Pan Fried Chicken Thighs Recipe

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Pan fried chicken thighs recipe! Learn how to cook chicken thighs on the stove top with this simple, quick, and easy recipe that gives golden brown crispy skin, moist and flavorful chicken that can be served with side dishes like pasta, vegetables, or grains.

This post also include directions for pan fried boneless chicken thighs.

Pan fried Chicken Thighs Recipe

Easy pan fried chicken thighs recipe that is quick and is cooked in just about 25 minutes.

It’s cooked with just a tablespoon and a half of oil to get crispy skin and tender juicy inside.

A healthy recipe that can be made for weekly meal preps served with salads, vegetables, and other low calorie side dishes.

This stove top chicken thighs recipe makes use of few pantry ingredients and is a low carb and keto friendly recipe.

A skillet or large heavy based pan is what you need to cook this delicious dinner.

Ingredients

Chicken thighs

Parsley

Black Pepper or Cayenne pepper

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Smoked Paprika 

Oil – Sunflower, Vegetable or any oil with high smoking point.

How To Pan Fry Chicken Thighs

Clean and pat the thighs dry with a paper towel.

Add the chicken thighs into a bowl then add in paprika, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Mix till well combined and the thighs are evenly coated in the spice rub.

Place a large cast-iron skillet or frying pan on the stove over medium heat.

Add oil into the pan then place the chicken thighs in the frying pan with the skin side down.

Pan fry for 8 minutes then turn to fry the other side for another 8 minutes.

Add in water, cover the pot and cook on low heat for 12 minutes or till cooked and when checked pierced with a fork, the juice runs clear, and there’s no blood or pinkiness in the middle.

You can also check with a meat instant thermometer that the temperature is at least 75C/165F.

When you’re sure it’s well cooked, take off heat and serve.

Pan Fried Boneless Chicken Thighs

How to pan fry boneless chicken thighs is slightly different from the ones with bone in. With boneless, skinless thighs, you do not need to add water to cook the chicken. Here’s how to cook it:

Pat chicken dry and season with parsley, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Mix till well combined.

Place a skillet on the stove on medium heat, then add in the oil.

Lay the chicken thighs in the skillet and pan fry for 6 minutes without moving them.

Flip them over and cook the other side for another 6 minutes or till cooked and no pinkiness in the middle.

Take off stove, leave to rest for 3-5 minutes then serve.

How Long to Pan Fry Chicken Thighs

How long to cook chicken thighs on stove depend on the type of chicken used- whether it’s boneless or bone in, and the size of the chicken thighs.

Pan frying skinless boneless chicken thighs take between 12 – 14 minutes on medium heat.

Pan frying skin on, bone in chicken thighs takes between 25 – 30 minutes to cook on medium heat.

It is important there is no blood around the bone and the internal temperature is at least 65F for chicken to be safe to eat.

Serving Suggestion

Chicken thighs can be served with the below options:

Roasted potatoes, boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes.

Boiled rice

Steamed vegetables, sauteed or roasted vegetables.

Dipping sauces

How To Store

Leave to cool completely then store in the fridge or freezer depending on how long you want to store for.

You can store it In the fridge, where it will last up to 5 days. Put the cooled chicken in an airtight container or Ziploc bag before placing in the fridge.

In the freezer: Put the chicken thighs in a Ziploc or an airtight container then store in the freezer where it will last up to 6 months. 

It can be reheated in the microwave or stove top from frozen or thaw before heating.

Tips

• Pat the chicken dry before applying the seasoning. 

• You do not have to marinate the chicken however it’s best to do so for 60 minutes or longer for the flavors to infuse into the chicken.

• You can season with other types of seasonings like cajun seasoning, chicken seasoning, jerk seasoning, and others.

More Stove Top Chicken Recipes

Pan fried chicken wings

Boiled chicken legs

Chicken bolognese

Chicken breast in tomato sauce

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