These Garlic and Parmesan Chicken Thighs are the ultimate solution for a flavorful and easy weeknight dinner. Chicken thighs are perfectly seasoned and then coated in a rich garlic parmesan butter sauce, which makes the meat juicy and tender while crisping up the skin to crispy, crackly golden brown perfection. Ready in just 45 minutes, this garlic parmesan chicken is perfect for busy families looking for a delicious and easy dinner.
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Good food doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, some of the best dishes are simple recipes that come together fast. This is one of those meals. With just four key ingredients (chicken, butter, parmesan, and garlic), you can make the juiciest, most flavorful chicken thighs. Once these thighs are in the oven, you can bang out a pot of rice and cook up some spicy maple-roasted carrots or toss together a quick honey mustard salad. And don’t you dare throw away the garlic butter chicken drippings; store that in a small tupperware container in the fridge and use it to fry up a few breakfast potatoes in the next day or two. (You can thank me later.)
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs to get a crispy outside while keeping the inside moist and tender. Of course, if you only have boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts, you can use those too and simply adjust cooktimes accordingly. However, after making this recipe many times, I’ve found that keeping the skin and bone in makes the chicken much juicier and more flavorful.
- Fresh Garlic: I use fresh garlic cloves because freshly minced garlic cloves have a stronger, more vibrant flavor and aroma compared to store-bought, pre-minced garlic.
- Grated Parmesan: The kind that comes in a tall plastic jar. This allows you to create a thick paste with the garlic butter and it makes the chicken skin crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-flavorful.
- Butter: (And lots of it.) I prefer to use unsalted butter because it lets you control the salt level and enhances the natural flavors of the ingredients.
- Chicken Rub: We’re talking seasonings like salt and freshly cracked black pepper along with paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder that help build flavor. I like to sprinkle a thin layer everywhere, including under the chicken skin.
Equipment
- Oven-Safe Skillet (10-inch): I absolutely love my Misen stainless steel 10-inch skillet. It gets really hot for the perfect sear, it’s oven-safe, and it’s large enough to make dinner for my family of five. A cast-iron skillet will also work here if you have one. Otherwise, you can sear the chicken thighs using whatever pan you have, and then transfer the chicken thighs to an oven safe dish.
- Oven Mitts
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs
- Preheat your oven to 400°F degrees. Mix all of the ingredients for the garlic parmesan paste together and set aside in a small bowl: ¼ cup melted butter, ¼ cup parmesan, and the 4 cloves of minced garlic.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season all over with the chicken seasoning blend.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium heat and place the chicken thighs skin-side down to sear until the skin is golden and crispy. It takes about 5 minutes to cook them through at this point. Flip your chicken over once the skin is crispy.
- Transfer the whole skillet to the oven and bake for 10 mins and then, using oven mitts, remove the skillet and spoon the garlic parmesan paste over the tops of the chicken thighs. Using the oven mitts, transfer the skillet back to the oven for 20 minutes.If your chicken thighs start darkening excessively while in the oven, cover them with foil until they are fully cooked.
- Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thighs to make sure your garlic and parmesan chicken is perfectly cooked. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
Serving Ideas
The real question is: What can’t you serve these with?
Try my creamy Boursin mashed potatoes and this beautiful Swiss chard salad with garlicky breadcrumbs.
A mixed salad with this honey-mustard vinaigrette would lighten things up as would my sweet citrusy purple coleslaw, and then you can serve it with some white or brown rice.
Storage Instructions
To Store: Transfer the baked chicken thighs to an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 4 days.
To Freeze: Simply allow the chicken thighs to cool and then transfer them to a freezer safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Thaw them in the fridge overnight and then, reheat the oven or air fryer until warmed through. If you reheat the chicken in the microwave, the skin will be soggy.
📖 Recipe
Garlic and Parmesan Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 pounds chicken thighs bone in skin on
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Garlic Parmesan Paste
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup parmesan
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F degrees. Mix all of the ingredients for the garlic parmesan paste together and set aside in a small bowl: ¼ cup melted butter, ¼ cup parmesan, and the 4 cloves of minced garlic.
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towel and season all over with 1 teaspoon ground paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and a few cranks of black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear until the skin is golden and crispy. It takes about 5 minutes to cook them through at this point. Flip your chicken over once the skin is crispy.
- Transfer the whole skillet to the oven and bake for 10 mins and then, using oven mitts, remove the skillet and spoon the garlic parmesan paste over the tops of the chicken thighs. Using the oven mitts, transfer back to the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165°F. When the chicken is cooked, spoon some of the garlic butter sauce over the top of each chicken thigh. Optionally, top with parsley before serving.
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