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–+ servings

Garlic Butter Chicken - Simple. Classic. Done properly.

Mark Dexter
Crispy chicken thighs with a rich garlic butter finish, built properly in the pan with fresh herbs and a touch of lemon.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Chicken

  • 4 each chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
  • salt
  • pepper

Garlic Butter

  • 60 grams Butter
  • 4 cloves Garlic (crushed)
  • ½ each Zest of ½ lemon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme (or parsley)

Optional

  • Green beans or potatoes

Instructions
 

1. Season

  • Season chicken well with salt and pepper

2. Start cold

  • Place chicken skin-side down in a cold pan
    Turn heat to medium
    👉 Cook until skin is golden and crisp

3. Turn

  • Flip and cook the other side briefly
    Remove from pan

3. Build the butter

  • Lower heat
    Add butter and garlic
    Cook gently until fragrant (not browned)

5. Add flavour

  • Add lemon zest, juice, and herbs
    👉 Stir and lift all the flavour from the pan

6. Return chicken

  • Place chicken back into the pan
    Spoon butter over the top

7. Oven finish

  • Transfer to oven at 200°C
    Cook 20–25 minutes until done

8. Rest & serve

  • Rest briefly
    Spoon over the garlic butter
    • butter

    🔥 Notes

    Don’t rush the garlic — burnt garlic = bitterStart chicken in a cold pan for best crispy skinKeep heat controlled when making the butter

    👨‍🍳 Kook’s Secret

    Crispy chicken isn’t about high heat…👉 it’s about starting cold and letting the fat render slowly

KOOK’S SECRETS

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gTrans Fat: 0.04gSodium: 109mgPotassium: 11mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 0.2IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 0.3mg
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