One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

Name: One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.5 lbs total); 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup broccoli florets; 1 cup baby potatoes, halved; 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons; 1 cup cherry tomatoes; 1 tablespoon olive oil; Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

This one-pan garlic butter chicken thighs recipe sears the chicken skin-side down in garlic butter, then roasts it in the same skillet with broccoli, potatoes, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes until everything is done together. It takes about 35 minutes and leaves almost no dishes.

Jump to Recipe

Garlic butter chicken thighs sound like the chicken is the main event, but the vegetables are quietly committing theft around the edges of the skillet. Baby potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes roast underneath and beside the thighs, picking up garlic butter, rendered chicken fat, smoked paprika, thyme, and browned bits from the sear. By the time dinner is done, the potatoes have essentially been caught laundering flavor.

Dry the chicken well before it hits the cast-iron skillet, then sear skin-side down for five to six minutes without moving it. Once the skin releases on its own and is deeply golden, flip briefly, remove the thighs, and build the garlic butter in the same pan. The potatoes get first contact with it, then the rest of the vegetables go in before the chicken returns skin-side up.

Twenty to 22 minutes in a 400°F oven finishes the thighs to 165°F while the vegetables roast in the pan juices. Rest everything five minutes and spoon those juices back over the chicken without soaking the skin. It is one skillet, four vegetables, crisp chicken, and enough garlic butter to make “balanced dinner” sound considerably less grim than usual.

Prep10 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total35 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2.5 lbs total)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup baby potatoes, halved
1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — this is not optional. Wet chicken steams instead of sears, and steamed chicken skin is not something you deserve.
2Mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with the spice mixture, pressing it in lightly.
3Heat a large oven-safe skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil. When the butter foams and the foam subsides, place the chicken thighs skin-side down.
4Sear without moving them for 5 to 6 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and releases from the pan on its own. Flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes.
5Remove the chicken to a plate temporarily. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the minced garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 60 seconds until fragrant — do not walk away from the garlic.
6Add the halved baby potatoes to the skillet and stir to coat them in the garlic butter. Arrange the broccoli and zucchini around the potatoes. Scatter the cherry tomatoes over everything. Season the vegetables with a pinch of salt and pepper.
7Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up back into the skillet on top of and around the vegetables.
8Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Roast for 20 to 22 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F at the thickest part (not touching bone) and the potatoes are fork-tender.
9Let everything rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken. Garnish with fresh parsley if you're feeling aspirational.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

780Calories

51 gProtein

13 gCarbohydrates

58 gTotal Fat

19 gSaturated Fat

3 gFiber

3 gTotal Sugars

810 mgSodium

285 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Dry the chicken — dry it like you mean it. Moisture on the skin is the enemy of crispiness, and I have made that mistake in front of people I was trying to impress, which is a specific kind of humiliation.
If your potatoes are large, give them a 5-minute head start in the skillet with the butter before adding the other vegetables. They take the longest and they will not catch up otherwise.
Cast iron holds heat evenly and goes from stovetop to oven without complaint. If you only own one pan and you're deciding which one to buy, cast iron is the answer. It will also outlive everyone in your family.

Substitutions

bone-in chicken thighs → boneless skinless chicken thighs Reduce oven time to 15-17 minutes and check at 165°F; you'll lose the crispy skin but gain about 5 minutes of your life back

broccoli florets → green beans or asparagus Green beans hold up well to the oven time; asparagus should be added in the last 10 minutes only

baby potatoes → chopped sweet potatoes or cauliflower Sweet potatoes work perfectly; cauliflower will be done faster, so add it with the softer vegetables

unsalted butter → olive oil or dairy-free butter Works for dairy-free needs; the flavor will be slightly less rich but still very good

fresh garlic → 1 teaspoon garlic paste or 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder Use only in a pinch — fresh garlic in the butter step is most of the flavor story here

Storage Instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes to revive the skin's crispness — the microwave will make it edible but it will make the skin sad, and you'll know it.

Make Ahead

Season the chicken up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate uncovered on a rack — this improves the skin's crispness by drying it out further. Chop the vegetables and store them separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. Do not sear ahead; the chicken should go into a hot pan fresh.

Freezing

Freeze the cooked chicken with a little of the garlic-butter pan liquid if needed. The broccoli, zucchini, and potatoes will soften after freezing, so they are better refrigerated or cooked fresh when texture matters.

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