The perfect pan-seared chicken thighs with pan sauce are exactly that.
The shallot-white wine pan sauce is out of this world, and they make for a gourmet dinner preparation that’s surprisingly quick. Paleo-friendly and clean eating.
As a food blogger, I’m always trying out new lunch, dinner, and dessert recipes. On our table, a single dish rarely makes more than a few of appearances. I’d never have anything new to contribute if that were the case!
One major, the major exception is these exquisite pan-seared chicken thighs with pan sauce. I make these anytime I get the chance, and my entire family requests them for birthdays and holidays.
Crispy, salty skin, delicate meat, and a buttery, heady pan sauce? It’s just too much to deal with. It’s pointless to quarrel, especially when the prize is perfectly pan-seared chicken thighs with pan sauce on the table.
Oh, and did I mention they’re incredibly simple?
Because they’re so simple.
Why is this recipe so effective?
Food: Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs (Source: Cooking Classy)- The most tender chicken thighs with exceptionally crispy skin are made by pan searing and oven roasting.
- A gourmet pan sauce made with shallots, white wine, chicken stock, and butter is surprisingly easy to create.
- Every component of this recipe for ideal pan-seared chicken thighs with pan sauce is interchangeable; the chicken may be used in other dishes, and the pan sauce ingredients can be swapped out!
This pan-seared chicken thighs recipe is one of my favorites since it’s simple enough to fit into a weekly meal plan but elegant and interesting enough to serve to guests or keep you from becoming bored.
Sear, roast, sauté, reduce, and voilà: a perfectly gourmet, yet ridiculously inexpensive and simple main meal awaits.
Suggestions for Serving
We’ve spooned the rich white wine and shallot reduction over these pan-seared chicken thighs with pan sauce, which we’ve served over gluten-free orzo, rice, quinoa, and even steaming potatoes.
Serve these pan-seared chicken thighs with cauliflower rice or roasted potatoes if you’re following the paleo diet. Whatever you do, don’t let the sauce go to waste! Each spoonful should be savored.
Speaking of spoons, I do eat this pan sauce with one… Would you really want any of that delicious pan sauce to go to waste? I don’t believe so.
The ideal pan In a skillet with a wooden spoon browned chicken thighs with pan sauce, salt cellar, and wine in the background
Serve your pan-seared chicken thighs with pan sauce and a simple green vegetable like roasted broccoli or a simple salad with your grain. This is not how a gourmet dinner should be prepared!
And, hey, take a look at that golden skin! Are you on the lookout? Okay, that’s OK.
Why Will You Enjoy This Recipe?
The secret is in the method: salt the chicken generously before searing it until the skin is delightfully crispy. You complete everything in the oven and then set them aside to cool while you prepare the pan sauce.
What You’ll Need
The approach is crucial in this case, but it’s simple to master. And once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to make dinner in no time without even looking at the recipe! Right above the recipe, you can watch us cook this dish!
To prepare the perfect pan-seared chicken thighs with pan sauce, follow these steps:
- Season the chicken skin with salt and pepper. In a large oven-proof pan, heat a drizzle of oil over a low medium-high heat (About a 6 or 7 out of 10). Before you add the chicken thighs, make sure the pan is nice and hot.
- Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the pan and don’t overcrowd them. Also, don’t touch them! Allow for an 8-minute rest period. Reduce the heat to medium if the heat is too high and the skin is browning too soon.
- The chicken thighs should easily release from the pan after 7-8 minutes, and the skin should be brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken thighs to a 375° oven, skin-side up. 15 minutes in the oven
- Remove your ideal pan-seared chicken thighs from the oven after 15 minutes and make your pan sauce! Remove the chicken thighs from the skillet and place them on a platter. From now on, be extremely cautious! Always use a potholder to keep your hand away from the hot skillet handle.
- Most of the rendered chicken oil should be poured off, leaving about 1-2 teaspoons in the skillet. Place the skillet over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Stir in the shallots until they are softened, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the white wine slowly, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a whisk or spoon to loosen the browned pieces. When the mixture has been reduced by half, add the chicken stock and reduce by half again.
- Finally, add the cubed butter and stir until it is completely melted. If you want, you can add your herbs now. Serve your pan-seared chicken thighs over pasta, grains, or another starch after seasoning the sauce with salt. Pour a generous amount of sauce on top!
- And now that you know the secret, I guarantee you’ll never go back to plain roasted chicken pieces again. Not when you’ve got those golden, crispy-skinned ideal pan-seared chicken thighs with pan sauce dancing around in your head!
Variations
- Instead of shallots, use a mixture of minced garlic and onions.
- Follow this method to make beautiful pan-seared chicken thighs, then use them in other Whole30 recipes like my Whole30 cranberry chicken or creamy Whole30 bacon mushroom chicken thighs!
- Infuse the pan sauce with various herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, or even basil.
- If you don’t drink alcohol, use more chicken stock or no-sugar-added apple juice in place of the white wine.
- Instead of butter, use ghee.
What if I don’t have a skillet that can be used in the oven?
If your skillet has a rubber handle, you can wrap it in two layers of wet paper towels and then a layer of aluminum foil before putting it in the oven. The handle will be protected from the heat by the moist layer and foil!
Is it okay if I use chicken breasts?
Sure! Use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, and increase the oven roasting time to almost 25 minutes, or until an internal thermometer placed into the thickest portion of the chicken breast (near a bone is preferred) reads around 161o F.
If you use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, you can cook the chicken whole on the stove. Increase the searing time to around 10 minutes total, and evenly distribute it between the two sides (5 minutes per side).
Is it possible to make this recipe Whole30-friendly?
Yes, and we do it all the time! Simply replace the butter with ghee and the white wine with more chicken stock. Over potatoes or cauliflower rice, serve your pan-seared chicken thighs with pan sauce.
Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs
| 2 minutes to prepare 30 minutes to cook 30 minutes in total |
Chicken thighs pan-seared to perfection with a shallot-white-wine pan sauce. It’s cheap, easy, and delicious – yet it’s classy enough to serve to guests.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- sea salt
- 2 teaspoons oil like ghee, coconut oil, or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup shallots, finely minced
- 1 cup white wine or chicken stock if you can’t or don’t use alcohol in your cooking
- 4 tablespoons cold high-quality butter like Kerrygold, or ghee
- 1 1/3 cup chicken stock
- stems of fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or sage
Equipment
- large oven-proof skillet
- internal thermometer
Instructions For Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs
Food: Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs (Source: Cooking Classy)- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Dry the chicken thighs thoroughly before seasoning heavily with sea salt.
- Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot, then set the chicken thighs skin-side down in the skillet and sear for about 7-8 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and no longer adheres to the pan, using tongs.
- After flipping the chicken thighs, place the skillet in the oven. Roast for 15 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 162 degrees. Remove the skillet from the oven with care.
- Always use a potholder on the skillet handle for the remainder of the recipe. Remove the chicken thighs to a platter and drain off all but 1-2 tablespoons of the grease from the skillet. Place the skillet back on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Deglaze the skillet with white wine, scraping the bottom with a wire whisk or spatula to loosen all the browned bits. Bring the wine and shallots to a boil, then reduce by half.
- Return to a boil with the chicken stock. Reduce the mixture by half, or until it is thicker and less soupy, like a sauce. If you’re using fresh herbs, toss them in now. Remove from heat and whisk in cold butter until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the thighs on top of the starch, with plenty of pan sauce on the side.
Notes
- Make sure you try the quick chicken brine recipe with these perfect pan-seared chicken thighs and pan sauce!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 513kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 174mg, Sodium: 328mg, Potassium: 422mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 465IU, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1.3mg, Net Carbs: 4g