Thanks for yet another winner winner chicken dinner Nagi 🐔🍗👌😛😍
Sooo yummy! My family and I loved the chicken. Will make again. Served with smashed potatoes ❤️
This meal was of fine dining quality.
Just cooked this with some garlic pasta and it came out pretty good.definitely need to try again. probably with slightly higher heat to crisp the outside more
Quick and easy and very enjoyable 😋
Cooked and let my daughters try it. They had already eaten dinner. They tried to eat the chicken too!
Hi Nagi! We love your recipes. Just one question: do you have a propane burner for your stove? Our stove uses natural gas, and our cooking times are much longer than the recipes state. Thoughts?
This is sooo good!! Quick and easy to make and absolutely delicious. I served with a salad and hubby went back for more. Wonderful flavours using such simple ingredients! Another winner Nagi! Thank you x
Luckily I found this recipe as I had chicken thighs in the fridge and needed some inspiration. It was quick and easy to put together. Fried with sunflower oil in my non stick pan with lid half on to catch the oil spotting. Needed a med to Hugh heat to get that crispy coloured coating.
Served with steamed corn, purple broccoli, fresh chopped carrots and cubed potatoes.
The creamy mustard sauce was a delight. Excellent recipe. Thank you
I make this multiple times a month and can guarantee my kids will eat well on those nights! I always pair it with Trader Joe’s Rice Orzo Pilaf Mix and a side salad. It’s perfection!
absolutely delicious
i made rice with chicken broth and rosemary and wilted some baby spinach under the hot chicken …..very delicious and very very quick and easy
I have made this recipe probably 50 times since I discovered your site. Shame on me for never having reviewed it. This is so delicious and so easy yet. Tastes like it must’ve been a lot of work! I have yet to make a bad recipe from your site. Thank you so much PS give that dozer a kiss from me.