Description
This Chicken Thighs in Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce recipe offers a deliciously rich and comforting meal featuring crispy bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs simmered in a luscious garlic Parmesan cream sauce. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, this Italian-American dish pairs wonderfully with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare and Season Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to ensure crisp skin. Season all sides evenly with salt, black pepper, and paprika to build the flavor base.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken thighs skin side down in the hot oil and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes to brown the other side.
- Remove Chicken: Transfer the seared chicken thighs to a plate and set aside while you prepare the sauce.
- Sauté Garlic: Lower the heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn it.
- Deglaze and Make Sauce: Pour in the chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and optional crushed red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer gently for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Cook Chicken in Sauce: Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side up. Spoon sauce over the chicken and cover the skillet. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat until the chicken is fully cooked through and tender.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top before serving. Serve warm with your choice of pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes to enjoy the rich sauce.
Notes
- For a lighter sauce, substitute half and half for the heavy cream.
- Boneless chicken thighs can be used instead, but reduce the cooking time accordingly since they cook faster.
- This dish pairs well with pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the creamy garlic Parmesan sauce.
