Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs

For a quick dinner recipe, make these Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs. They are flavor-packed and juicy and ready in 15 minutes! Serve with your favorite vegetable or carb side dishes.

This incredible pan-seared chicken thighs recipe is perfect for those who are busy or just want an effortless recipe to follow.

Cooking chicken thighs doesn’t need to be an extensive process, and this recipe with minimal ingredients proves it. All you need is a large cast-iron skillet, chicken thighs, and a few other ingredients.

Just because it’s simple, it doesn’t mean this dish compromises on delicious flavor, either. It has hints of earthy, spicy cajun seasoning, sauteed garlic, and rich butter.

And the outside crust is to die for! Your mouth will water just looking at this golden, glistening chicken.

When you follow the step-by-step directions, you end up with juicy chicken thighs perfect for serving with green beans, a simple salad, roasted potatoes, bread, or your other favorite sides.

Whether you love white meat or dark meat, I have other delicious chicken recipes you can try, too, like my Baked Thin Chicken Breasts, Chicken Drumsticks In Creamy Sauce, or Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs. But for now, let’s dive into this marvelous sauteed chicken thighs recipe. My favorite Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs!

Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs

Do you remember the times when you used to flip through cookbooks, thinking to yourself, “What should I make for dinner tonight?” It was always so enjoyable to grab a book and choose a recipe just because it looked and sounded so good. And when it turned out just right, you knew you made the right choice!

Making this Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs dish will give you that same feeling. It’s an easy weeknight dinner recipe that the whole family will love. And just like a cookbook, this recipe has been tested many times! But in my kitchen—my entire family loves it and approves of it.

Of course, I still have my fair share of cookbook recipes that I love, but sharing or finding recipes online is just as enjoyable. And when I can share my original recipes and cooking secrets with you, it’s so fun. I love to hear how the recipe went for you all.

So, next time you have a special occasion and just want an easy meal to make, you can come back to this simple pan recipe for skillet chicken thighs. And hey, it’s even suitable for meal prep.

You can make these skinless thighs on Sundays and use them for your lunches throughout the week. The recipe is plenty versatile.

Ingredients Needed

This chicken thigh recipe requires basic ingredients for a simple recipe you can make on a busy weeknight.

Here are some notes about the primary ingredients:

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: This recipe uses boneless, skinless thighs rather than skin-on chicken thighs or bone-in chicken thighs; don’t worry, though—they still form a perfectly golden brown exterior and have plenty of flavor! You’ll need about 1.5 lbs.
• Olive Oil and Unsalted Butter: The olive oil helps form the chicken’s crispy crust, and the butter adds richness; it becomes infused with the garlic’s flavor for extra umami depth.
• Fresh Garlic: For best results, you’ll need fresh garlic. Mincing it and cooking it in the butter heightens its best qualities.
• Assorted Seasonings: For maximum flavor, this recipe uses classic salt and black pepper with Cajun seasonings.

You can also garnish with fresh parsley. The recipe card below contains the entire ingredient list and measurements.

Recipe Variations

There are unending ways to customize this boneless chicken thighs recipe, so feel free to get creative. I have some ideas to spark your creativity below:

• Pan Sauce: How about making a delicious sauce with the leftover cooked chicken bits in the bottom of the pan? I love doing this! It produces such a rich, flavorful sauce. An easy way? Add aromatics and deglaze the pan with liquid. Use chicken broth and white wine (Later on, you can add dairy if you want a heavier sauce). At the end, adjust the seasonings and add a splash of fresh lemon juice to brighten up the flavor.
• Cooking Method: If you would rather stick to the same seasonings but cook the chicken in another way, feel free to. I know that some people prefer to deep fry chicken thighs or make air fryer chicken thighs instead of using the stove top method. Keep in mind that the cooking times will be different, though, as well as some of the preparation.
• Additional Seasonings: To make the recipe your own, add new spices or additional seasonings that are already in the cajun seasoning mix. Some ideas include onion powder, chili powder, cumin, or red pepper flakes. You can also make a dry rub to sit on the chicken for a while before you cook it.
• Use a Different Cut of Chicken: If this recipe sounds good to you, but you only have chicken breasts or another cut available, no worries! You can use the same seasonings and pan-sear the meat, too. The only thing that would change is the cook time, depending on what you use. Also, if you choose bone-in thighs, they will take longer.

Substitutions

• Garlic: If you don’t have fresh garlic or even pre-minced garlic from a jar, you can use garlic powder in a pinch (although the fresh garlic gives the Pan-Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs the best flavor). However, include it when you add the other seasonings at the beginning and only add the butter towards the end of cooking.
• Olive Oil: If you don’t have olive oil, you can use any other neutral cooking oil, such as canola, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or even peanut oil. Choose one with a high smoke point.
• Butter: If you don’t have butter or simply want to keep this recipe dairy-free, you can use a butter substitute that still has a somewhat buttery flavor and consistency. You can also use more olive oil in its place.
• Cajun Seasoning: If you don’t have pre-made cajun seasoning, you can make your own. All you need are some assorted spices like onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, and dried herbs. Mix all of them in a small bowl until it reaches your desired spice level. Then, use it on the Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs.

How To Make Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs

Step 1: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.

Before beginning the cooking process for Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs, the first step is to thoroughly pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels.

Step 2: Season the chicken thighs with dried spices.

Season both sides of the meat evenly with the seasonings.

Step 3: Pan Sear The Chicken

Place the non-stick pan (preferably a cast iron pan) on medium high heat on the stove top and add the olive oil to heat it. Add the seasoned chicken thighs to the hot skillet smooth side down, pressing each thigh to touch the skillet.

Let it cook on one side for about 3-4 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for another 3 minutes.

Step 4: Add butter and garlic.

Dot the hot pan with the cubed butter. Add the garlic to the pan in 3 different spots.

Let the butter melt, and the minced garlic sizzle until golden brown. Spoon the brown bits and garlic butter over the chicken thighs.

Step 5: Serve

Let the Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs rest for 5-7 minutes before serving.

Love easy dinners? Also check out my Pan Seared Tilapia recipe.

Tips For Perfect Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs

• If you have any leftover Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs, wait until they cool to room temperature and then transfer them to an airtight container. You can reheat them in the air fryer, oven, or even on the stovetop using medium heat. The microwave works, too, but you won’t get that same crispy crust with it.
• Although a well-seasoned cast iron skillet works best, just use the best pan you have, even if it is just a large frying pan! You might need to use some extra oil if you notice the chicken sticking. That’s why I say that a nonstick pan is definitely preferred.
• When you use the meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken, you have to make sure to insert it into the thickest part in order to get an accurate reading. (You can find a meat thermometer on my shop page, which has affiliate links. The product is at no extra cost to you.)
• Keep in mind that the cooking time can slightly vary depending on the size of the chicken thighs. If they are thinner or larger, it might take more or less time.

Serving Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs

Serve this Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs with the following:

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