Weeknight Easy Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs

This Easy Pan Seared Chicken Thighs recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner when you are craving the classics. No fuss and crowd-pleasing; We call that a win. Bonus, this version is Whole30 Approved.

Everyone needs a few classic recipes in their little black book of cooking for those nights when you want to impress with something homemade, but without pomp and circumstance; nights when classic comfort food is what you are craving. This easy pan seared chicken thigh recipe goes well with hearty collard greens and mashed potatoes or over a bed of root veggie roasted risotto with a soft white wine. It’s a recipe you can add to that little black book and master quickly for a winning go-to meal that is easily adjusted to the season or occasion.

Chicken thighs have to be one of the most overlooked cuts in the market. They are always crazy cheap and pack a ton of flavor. Problem is, for years people cooked chicken to a bland dry flavorless brick and no one wants to play with it anymore. Trust me, once you get your hands on delicious thighs, you will keep them in the rotation all of the time. Its all about locking in the moisture and build on the flavors. These easy pan-seared chicken thighs are the perfect base recipe to start with. Best part is you can keep them simple and classic, or go all wild with your bad self once you get the basics on lock.

As an added bonus, if you stick to the recipe as is, it is Whole30 Approved.

Here’s to thighs. The thick and juicy kind.

Tools Used in this Recipe: 

• Large Skillet
• Ghee
• Fresh Herbs (Sage, rosemary, parsley)
• Instant Read Thermometer
• Jacobson Salt 

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Easy Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs | Whole30 Approved

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp clarified butter, or ghee Use regular butter if not on Whole30
• 4 bone-on, skin on chicken thighs
• dash salt
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 handful fresh herbs sage, rosemary, tarragon, etc

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Preheat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. 

3. Peat the chicken dry and season liberally with salt and pepper.  

4. Swirl 2 tablespoons of clarified butter over the pan to coat when hot. Add some chopped herbs to the pan.

5. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down. You should hear a nice sear happening. Allow to cook, without wiggling, flipping, or touching the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes to allow the skin to get nice and crispy. Adjust heat as needed to not burn. 

6. Flip the chicken and toss in the minced garlic allowing it to become aromatic. Add the remaining clarified butter and baste the chicken. Toss some more fresh herbs on top and carefully transfer to the oven to finish cooking 8 to 10 minutes. 

7. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for a doneness temp of 165. 

   If not at 165, allow the chicken to cook longer, as needed. 

8. Serve with fresh herbs on top. Season with salt and pepper as desired.