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Garlic Broiled Chicken Thighs are savory and simple, and an excellent fast and easy dinner option for busy nights. Bone-in chicken thighs are basted in a garlic butter sauce and cooked under the broiler in your oven until they are golden, crispy and delicious!
Having tons of easy chicken thigh recipes in my recipe box has been a lifesaver! Be sure to check out some of our other favorites, like Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs, BBQ Baked Chicken Thighs, Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs, and Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken Thighs.
Garlic Broiled Chicken Thighs
This is one of those recipes that quickly became a family favorite. It’s simple to make and can be modified for a healthier version by using olive oil instead of butter, and chicken breasts instead of thighs or by simply removing the skin.
My entire family gobbled these broiled chicken thighs right up! The garlic butter adds a richness to the already flavorful chicken thighs and a touch of worcestershire provides a savory component. I’ve cooked these chicken thighs both with the skin on and with them removed. When you leave the skin in tact, it gets nice and crispy, providing a delicious texture to the chicken.
Why You’ll Love These Broiled Chicken Thighs
- Bone-in Chicken thighs are the most economical, budget-friendly cut of chicken.
- Broiling cooks the chicken faster than baking, taking just 20 minutes because it’s under direct heat. The result is nicely charred bits of crispy skin, similar to what you get cooking on a grill.
- The chicken is basted with Garlic butter as it cooks making these broiled chicken thighs especially juicy and full of flavor.
Ingredients
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – This is my favorite cut of chicken to use for this recipe. You could also use chicken breasts (pounded lightly so they are even in thickness), or boneless, skinless chicken thighs. For the boneless varieties, it would take about 7-10 minutes, so watch closely.
Basting butter – Butter, Minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper.
I recommend seasoning with salt at the end, and only if you feel it’s needed.
How to Broil Chicken Thighs
- Prep. Grab a broiling pan and line it with foil, or use a cast iron or another oven-safe pan. You could also use a broiler pan if you happen to have one. Preheat the broiler so the chicken thighs cook evenly. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and turn on your oven’s broiler.
- Mix and heat the garlic butter sauce. Microwave butter and minced garlic together to infuse the butter with the garlic. Stir in some Worcestershire sauce and black pepper.
- Prep and baste the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. I love chicken thighs with crispy skin so I leave it on, but you can opt to remove it if you wish. Place chicken skin side up in the prepared pan and brush with the butter mixture. Reserve the butter for basting later, but do not place the brush in the butter. You’ll want to avoid possible contamination by using a clean brush each time you baste.
- Broil the chicken. Place the pan under the broiler for about 20 minutes or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Flip the chicken twice during broiling, basting each time with the butter mixture. Finish with the chicken skin side up so it can get crispy.
- Rest. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, tented with foil to keep it warm. Garnish with fresh minced parsley if desired.
Use the Right Pan for Broiling
Make sure that whichever pan you use is rated for use with the broiler. Some baking dishes are only recommended for use with heat up to 400℉ and could crack under broiler heat.
FAQs
Broiling means cooking by exposing food to direct radiant heat, either on a grill over live coals or below a gas burner or electric coil. Broiling differs from roasting and baking in that the food is turned during the process so as to cook one side at a time.
Both methods have their benefits. I love broiling because you get nice little bits of char, similar to cooking on a grill. Plus broiling is faster. Baking chicken takes a little longer, but can also be great for infusing flavor or cooking with sauces or cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Broiled chicken thighs go well with just about any side dish you can think of. When I’m pressed for time, I’ll just make a copycat Olive Garden Salad to serve with them, and a loaf of cheesy garlic bread. Here are a few more side dishes we like to have with broiled chicken:
- Coconut Rice
- Perfect Baked Potatoes
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic & Herb Butter Baby Potatoes
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Crispy Baked Brussels Sprouts
Variations
You can use the butter sauce included with this recipe, or simply use my broiling method and add your own flavors. Here are some delicious suggestions:
- BBQ Sauce
- Lemon juice, garlic, and black pepper
- Teriyaki sauce
- Simple salt and pepper
How to Store Leftovers
Broiled chicken thighs make excellent leftovers. Remove chicken from the bone and use in soups, salads or sandwiches, or for your weekly lunch prep. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days or freeze in a plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
- One Pot Cheesy Chicken
- Baked Chicken Caprese
- Classic Chicken Salad Recipe
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Baked Chicken Breasts
- Easy Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks.
Garlic Broiled Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic 5 medium cloves
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs about 2 pounds
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler. Adjust the oven rack to the middle of the oven so that the chicken will be 4-5 inches from the heating element. Line a 9-inch x 13-inch broiling pan with foil and set aside. You can also use a cast iron skillet. Make sure that whichever pan you use is rated for use with the broiler.
- Melt butter with the garlic in the microwave, then mix in Worcestershire sauce and black pepper.
- Pat chicken dry. Remove the skins if desired, or leave on for a crispy exterior. Arrange in the broiling pan, skin side up. Brush with the butter mixture, reserving some for basting. *Note – wash your brush inbetween basting to avoid contamination.
- Broil for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until juices run clear, turning occasionally and basting with remaining butter mixture (use a clean brush each time to avoid contamination). Finish with skins up so they can get crispy. Internal temperature should be 165-170 F.
- Let chicken rest for 5-10 minutes, tented loosely with foil, then garnish with fresh minced parsley and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
FANTASTIC!! I cooked mine in a cast iron. Somehow I was out of garlic, so I had to use powdered. Even still, the chicken turned out so tasty & juicy. I’ll definitely be using this recipe again.
Thank you Lara! Love the feedback, thanks for stopping by.
As the other person asked: how high of a broil? With these kind of directions, the outside of the chicken will burn and the inside will be raw.
My broiler only has one setting. But you can use a low broil setting and see how that does. Since the rack sits in the middle of the oven the chicken isn’t too close to the broiler. Plus you’re turning the chicken a few times. It won’t burn and it won’t be raw. I’ve been making this for years.
I made with boneless skin-on thighs and boneless skinless chicken breast the thighs were the winner hands down. My family loved the crisp skin and flavor. I did season with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper before basting
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Brenda.
I made this tonight. Rave reviews from my family. I deboned the thighs but left skin on. I didn’t include parsley because I’m not a fan but my family and I loved it.
Parsley is totally optional. Glad you all loved it!
Broil on low or high? Middle rack or lower? Roughly how long? Could I just bake at 350 for 20 min and then broil on high for 5?
So I was just going to do my plain ol’ broiled chicken breasts tonight but this looks way better! I’m going to try this for dinner. Thanks for sharing, we love garlic anything!
Yay! So glad you guys made it and enjoyed it!!