You’ll love these skillet parmesan chicken thighs topped with a garlicky homemade sauce for a quick one-pan dinner! Ready in 35 minutes and perfectly golden on the outside and juicy on the inside for the best bite!
Why You’ll Love These Parmesan Chicken Thighs
These juicy Parmesan chicken thighs have a garlicky kick and are ready in a snap.
- Quick. A 35-minute dinner is my definition of the perfect, lazy weeknight meal.
- Great for gatherings. Prepare several batches and serve it in a large baking dish. Let everyone help themselves to as much as they want!
- Prep-friendly. Rub the chicken with the spice mix in advance to save some time throughout the week.
- One-pan. You won’t have to clean up endless pans and pots once you’re done with dinner. Everything’s prepared in the same pan.
What You’ll Need
The simple spice rub adds smokiness, earthiness, herbiness, and lots of garlicky goodness to every bite. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- Chicken thighs – Make sure they’re boneless and skinless.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, salt and pepper.
- Avocado oil – Feel free to use vegetable, corn, canola, or olive oil.
Parmesan Garlic Sauce
- Unsalted butter – Reduce the salt in the rest of the recipe if you use salted butter.
- Garlic – Avoid garlic powder because it’ll make the sauce grainy.
- Parmesan – Use freshly grated cheese.
- Seasonings – Smoked paprika and red pepper flakes.
- Chopped chives – Green onions work too.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs
Simmering the chicken in the garlicky sauce for those final minutes really makes the difference. Here’s a quick overview of how to make this easy dinner. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.
- Mix the spices. Whisk the garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, paprika, coriander, and black pepper in a bowl until well combined. Set it aside.
- Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Add the spice rub. Sprinkle the spice blend evenly over the chicken thighs. Gently massage the spices into the thighs to ensure even coating.
- Brown the chicken. Place a large pan over medium-high heat. Add avocado oil and sauté the chicken on one side for 5-6 minutes until it develops a golden-brown crust. Flip the chicken and cook the other side for an additional 5-6 minutes or until there is no visible pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the heat and set it aside on a plate.
For the Sauce and Serving
- Make the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, and add butter and minced garlic to the pan. Use a spoon to gently scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir until the garlic becomes fragrant and the butter is completely melted. Add in the parmesan, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together.
- Simmer it. Return the chicken into the pan and let it cook for 1-2 minutes over low-heat. Spoon some of the sauce on top. Remove it from the heat.
- Serve. Spoon more sauce over the chicken and garnish it with 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese and chopped chives. Enjoy!
Tips & Variation Ideas
- Use bone-in and skin-on. Make sure to cook the chicken skin-down first until golden before cooking the other side. This will give you a crispy crust and add texture to every bite.
- Choose the right pan. A non-stick pan or skillet are best for cooking chicken in because, unlike stainless steel, it’s less likely it’ll stick and burn.
- Use turkey. Swapping the chicken for turkey in this recipe will give you an easy but festive variation.
- Make it creamy. Remove the chicken from the heat and add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Stir well and gently scrape the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes and season with salt to taste. Drizzle the sauce on top of the chicken.
- Use different parts of chicken. Chicken legs and leg-quarters are great ways to use up whatever parts of the chicken you have at home already.
Serving Suggestions
These parmesan chicken thighs are a wonderful main when paired with simple veggie sides. Air Fryer Green Beans, Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes, and Grilled Asparagus are some of my favorite. If I’m craving soup, I serve it with my Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Bacon. For an easy salad idea, go for my Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad.
Proper Storage
Place the leftovers in serving-size portions in different containers before refrigerating for a quick meal-prep.
- Store it in the fridge: Let the leftovers cool completely before placing them in airtight containers. Refrigerate the chicken for up to 5 days. Keep it away from direct heat and sunlight when on the counter because chicken spoils easily.
- To reheat it: Pop it into the microwave for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it in a pan over medium-low for 7-8 minutes with the lid on.
More Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes
- Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
- Honey Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
- Balsamic Grilled Chicken Thighs with Bruschetta
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Description
These one-pan parmesan chicken thighs with a garlicky sauce are a quick and simple weeknight dinner you’ll love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil
Parmesan Garlic Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 heaping tablespoons of grated parmesan + 1 tablespoon to garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add garlic powder, ground cumin, salt, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, coriander and black pepper. Mix the spices together. Set aside.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry.
- Sprinkle chicken thighs with the prepared spice blend mixture. Gently rub the mixture into the thighs.
- Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add avocado oil to the pan and then place chicken thighs into the pan. (you want to hear the sizzle)
- Saute on the first side for 5-6 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook the other side for 5-6 minutes or until you don’t see any pink.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set on a plate.
- Turn the heat down to low. Add butter and minced garlic to the skillet. Using a spoon or a whisk, scrape all the good brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir until garlic is fragrant and butter is melted.
- Add in parmesan cheese, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to stir everything together.
- Place the chicken back in the skillet and let cook for 1-2 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat.
- Using a spoon, pour some of that delicious sauce over each chicken thigh.
- Garnish with 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese and chopped chives.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 chicken thighs
- Calories: 262
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 419 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 54 mg
88 comments on “Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs”
I was lamenting that I’d forgotten to brine my chicken first because that’s usually the only way I end up with tender, juicy results, even when I follow recipes by the book. But one bite had me saying I’ll make this again. It’s a delicious balance of tender and robust with a slight kick from the chili flakes. So good!
Yeah so pumped to hear it’s a repeat for you Tamara!
So happy I made this in my cast iron pan tonight, absolutely delicious. Instead of red pepper flakes, I diced a Serrano pepper & sauted that with the minced garlic. I didn’t have chives, but chopped a few leaves of fresh sage & added that with the sauted garlic. Made penne pasta, once cooked, I threw that into the cast iron pan with the cooked chicken so everything had that delicious buttery sauce incorporated into it, so easy, so good!
Sounds so YUMMY! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This is my absolute favorite chicken recipe! When my husband and I started doing keto I was thrilled to realize that this recipe works great for our new dietary needs too. Thank you for the delicious recipe!! It’s in a consistent rotation at our house and I even keep the dry rub premixed to make it even quicker for extra busy days.
Music to my ears! I am so happy you fell in love with this recipe as much as I did!
Made this tonight for dinner! GREAT! My husband said it’s the BEST! Thank you soooooooooo much!
Such an easy and delicious recipe! I am so glad it was a hit!!
My wife said this is the best chicken dish I’ve ever made for her ! We loved them !
What a huge compliment!! I highly recommend giving the chipotle apricot chicken thighs next!!
Loved this chicken recipe, very tasty!! Different spices that actually go very well together! Followed the recipe exactly. Made it with broccoli and garlic. Will definitely make this again!! Thanks so much!!!!
This spice blend packs so much flavor! So happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Made this tonight. It has been cooking for much longer than suggested. Had to put in oven to finish cooking.
Still waiting for the pink to be cooked out.
I am sorry it is taking longer than expected – cook time can vary due to how thick the meat is.
Made this last night and OMG! so good. I didn’t realize how good it would be. I made it with some roasted fall veggies- perfect! Roommate and I both gave it high remarks.
Ohhh yum!!!! Love the roasted fall veggies with it.
I am a college student and as a weightlifter, I require a lot of protein. I feel like I have tried every boring chicken recipe in the world, but THIS was my saving grace. This recipe was delicious! Fragrant garlic, aromatic spices all sealed into the juicy chicken with a crispy crust. What more could you ask for? I serve this up with a spicy cucumber orzo salad and its heavenly. I definitely recommend this recipe to anyone looking to have delicious chicken without an overly caloric creamy sauce.
Can I use bone in chicken?
You definitely in, the cook time would be longer with bone in but would still be just as delicious.
Made this for the first time last night and it was so delicious!! Husband and 3 year old devoured it. I can’t wait to make it again, it’s definitely going into the rotation. Thank you!
It’s always so awesome when you find a new recipe to add to the rotation! So happy everyone enjoyed it!
Great flavor. Paired great with mashed sweet potatoes and mixed greens.
The perfect meal! Glad you enjoyed it!
Made this last night and it was awesome! Thank you for the great recipe!
I am so happy you enjoyed!
So happy with how this turned out! Super easy to make and full of flavor
Love!! Easy and full of flavor! Does it get any better!
loved the recipe, looked very simple. However, the chicken came out a bit raw. I’m disappointed
I am sorry, cook time can definitely vary based on how thick the chicken is.
Just made this and I’m still thinking about how good it was. Used an extra tablespoon of Parmesan and some extra garlic. Because more of each is a good thing. And only a little over a pound of chicken. I would double the spice mix if I made 2 pounds, and definitely increase the garlic Parmesan. So, so good.
You can never go wrong with extra cheese and garlic in my book!
This was great! Reminiscent of microwave cheesy chicken my mom used to make that (we would fight for the cheesy buttery goodness) but so much better! This is a keeper, thank you!
These chicken thighs do not disappoint! So good! Ps. the cheesy chicken sounds pretty good, too!
Yumm! Thanks for this it came out great and so quick to put together! Even my super picky 2 year old ate it (…with ketchup – he has a problem!) I will definitely be adding this to our rotation 🙂
hahaah… oh my son had that same problem. Ketchup addict! 🙂 glad you liked it.
Krista, let me know why this took me so dang long to cook
Hey Jillian, without knowing what you did. I’m not sure. How did it take and what did you do?
You are missing a sauce base. Cream, broth, gimme something. This is just fried spices and parm.
Hey Gur Pree, there should be a little bit of the butter sauce left. But that is correct I do not have a creamy sauce associated with this, and it is intentional. You don’t need it if the chicken has flavor, but you are more than welcome to add one on your own if you’d like.
I am obsessed with this recipe and keep using it in different ways! I’ve served it with pasta that I tossed in the extra sauce, I’ve put the chicken on a salad, and I’ve added lots of different sautéed vegetables to the skillet. The chicken is so flavorful and versatile! Love it!
woohooo! That’s what I like to hear! And yes the sauce is the bomb!
Wonderful flavorful meal! The sauce that you make at the end is so delicious…garlicky, cheesy, buttery goodness! Cook this meal in a cast iron skillet for best results.
Garlicky, buttery goodness…that says it all! There is nothing better!
So so so good! Used bone in with skin and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Wow! Very easy with results that make me feel like a chef. This is a keeper, everyone rated it a 10! Thanks for the recipe.
A 10!! The finished product is definitely a showstopper and delish!
I found this recipe because it’s to hot to turn on my oven. And I am glad I did! It was garlicky and cheesey and wonderful! I will say the only thing I did different was to bread the chicken in almond meal and flax seed meal. Will definitely do this again!
So glad you made it your own and loved it!
I made this for dinner last night, and it was a hit! I will definitely make it again! Easy and not too time consuming. Lots of flavor!
Yes, easy is a must on most nights! So happy it was a hit!
I pre-seasoned the chicken the night before because I knew that I would be in a rush the next day, Served the chicken over a bed of spinach. It was awesome!!!
I’ve made this several times in the last month with my boyfriend, and this recipe is fool-proof. We found this recipe after getting several packs of thighs on sale and looking for a yummy way to make it. As a college student who is just starting to cook for myself, this wasn’t too daunting of a recipe! We used leftover sauce to add flavor to spaghetti one night and it was delicious. I also put some extra sauce on mashed potatoes another night. Can’t go wrong with this one 🙂
I don’t have a cast iron skillet, can I still make with a nonstick pan?
yes, absolutely. I just like the “char” the skillet gives the thighs
SO YUMMY! The best chicken recipe I’ve tried so far
This chicken recipe is so delicious. I made it with bone in, skin on chicken thighs I had on hand. Had to cook a little longer, but it tasted great. What would the nutritional info change to though?
Oh yeah so glad you loved it. Yes that bone in will add so much more flavor. But it will increase the fat in the nutritional info.
Very Delicious! Served with just picked Illinois Sweet Corn. Yum!
Glad I found your website. 😊
OK, I will admit it. I’m not a very good cook. Usually when I try a new recipe I find on-line, I’m disappointed, always figuring that I did something wrong, or didn’t cook it right This recipe changes everything! Made it for dinner tonight, and it was AMAZING!! And easy too! I will be making this on a regular basis, I promise! Thank you so much for sharing!
This looks amazing!! Would it still be good without the butter and olive oil? Is there anything I can use instead?
You could use ghee or omit the olive oil completely. But the butter or ghee will give it the “rich” flavor.
This is excellent. Went right into the ‘keeper’ file. All members of my family gave it a major thumbs up.
woohoo!!! Glad to hear it!
These are AH-MAZING! And so quick and easy to make 🙂
This dish was INCREDIBLE. It was so rich and crave-able but still healthy! Thank you for sharing!
Oh my gosh, this is on the stove now and it smells so good, I’m dying! The crust looks gorgeous. My house smells amazing too! I used thighs with the bone and the skin since that’s how my hubby likes them. Can’t wait to dig in!
haha… I hope you and the family loved them! The sauce is irresistible! 🙂
I only have bone in skin on chicken thighs on hand…. how should I cook these with this recipe? Can’t wait to try it!!
The same way, it’s just gonna cook a little longer that’s all. 🙂
it takes forever to get to the recipe because of the ads and the promotions
I’m sorry Lisa, are you looking at it on mobile, tablet or desktop?
Oh man, this chicken is DROOL WORTHY! I have to find this brand of chicken!
Thank you so much Bethany! It’s at a lot of target stores. But if you go their website justbarechicken.com you can enter your zip and find the nearest store. 🙂
Hi Krista,
Made this tonight and it exceeded expectations! We eat chicken often and it was such a treat to find a recipe that incorporated so many new flavors..
Thanks, yet again for what you do!!
Kathy
OH hurray! So glad to hear that it graced your dinner table and that it was a hit! Makes me happy to hear that! Thank you so much for popping in to leave your review, I appreciate it Kathy!
I’m so glad I saw the brand of your chicken. I have been on the hunt for a legitimate organic chicken company. This brand sounds like it’s a winner!
YES! You’ll love them Michelle! You can totally tell a difference!
I’ve never tried this brand of chicken but I’m always looking for hormone free meat! This recipe looks perfect!
Sharon! Try them! I guarantee you’ll love the brand!
Wow! These look crazy good, Krista! 🙂
Oh girl, they are!
I have a package of chicken thighs in the freezer that are just perfect for this! Looks amazing 🙂
Pull them out girl and get to cookin! 🙂
These look absolutely delicious!! I can’t wait to make it for my family!!!
Hope you enjoy Katerina!
These look amazing! This is definitely being added onto this week’s dinner menu!
Thank you so much Michelle! You’re going to love them!
I’d love this for dinner tonight!
Good choice! 🙂