Pan Seared Chicken Thighs

Fabulously flavorful pan seared chicken thighs are a low carb dinner winner any night of the week. Tender and juicy boneless thighs are quickly sautéed in a skillet, then smothered in rich pan gravy. Everything is made in just one pan – so this recipe (and cleanup!) couldn’t be any easier. The pan sauteed chicken thighs with gluten free gravy are ready in under 30 minutes, and perfect to serve with your favorite comfort food sides!

The Best Pan Seared Chicken Thighs

While there are many different and terrific methods for preparing chicken, I must admit pan sautéing is my personal favorite. The high heat cooks the meat quickly as it sears in lots of savory flavor and juiciness.

Similar to our Perfect Pan Seared Chicken Breasts, this rustic dish features pieces of boneless and skinless chicken cooked in a skillet and smothered with simple pan gravy. The entire skillet chicken thighs recipe is low carb – and, because there is no breading and the gravy is made with cornstarch, it also happens to be gluten-free!

Here we’ve swapped breasts for thighs, which have more fat per piece but are still a yummy healthy(ish) option when compared to other proteins. And, honestly, the thighs are quite a bit juicier and more tender than breasts…

So I say they’re totally worth it! Additionally, thighs cook slightly faster than chicken breasts, which is great to keep in mind if you are on a tight time budget.

Sometimes, I add sliced mushrooms to give even more oomph and a wonderful earthy flavor to the skillet chicken thighs. However, these are certainly optional! Include them or skip; either way you will have an amazingly tasty pan gravy sauce to spoon over the chicken and side dishes.

Make this easy 30 minute pan seared boneless chicken thighs recipe for dinner tonight with your favorite sides, and let me know what you think in the comments section below. I’m sure your family will love it as much as we do!

Looking for more chicken thigh recipes? Try our Slow Cooker Smothered Chicken, Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs, and Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Potatoes.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

There is nothing fancy here, just classic wholesome ingredients you know and love!

• Chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you can also use other cuts of chicken you prefer.
  
• All-purpose seasoning – This is used to add flavor to our recipe. However, you can also use your favorite blend of seasonings such as paprika, dried thyme, garlic powder, dried rosemary, dried oregano, or dried basil.
  
• Olive oil – Used for searing and to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan. You can also use any oil of your choice, such as avocado oil, vegetable oi, or grapeseed oil.
  
• Gravy – This homemade gravy uses low sodium chicken stock, cornstarch, and butter for this recipe.
  
• (Optional) Mushroom – I also love to include sliced mushrooms when sautéing the thighs. But these are completely optional!

Kitchen Tools Needed

• Skillet

How to Cook Chicken Thighs in a Pan

I prefer cooking chicken thighs in a pan on the stove because it gives me more control over the process, compared to baking in the oven. Skillet cooking on the stovetop gives that nice golden color to pan fried chicken, without any breading.

What to Serve WIth These Chicken Thighs And Gravy

Chicken smothered with gravy often includes some type of starchy potato goodness on the side. My fantastic no-drain Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe is always a big hit! For even more bold flavor try these IP Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Instant Pot Loaded Potato Casserole is another great option and a real crowd-pleaser. Or for a really cheesy side dish, I highly recommend you try this Hash Brown Casserole that tastes identical to the Cracker Barrel version.

Or keep things low carb and gluten free by serving with rice, cauliflower rice, or mashed cauliflower.

Pair the pan sauteed chicken thighs with a green veggie for a complete and completely satisfying meal! We love to have with steamed green beans or broccoli, or even a simple salad.

And I always like to have a basket of fresh rolls or biscuits on the table to sop up every bit of gravy from the plate!

Preparing The Best Pan Seared Boneless Chicken Thighs

Pat boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Brush on 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with all purpose seasoning. Let chicken stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. 

Heat a large stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat.

Add the chicken thighs in the skillet, and sear on medium-high for 3 minutes on each side. Do not move the chicken at all between turning. 

Cover skillet with a lid, and let thighs cook for 4 minutes.

Check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer. Chicken thighs are done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Remove chicken from pan and let rest on a plate or platter covered with foil while preparing gravy.

Make a Delicious Pan Gravy Sauce

While the pan seared boneless chicken thighs rest, make the gravy.

Mix cold chicken broth and cornstarch, and stir until smooth. 

Heat the skillet on medium heat, and add the butter. Then stir in the broth and cornstarch mixture.

Bring the gravy to a boil, and deglaze the pan by scraping to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes or until thickened.

Spoon gravy over pan sauteed chicken thighs before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions