Chicken thighs with pan sauce is a simple recipe that reduces down to make a sweet, savory barbecue sauce. Serve with rice or lettuce and delicious with fresh corn and slaw for the wraps. This is an easy chicken recipe for summer or a falltime meal.

I love a good one-pan meal. This Chicken Thighs with Pan Sauce recipe doesn’t require you to buy barbecue sauce, but instead, the chicken cooks down and creates its own sauce. This easy chicken thighs recipe simply makes its own sauce by reducing down the cooking process to make perfectly tender, sweet, and savory chicken thighs.

Chicken Thighs with Pan Sauce

This recipe is one of my favorite weeknight meals. Get it simmering on the stove, and when the family walks through the door, they will be ready to eat. You can serve the sauce over rice, potatoes, grilled spaghetti squash, polenta (yum), and more!

Read more: Chicken Thighs with Pan Sauce

Why I love this recipe

  • On the table in 45 minutes.
  • Makes great chicken for a main entree, chicken wraps, or chicken burgers.
  • The chicken makes its own BBQ sauce.

Gather these ingredients

For the sauce and chicken:

  • Ketchup
  • Brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • Molasses
  • Dijon mustard
  • Chicken stock
  • Kosher salt
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Garlic powder
  • Paprika
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
  • Salt
  • Oil

What to serve with the chicken:

  • Iceberg lettuce or buns
  • Ears of corn
  • Cole slaw/ Cabbage
  • Pickles
  • Other starches: rice, potatoes, polenta

How do you make chicken thighs with pan sauce?

  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, paprika, mustard, chicken broth, and salt. Whisk until combined and sugar has mostly dissolved. Set aside.
  2. Wash, trim, and dry your chicken thighs. Salt each side and allow them to rest for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil and heat on high. When oil is hot and shimmery, add in chicken, and sear until meat has browned slightly—2-3 minutes each side. (Note, allow the chicken to naturally release from the pan, rather than tearing it off with a spatula).
  4. After chicken is done searing, add in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow chicken to simmer for 25 minutes. When the chicken is done cooking, the sauce will be thickened and reduced in volume significantly.

Tips and substitutions:

  • Use chicken breasts or tenderloins in place of the chicken thighs.
  • Double the recipe and freeze the chicken for another weeknight meal.
  • Cook in the slow cooker. Put on LOW for 5-6 hours.

How to serve lettuce-wrap chicken thighs

Pop this pot in the oven, and get rice cooking for a side dish. You can also make our fluffy stick of butter rice for the side.

Serve chicken with iceberg lettuce, pickles, and cole slaw for a healthy lunch, or on buns for barbecue chicken sandwiches.

Blank Form (#3)

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox (and more recipes sent weekly!)

Delicious with so many options! Happy hosting!

More one-pot recipes to try:

5 stars (1 review)
Leave a Review

Get the Recipe:

Chicken Thighs with Pan Sauce

Chicken thighs with pan sauce is an easy recipe that reduces down to make a sweet, savory barbecue sauce. Serve with rice or lettuce wraps. Optional to make in the slow cooker on LO for 4-5 hours.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
Yield: 6
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
 

Sauce

  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • ⅛ cup molasses
  • ½ Tbsp dijon mustard
  • ⅔ cup chicken stock
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Chicken

  • 1 ½ lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
  • Salt
  • ¼ scant cup oil for searing

For serving:

  • Iceberg lettuce or buns
  • Ears of corn
  • Cole slaw/ Cabbage
  • Pickles
  • Rice

Instructions
 

  • In a small mixing bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, paprika, mustard, chicken broth, and salt. Whisk until combined and sugar has mostly dissolved. Set aside.
  • Wash, trim, and dry your chicken thighs. Salt each side and allow them to rest for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
  • Coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil and heat on high. When oil is hot and shimmery, add in chicken, and sear until meat has browned slightly—2-3 minutes each side. (Note, allow the chicken to naturally release from the pan, rather than tearing it off with a spatula).
  • After chicken is done searing, add in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow chicken to simmer for 25 minutes. When the chicken is done cooking, the sauce will be thickened and reduced in volume significantly.
  • Serve chicken with iceberg lettuce, pickles, and cole slaw for a healthy lunch, or on buns for barbecue chicken sandwiches. Enjoy!

Notes

Reposted from August 2019.
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Author: Sandy / Reluctant Entertainer
Calories: 331kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 660mg, Potassium: 446mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 226IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 39mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @reluctantentertainer on Instagram and hashtag it #reluctantentertainer!
Chicken Thighs with Pan Sauce