Pan-Roasted Chicken in Herb Butter Sauce

Name: Pan-Roasted Chicken in Herb Butter Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 4 chicken thighs (skin-on, bone-in ); 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic; 1/4 cup white wine; 1/4 cup chicken broth; 2 tablespoons butter; 2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves; salt and pepper to taste

5 from 3 votes

Pan-Roasted Chicken in herb butter sauce is a deliciously easy recipe that brings everyone to the dinner table on time with its tempting aroma that floats throughout the house! As if that is not enough, this recipe is also budget friendly and low in carbs so we can all stick to our resolutions for the new year!

Happy New Year, Y’all! Marion here from Life Tastes Good back to share another recipe with you. I hope you enjoyed the Cranberry Bundt Cake I shared last month. I made that for our Christmas Eve get together and it was a big hit! For January I’m bringing you one of my favorite go-to meals. Chicken thighs make a regular appearance on our dinner table because they are so quick and easy to make, everyone loves them, and I love how budget friendly they are! Not to mention, when paired with a garden salad, they make a fabulously delicious, low-carb meal that helps me stick to my new year’s resolution.

Some might think chicken is a little boring, and I can’t argue with that most of the time, but chicken thighs can be transformed and have the feel of a gourmet meal with the help of a simple pan sauce. It is a two-step process to make the chicken thighs. First we sear them in a screaming hot pan to get a nice crispy skin. This searing adds flavor to not only the chicken, but also to the pan sauce. Once the chicken has a nice sear on the outside, they go into the oven to roast until cooked through. While the thighs are roasting in the oven, we make the super easy pan sauce. It whips up in under 10 minutes and adds a little something extra to take the chicken to that next level of deliciousness.

To start on our way to an amazing chicken dinner, preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with foil and then top it with an oven-safe rack. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Mix up 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Pull the skin back from the chicken breasts and divide the seasoning evenly among the chicken thighs. NOTE: I use bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for maximum flavor. They are also the best buy budget-wise. If you aren’t into enjoying crispy skin, you can always remove it and share it with those that love it (ME!!).

Heat a cast-iron skillet over mid-high heat. Get it good and hot and then place the seasoned chicken thighs, skin-side down, into the dry skillet. No need to add additional fat into the skillet. You should be able to fit 4 at a time in a 10″ cast-iron skillet. Sear the chicken, without moving, for 5-6 minutes until the skin gets nice and crispy. Once the skin is crispy you’ll be able to easily lift the chicken from the pan without sticking. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place skin-side up on the oven-safe rack. Roast chicken in the oven for 30 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°. NOTE: I recommend using a cast-iron or stainless steel skillet for best results. Avoid non-stick skillets as you won’t get a good sear.

While the chicken is roasting, prepare the pan sauce. Using the same skillet, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Add 1 teaspoon of freshly minced garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds over medium heat until the garlic starts to soften and smells great.

Add 1/4 cup white wine and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Those browned bits add wonderful flavor to the sauce and scraping them up now will make clean-up easier in the end. Win-win! Allow the wine to reduce about 2 minutes and then add 1/4 cup chicken broth. Stir to combine and cook another 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly. Then add 2 tablespoons butter and melt into the sauce. Add 2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves and stir to combine. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

When the chicken is ready, place it back in the skillet and gently turn to coat with the sauce or you can spoon the sauce over the chicken when serving.

NOTE: You can easily double this recipe. To double you’ll add extra seasoning, of course, for the extra chicken and then sear the chicken in batches. Cook them at the same time and temp on the rack in the oven. I love to make extra to have for lunches throughout the week or even to use in other recipes. Enjoy!

Are Roasting and Broiling the Same?

Roasting is the same setting as baking.

The baking/roasting setting has the heat coming from the bottom of the oven.

Broiling is when the heat source comes from the top of the oven.

When Roasting Chicken, Should It Be Covered?

Roasting is a technique that relies on high heat to create a crispy golden skin and tender, juicy meat.

Do not cover the meat when roasting.

Covering the meat will prevent browning and the meat will not be crisp.