Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Capers, and Lemon

Name: Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs with Garlic, Capers and Lemon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 4 tbsp capers (divided); 4 anchovy filets; 8 garlic cloves (peeled, crushed and left whole); 1 lemon (zested and juiced); 3 tbsp olive oil; pinch crushed red pepper; chopped parsley; kosher salt; cracked black pepper

This easy recipe for boneless chicken thighs has a bright lemon-garlic sauce, and only uses a few ingredients. Made on the stove top and ready in about 30 minutes.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs with garlic, capers, and lemon topped with fresh parsley on a white plate.

I'm always looking for creative recipes for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They are inexpensive, cook so quickly, and they're incredibly forgiving. It's very hard to over cook them.

This recipe uses many of my favorite things. Garlic, capers, lemon, and anchovies. Yes, anchovies. You can leave them out if you prefer - but we might not be friends anymore... Just kidding. The anchovies add saltiness and a rich umami. It's not a fishy situation. Trust me and try it. The sauce is bright, tangy, salty, briny. So satisfying.

You can make these chicken thighs on the stovetop, no need to wait for the oven to heat up. Everything happens in one pan for easy cleanup. It's that perfect weeknight recipe that only needs a few ingredients, so you don't have to think too hard or stress about getting dinner on the table. Love this lemon caper situation? Try fish with lemon, butter, caper sauce or raw zucchini salad with lemon caper vinaigrette!

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Try this easy, quick, and creative recipe for boneless chicken thighs using pantry staples!
Ingredients you'll need
How to make boneless chicken thighs with garlic, capers, and lemon
Tips for best results
FAQ
More chicken thigh recipes
Recipe

Try this easy, quick, and creative recipe for boneless chicken thighs using pantry staples!

Uses ingredients you probably already have on hand like capers, garlic, and lemon.
Anchovies add great flavor - don't be afraid to use them. (Once opened, they keep for a very long time in the fridge.)
Made in one pan!
Ready in about 30 minutes.

Olive oil, capers, parsley, garlic cloves, lemon halves and a tin of anchovies on a white surface.

Ingredients you'll need

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: Look for thighs that are about the same size so they cook evenly.
Capers: Look for the smaller capers, not those gigantic ones. Trader Joe's sells a larger than average jar for a reasonable price.
Anchovies: The kind that come in those cute little cans with the pull tab. Don't fear the anchovy! They add umami and richness, not fishiness.
Garlic cloves: We're just gonna smash 'em a little and leave them whole in the pan.
Lemon juice and zest: Using citrus zest in the recipe adds brightness and keeps the flavors light.
Olive oil
Crushed red pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to make boneless chicken thighs with garlic, capers, and lemon

Recipe adapted from NYTimes Cooking.

Follow these step by step instructions and you'll have dinner on the table in no time.

Raw chicken thighs seasoned with salt and pepper on a baking sheet.

Step 1: Season the chicken and prep the capers, garlic and lemon

Pat the capers dry with a paper towel or dish towel and divide into two 2 tablespoon portions. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper and set aside.

A chef's knife and several garlic cloves on a white surface.

Crush the garlic cloves while they are still in their skins with the side of a good chef's knife. Peel the cloves and discard the skins. Zest and juice the lemon. Set both aside.

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A blue casserole dish with olive oil, anchovies, garlic, capers and crushed red pepper.

Step 2: Make the garlic caper sauce

Heat 2-3 tablespoon olive oil in a deep pan over medium heat on the stove top. Once oil is hot, add the crushed garlic cloves, anchovies, half of the capers, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. (We are saving the other half of the capers to finish the sauce at the end.)

I use my Lodge enamel cast iron casserole dish for this recipe. It heats up quickly, cooks the chicken thighs evenly and has a secure lid.

Disclosure: I am a member of the Lodge Blogger Network. This pan was provided to me free of charge.

A blue casserole dish with the cooked sauce for the boneless chicken thighs.

Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to break up the anchovies as the sauce cooks. Continue cooking until the garlic is lightly browned and the capers are crispy, about 3 - 5 minutes.

Cooked boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a blue casserole dish with capers and garlic.

Step 3: Cook the chicken thighs and finish the sauce

Add the chicken thighs to the pan and let them brown on one side, 5 - 7 minutes. Flip them over, cover the pan, and let cook for another 7 minutes or so. Meanwhile, chop up your parsley.

Once the thighs are cooked through, remove them from the pan and set aside on a serving platter.

Turn the heat down to medium, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and remaining capers to the pan. Stir for about a minute until it's heated through, then pour over the top of the chicken thighs. Top with chopped parsley and serve.

Tips for best results

It's important to dry the capers first, because once added to the hot oil, the liquid will cause them to pop and crackle a lot. This step might save you a spatter burn.
Have everything prepped and ready before you start cooking because this goes really quick!

FAQ

What temperature should these chicken thighs be cooked to?

Chicken thighs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. It is sometimes a little hard to get a meat thermometer into a skinless chicken thigh, so if you're concerned, just cut into it. If the juices run clear, it's done. Like I said before, it's near impossible to overcook chicken thighs, and these boneless, skinless ones cook really quickly on the stovetop.

More chicken thigh recipes

Try these creative chicken thigh recipes when you're tired of the same old, same old!

Apple Cider Chicken is like fall on a plate.
Chicken Escabeche with Jalapeños, Golden Raisins, and Mint is vinegary, and spicy, and sweet and bright.
Chicken Thighs in Red Wine with Dried Plums is a simple, but seemingly fancy French situation.

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