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).
This recipe was awesome. I did not have white wine so I used 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup of water. It’s a great simple recipe. I will make it again. Thank you!
Good tip Brian! N x
Thank you Nagi for sharing this wonderful recipe! So easy and SO delicious! A lifesaver when in a time crunch. I had to cook mine on med-high heat because my stove runs a little cooler. 5 minutes made a perfectly beautiful and delicious crispy crust on the smooth side. I am so indebted that you share your mid-week recipe treasures!!!
Was afraid to cook it because the total cooking time in the recipe was around 7-8 minutes. That is a little too quick for me.
Is there an error in the recipe?
Hi Paul – nope! The published times are correct (9.5 minutes total). The only thing that might change it is if your thighs are really thick and larger than normal or your stovetop is weaker than standard. N x
I was thinking the cook time seemed short.
Very delicious for how little prep is needed! I’m not sure if it’s just my stovetop, but with medium heat it needed 7 minutes for the top to be crispy. So for others, before you flip it, make sure it’s as crispy as you like it.
Yes Ethan well done – cook temps vary from oven to oven or on different stoves! N x
Fine recipe! After removing the chicken from the pan, let the sauce simmer another minute or two for a more gravy like consistency. Yummy! And love your philosophy on clever, quick, tasty, economical dishes! Thanks Nagi!
Delicious. Easy, moist, flavorful. I did check the internal temperature before serving, and it was perfect. Thank you, Nagi!
I gave it a 3 because maybe I did something wrong. I love your recipes and really this rated a 2 for me. I followed the recipe to a T . I know better and should have patted the thighs dry before putting them in the pan. Mine did not come out crispy and too much sauce. I am glad so many people have great success.
They need to be very dry Barbara, and the oil needs to be hot when you put them in. N x
I will have to try this one again. I reread this recipe and it does not say pat dry.
Yes Barbra I also agree very dry and very hot . You’ll get it right next time … I’m learning too 🙂
Outstanding recipe, we make it several times a month, a true go-to meal since it does not require marinating. Also very easy to modify slightly (we like garlic and a little extra sauce). Well done
So glad you enjoyed it Lou! N x
you should cook chicken for longer than 7 minutes
If you read the recipe carefully you’ll see that the chicken cooks for at least ten minutes.
Sorry but I think you mean not an idiot. Also, it’s plenty of time. Use the thermometer if you are afraid but don’t knock it till you try it.
I whipped this together and will be having it for dinner tomorrow night. Thank you for the simple recipe.
You’re welcome! N x
Not even remotely crispy, and the sauce was too thin for my taste.
It was easy and delicious, though, so I will cook it again and see if I can get it more to my liking. I do recommend giving this dish a crack, but make sure you’ve got something to mop up the juices with! Also, I had no white wine or stock so used Chinese cooking wine and that worked well for me.
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. Of course I added some diced onion and mushrooms for kicks. Making another batch today! Thank you so much.
Damn good recipe, I got to hand it to you! What makes it so wonderful is it’s ease as well. Highly recommend.
I cooked the Crispy Garlic Chicken thighs, which was beautiful. I made crispy roast potatoes with a shredded cabbage, red onion and pepper salad and a honey, lime and chilli dressing. This bought texture to the dish and the dressing cut through the Ggarlic and butter sauce.which was just sensational.
delicious & easy! will make again 🙂
Made this tonight and it’s absolutely divine! I’ve finally found the garlic chicken recipe I’ve been looking for all these years. Nice and simple, and tastes wonderful! Thankyou very much!
delicious! it made the kitchen smell sooo good. my husband loved it. Will make a bigger batch next time so we can have leftovers.
Delicious 😋 our neighbor made this and her bizarre family wouldn’t eat it. So we took it and loved it. 😍 So tasty ! Thanx Rob & Valerie
Quick and tasty.
Made this last night and it was bland and just not very good at all. I’ve had great luck with several other recipes on this site so I wonder where I went wrong. I think I used too little garlic powder and undercooked the chicken. I used plenty of garlic (3-4 large cloves), but I crushed them instead of mincing with a knife – could that be a factor? Also, I cooked 4 thighs in a 10-inch skillet, and when I poured in the broth, it almost submerged the chicken – that couldn’t have helped….
Hi Dave – sorry to hear you had trouble with this recipe. Crushing garlic with a press isn’t the best when sautéing as it makes the garlic burn. Undercooked chicken also doesn’t help! I’m surprise 1/2 cup of broth would submerge the chicken in a 10″ skillet though? are you sure you measured it correctly?? N x
So you gave the recipe 3 stars because you messed it up?? You know that’s ridiculous right?
Mine was amazing. Thank you for sharing