Lemon Herb Skillet Chicken for Two

There’s something about a pan of golden chicken with lemon and fresh herbs that makes a plain weeknight feel taken care of.

This lemon herb skillet chicken for two has crispy skin, a silky little pan sauce, and nothing complicated in between.

It’s ready in about 30 minutes, which is less time than most delivery takes to show up.

I’ll admit I make it partly for the excuse to drag a piece of bread through the pan at the end.

Why You’ll Love It

• Five ingredients plus oil, salt, pepper, and water.
• One skillet, stovetop only.
• About 30 minutes.
• Written for two servings.
• Naturally gluten-free and low-carb.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs, about 1 to 1 1/4 lb

1 lemon

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, with 1 tablespoon kept cold

5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons water

Steps

1. Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels, especially the skin. Season both sides with the salt and pepper right before cooking. Pull the leaves off 3 or 4 of the thyme sprigs, which gives you about 1 1/2 teaspoons, and keep the rest for the top. Cut the lemon in half. Juice one half, about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons, and cut the other half into 4 thin slices.

2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay the thighs in skin side down, press them flat with a spatula, and turn the heat down to medium.

3. Cook without moving them for 6 to 8 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and releases from the pan on its own. If it sticks when you try to lift it, it isn’t ready. Give it another minute.

4. Flip and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads at least 165°F. Thighs are better at 175°F. The connective tissue softens at that temperature, and thighs don’t dry out there the way breasts would.

5. Move the chicken to a plate skin side up. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan.

6. Turn the heat to medium-low. Add the lemon slices and sear them for about 1 minute per side. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter, the garlic, and the thyme leaves, and stir for 30 to 60 seconds until the garlic is fragrant.

7. Add the lemon juice and water and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until reduced by about half.

8. Take the pan off the heat and swirl in the cold tablespoon of butter until the sauce turns glossy.

9. Return the chicken to the pan skin side up and spoon the sauce around it, not over the skin. Let it rest for 3 minutes, lay the remaining thyme sprigs over the top, and serve.

Helpful Tips and Substitutions

Boneless, skin-on thighs can be hard to find in supermarkets. Ask at the meat counter, or buy bone-in thighs and cut the bone out yourself with a small sharp knife. It takes a couple of minutes per thigh.

If you use bone-in thighs instead, the cooking time roughly doubles. Sear skin side down for 7 to 8 minutes, flip, and cook on medium for 12 to 15 minutes until they reach 175°F. Plan on about 45 minutes total.

Boneless, skinless thighs work too, but there’s no skin to crisp. Cook them for 5 to 6 minutes per side over medium, then go straight to the sauce.

Use cast iron or stainless steel, not nonstick. Nonstick doesn’t build the browned layer on the bottom of the pan that the sauce is made from.

The garlic goes in with the sauce, not with the chicken. It would burn in the 6 to 8 minutes the skin needs.

Use a fresh lemon. Bottled juice tastes bitter once the sauce reduces.

The cold butter at the end is what thickens the sauce. Melted butter added the same way just floats on top.

Rosemary or sage can replace the thyme. Use about half as much rosemary, since it’s stronger. If all you have is dried thyme, use 1/2 teaspoon in place of the fresh leaves.

Serving Ideas

Mashed potatoes, rice, or orzo, since the sauce needs something to soak into.

Roasted green beans or an arugula salad with olive oil and lemon.

Crusty bread for whatever sauce is left in the skillet.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Store the sauce with the chicken.

Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or in an air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes, to keep the skin crisp. The microwave works but softens the skin.

It freezes for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Cold leftover thighs slice well for a salad or a sandwich the next day.