Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs (Printable Version)

Pan-seared, oven-finished chicken thighs in a silky garlic and herb cream sauce — ready in about 45 minutes.

# 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 salt, plus more to taste
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Oils

12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and 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. Once the butter has melted and is foaming, place the chicken thighs skin side down. Sear for 5 to 6 minutes until the skin turns deeply golden and crisp. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a plate.
04 - In the same skillet, add the finely chopped shallot and minced garlic. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and softened.
05 - Pour in the chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the liquid simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
06 - Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, thyme, rosemary, and half of the chopped parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, then stir until the sauce is smooth and well combined.
07 - Nestle the chicken thighs back into the skillet, skin side up, spooning some of the cream sauce over the top of each piece.
08 - Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is fully cooked through.
09 - Remove the skillet from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining fresh parsley, and serve hot with the pan sauce spooned over each portion.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream sauce is so good you will want to drink it straight from the pan, and no one would blame you.
  • It looks like you spent hours but the oven does most of the heavy lifting while you pour yourself a glass of wine.
02 -
  • Do not rush the sear because that golden skin is what keeps the chicken textured and proud beneath all that creamy sauce.
  • When you deglaze with broth, really dig into those browned bits with your spoon because they carry more flavor than any seasoning you could add.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for five minutes after the oven before serving so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the plate.
  • If you want the skin extra crispy at the end, give it two minutes under the broiler while watching it like a hawk.

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