When I need a fast no-brainer meal, it’s all about a quick skillet-cooked chicken and an easy pan sauce. Those rich flavorful pan sauces are absolute heaven and can be spooned over rice, tossed with sautéed vegetables, or even drizzled over a small pasta, like orzo. This time I used a pre-mixed Italian herb blend to make this rich and buttery herb pan sauce, which was so good that I wanted to just sit there with a chunk of bread to sop it all up. Alas, these Herb Butter Chicken Thighs are part of my meal prep this week (stay tuned tomorrow to see what I paired them with), so I couldn’t just dive into the skillet. But I sure wanted to!
Use a Pre-Mixed Herb Blend for Convenience
I used a pre-mixed Italian Seasoning blend of herbs for this pan sauce, just so I wouldn’t have to measure out 4-5 herbs individually. Plus, this particular Italian herb blend includes a few items that I don’t usually keep in my pantry. The blend I have is Kroger brand and it includes marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil. Don’t worry if you can’t find an herb blend exactly like this, any Italian herb blend is sure to be just as scrumptious. Or, if you’re lucky enough to have your own herb garden, feel free to use fresh herbs!
Can I use Chicken Breasts Instead?
I love how tender and juicy chicken thighs are, so that’s what I used, but you can use chicken breasts if you prefer. The only change you’ll need to make is to pound the breasts until they are an even thickness (about 1/2″ thick) so they cook quickly and evenly. You can even dust them in a bit of flour, if you like, to create a nice thin browned coating, like in my Chicken Piccata.
Herb Butter Chicken Thighs
Servings 5 1 thigh eachIngredients
- 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1/3 lb. each) ($5.08)
- pinch salt and pepper ($0.05)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.13)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning herb blend ($0.15)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth* ($0.07)
- 1 Tbsp butter ($0.13)
- handful fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish) ($0.11)
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with a pinch of salt and pepper on each side.
- Heat a large skillet over medium. Once hot, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the thighs to a clean plate. There should be plenty of browned bits left on the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning blend to the skillet. Sauté the garlic and herbs in the leftover oil in the skillet. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic softens a bit and becomes very fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir, dissolving all the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Let the broth simmer (still over medium heat) for about 5 minutes, or until it has reduced by half.
- Once the broth has reduced, add the butter and stir until it has melted into the sauce. Add the chicken pieces back to the skillet with the sauce and spoon the sauce over each piece. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, if desired. Serve while hot.
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Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Herb Butter Chicken Thighs – Step by Step Photos
Season both sides of five (or four, if that’s what you have) boneless, skinless chicken thighs with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium, then once it’s hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the surface of the skillet. Add the chicken thighs and cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. You should have plenty of browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Remove the chicken thighs to a clean plate.
Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning herb blend to the skillet. Continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is softened and very fragrant.
Add 1/2 cup chicken broth (I used Better Than Bouillon to make my broth) and continue to stir and cook, dissolving the browned bits off the bottom as you stir. Let the broth simmer for about 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.
Once reduced, add the butter and stir until it has melted into the sauce.
Add the chicken thighs back to the skillet and spoon the sauce over top. If you want to make things extra pretty, sprinkle some chopped parsley over top of the Herb Butter Chicken Thighs just before serving!
Could you do the same thing for skin on thighs?
Yes!
This was absolutely delicious and simple to make! It’s also pretty affordable, which is good since I’m a university student living on my own. I have this recipe meal prepped, and I tell ya, I look forward to dinner now.
Super easy and very tasty! Used a nonstick skillet, so omitted the oil to ensure the thighs browned and I got the good brown bits for the sauce. Cooking time was about 15 minutes for the thighs. Served with parmesan orzo and side salad. Going into our monthly rotation for sure!
I COMPLETELY forgot the butter, and it turned out great to be so easy, I’m from a country where half the stuff can’t be aquired so this recipe was a good change.
We didnt love this. I followed the directions, but we felt like it came out oily. I served it with rice, which helped, but when i asked my husband what he thought he said, “mmmmm, well, i liked the steamed broccoli” i think this is the first budgetbytes recipe in years of using the site that we hvnt loved.
These are incredibly delicious, especially considering how few ingredients it takes to make the flavors pop. YUM. Will be making again.
So good and SO easy! I’m not gonna lie–cooking is not my favorite activity. But recipes like this definitely make me more inclined to get in the kitchen! ;) Thanks, Beth!
Is there any non-dairy substitute for the butter that would give a similar enough mouthfeel and amount of flavor to work?
Unfortunately I haven’t tried to make a pan sauce with a non-dairy butter substitute, so I’m not sure if there is anything that would work here.
I used Earth Balance and it was great.
This was SO easy and SO good! This will make a novice (like me) think they can cook! Used leftover fresh herbs. Will make again.
I have had this chiken about 7 times now and it is soooo good !
I have tweaked it a little by adding just a tiny splash of white whine vinegar and ooooh my taste buds are in heaven 💗
Very simple recipe ,nice and quick too but oh oh oh soo good !
Quick, easy, and delicious! Easy for a beginner cook, like myself :) Thank you!
What they fail to tell you is that the thighs will be raw inside for over an hour. Don’t get discouraged and enjoy picking off the black skin. At least it smells good!
This was fantastic! Crispy on the outside, tender inside. The sauce is sooo good! My husband & both kids ate it with no complaints. Thx for a great recipe!
This is so simple and delicious! Only used one pan and even used the leftover herb butter sauce to cook up some spinach
This is so yummy! I have 0 cooking talent and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy this recipe is. It was really quick and simple! Tastes great with rice and green leafed veggies :)