This garlic herb chicken recipe features juicy chicken thighs cooked in a simple, but delicious garlic and herb sauce, making it perfect for a weeknight meal. Chicken with some type of wine butter sauce! Is there much better?
I feel like pretty much all of my favorite chicken dishes involve butter and wine, or chicken broth if you don't have any. From chicken with white wine sauce to chicken Francese to chicken saltimbocca.
The great thing about this chicken dish is how quick and easy it is. I've said in the past that I love recipes that are packed with flavor, but simple to make and this is no different. The fresh herbs go great with the garlic and butter.
And yes if you don't have wine, it's not a huge deal but it does tastes a little better with it... at least in my opinion. Plus if you're using wine, you have to drink what's left and there's never anything wrong with drinking some wine with dinner.
So if you're looking for a quick weeknight meal that can be made in under 30 minutes (and potentially wanting to use some white wine in the process), this dish is for you. So give this garlic herb chicken recipe a try!
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Ingredient Notes
- Chicken thighs - bone-in with skin-on chicken thighs is best as you get crispy skin but it remains juicy on the inside.
- Sage, thyme, rosemary - if possible, use fresh herbs as they have so much more flavor and really make the dish.
- Dry white wine - some of the flavor of the sauce comes from the wine so use one that you'd be willing to drink.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- I love skin-on chicken thighs, but chicken breasts work as well. You just will need to bake a little longer as they are typically thicker.
- While I love the added flavor from the wine, you can replace with low-sodium chicken stock.
Step-by-Step Photos
Cook chicken skin-side down for 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat with olive oil. Flip and cook for another minute before removing. Reduce heat and add butter, garlic and herbs, cooking for 30 seconds.
Deglaze the skillet with the wine and add the remaining butter before adding the chicken back in and baking at 350°F for 10 minutes.
FAQs
For this as well as many other recipes such as Roman chicken, I use a Lodge cast iron skillet. It’s surprisingly affordable and will last years if you take care of it.
If you don't have wine you can just replace with low-sodium chicken stock. I just like to have a glass of wine with this meal.
You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
Yes, just let the chicken and sauce come to room temperature after cooking and store in the fridge. Once ready to serve, reheat the chicken and sauce to a simmer and serve.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Side Dish Suggestions
This garlic herb chicken recipe would go great with some pasta, but other side dishes work as well including:
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Goat Cheese Polenta
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
- Roasted Carrots
- Goat Cheese Risotto
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use chicken thighs as it contributes to the richness of the dish. However if you only have chicken breasts, it will work as well.
- Use quality dry white wine to deglaze the pan. You want a wine you’d be willing to drink as it adds flavor and acidity to the sauce.
- If using dried herbs, only use ⅓ of the amount as they are more potent.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
Other Chicken Recipes
If you’ve tried this garlic herb chicken recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Garlic Herb Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- ½ cup dry white wine or low-sodium chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place skin-side down. Cook undisturbed for about 8-10 minutes, or until the skin is browned and the chicken easily releases from the skillet. Flip and cook for another minute. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoon butter to same skillet. Add garlic and herbs, cooking for 30 seconds. Pour in wine and scrape up any brown bits. Add remaining butter and stir until melted.
- Return chicken to skillet, skin-side up and spoon some of the sauce over it. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cooked through, spooning some sauce over the chicken halfway through.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs as it contributes to the richness of the dish. However if you only have chicken breasts, it will work as well.
- Use quality dry white wine to deglaze the pan. You want a wine you’d be willing to drink as it adds flavor and acidity to the sauce.
- If using dried herbs, only use ⅓ of the amount as they are more potent.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
- Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
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