Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs (Printer-friendly)

Skin-on chicken thighs simmered in a rich garlic and herb cream sauce, ideal with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

→ Dairy

02 - 1 cup heavy cream
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 medium shallot, finely chopped

→ Liquids

06 - 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Herbs & Seasonings

07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
10 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Oils

12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How-To Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Position rack in the center.
02 - Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams and begins to subside. Place chicken thighs skin side down and sear for 5 to 6 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Flip and cook 2 additional minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add the finely chopped shallot and minced garlic. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and softened, being careful not to let the garlic brown.
05 - Pour in the chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, thyme leaves, chopped rosemary, and half of the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
07 - Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side up, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon some of the cream mixture over the top. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
08 - Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining fresh parsley, and serve immediately with the pan sauce spooned over each portion.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream sauce practically makes itself while the chicken finishes in the oven, so you look like you worked much harder than you actually did.
  • Bone in thighs stay incredibly juicy even if you accidentally leave them in a minute too long, which I have done more times than I care to admit.
02 -
  • Do not use a nonstick skillet for searing because you need those browned bits on the bottom of the pan to make the sauce taste like it came from a restaurant.
  • If your skillet is not ovenproof transfer everything to a baking dish but know you will lose some of the fond that makes this sauce special.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest on the plate for at least three minutes after searing before returning it to the pan so the juices redistribute instead of running out into the sauce.
  • If you want the skin extra crispy at the end pop the skillet under the broiler for two minutes but watch it like a hawk because the line between golden and burnt is razor thin.

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