Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe

Jump to recipeGarlic butter chicken thighs make a perfect low carb chicken dinner! This creamy garlic chicken recipe is fancy enough for guests, but easy enough for weeknights.

By Maya Krampf

64 Comments

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This creamy garlic chicken recipe might just become your new favorite dinner. Hear me out. Chicken with garlic sauce is a super flavorful and delicious meal that tastes like total comfort food – but of course, it’s healthy comfort food! My garlic butter chicken thighs are inspired by the Spanish pollo al ajillo, but I added cream, because in most situations, adding cream is always a good idea.

These garlic chicken thighs are pan-seared and then it’s time to make the garlic cream sauce, which is a drool-worthy combination of butter, garlic (obviously!), white wine, and heavy cream. YUM!

I used boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, but you could also use bone-in chicken thighs instead.

If you follow my stories on Instagram, you know we returned from a trip to Spain recently. I took a cooking class there, and among other things, we made gambas al ajillo. They were delicious and so simple! I’m planning to make a Spanish garlic ship recipe soon, but in the meantime, I was inspired to make a version of creamy garlic chicken thighs using a similar method.

What Is Chicken With Garlic Sauce?

This easy garlic chicken recipe was inspired by the Spanish pollo al ajillo, but I made a creamy version, which makes all the better in my opinion. 😉

So the base of this meal is chicken and garlic – is there a better combination? NO! The chicken thighs are pan-fried and then topped with a creamy garlic sauce for chicken. It’s SO good!

How To Make Garlic Chicken

I’m going to walk you through the best garlic chicken thighs in butter. It’s an easy chicken recipe that looks kind of fancy, but is simple enough for weeknight meals.

Here’s how to make garlic chicken with white wine cream sauce:

Season chicken. Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
Brown chicken. Melt the butter in a large skillet or saute pan and sear chicken without moving, on both sides, until browned and cooked through.

Set aside chicken. Place chicken on a plate or platter and cover with foil.
Saute the garlic. Slice the garlic super thinly and saute until it’s golden brown.

TIP: If you don’t want as strong of a garlic flavor that comes with sliced garlic, you can crush it with a mortar and pestle instead. It will cook much faster this way, so watch it closely.

Make garlic cream sauce for chicken. Add broth and wine to pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom (aka de-glazing). Add the bay leaf and simmer the garlic chicken sauce until the volume is about half.
Finish sauce with cream. Add cream into the sauce and heat for a few minutes – don’t let it boil. Remove the bay leaf, add chicken back into pan and serve!

TIP: If you’d like a non-creamy version or dairy-free version, you can use ghee and omit the cream. (Simmer time may need to be reduced so that you have enough sauce.)

How Many Calories In Chicken With Garlic Sauce?

There are 293 calories per serving of chicken and garlic sauce. And, 2 garlic butter chicken thighs have just 1 gram carbs and 29 grams protein!

How To Store Garlic Chicken Thighs

Chicken with garlic sauce should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Place chicken into the container and drizzle with any of the sauce.

Reheat just until hot in the microwave or oven.

How To Freeze Chicken With Garlic Sauce

This garlic chicken recipe can be frozen. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container or a freezer bag, removing as much as air as possible.

Remove from the refrigerator right before serving, and heat until hot in the oven or the microwave.

What To Serve With Creamy Garlic Chicken

There are so many good serving options for these garlic chicken thighs… especially with keto vegetables like…

Cauliflower Rice – One of the most versatile side dishes, there’s little that doesn’t work with cauliflower rice. Serve the chicken over top so that none of that creamy garlic chicken sauce goes to waste.
Keto Mashed Cauliflower – When you’re after a major comfort food meal (that’s still healthy!), this is it.
Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms – These rich and flavorful mushrooms hold their own with the garlic butter chicken thighs.
Oven Roasted Asparagus – If you’re looking for something green, try this roasted asparagus, which can be easily baked while the chicken is cooking.

Tools To Make Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.

Pyrex Meal Prep Glass Containers – These glass containers make storing any leftover creamy garlic chicken easy to store and re-heat. Also perfect for meal prep.
8-Inch Chef’s Knife – This knife makes slicing all of that garlic for fresh garlic chicken easy work!
Ceramic Nonstick Chef Pan – My favorite pans for just about any recipe, but especially this creamy garlic chicken recipe because it’s easy to scrape up all of the little bits of flavor.

Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe

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64 Comments

Katy
0 July 6, 2022Reply

Absolutely delicious, Maya! Thank you for these wonderful recipes! I deboned my bone-in chicken thighs, and I’m glad I did. I also stuck them under the broiler for 15 minutes while the sauce reduced, because I thought they were a little undercooked (my fault!)
Roxie
0 May 12, 2022Reply

Thighs are not my favorite part of the chicken, but my local grocery store was having a killer sale, so I stocked up and went on the hunt for a flavor-packed dish that would make me forget they were thighs. 😆 Mission accomplished! The spice combo and creamy sauce are flavorful enough to brighten up the dark meat without being overpowering.
Lynn Howard
0 February 4, 2022Reply

Where are the measurements for the recipes located?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 February 8, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Lynn, The recipe card is right above where you left this comment.
Maura
0 January 31, 2022Reply

Hello! Will bone in, skinless chicken thighs work? Thanks!
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 February 1, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Maura, That should work you may have to adjust the cooking time due to them being bone-in.
Martina
0 January 9, 2022Reply

I like the easy prep method. Made my life easier. Thanks!
Bonnie
0 October 18, 2021Reply

A huge family hit. Delicious.
I used chicken broth in place of the wine.
Desarae
0 October 10, 2021Reply

I don’t have cooking wine. Will white wine vinegar work?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 October 11, 2021Reply
  
  Hi Desarae, If you don’t have white wine on hand, you can just use chicken stock. I do not recommend using vinegar because it will throw the flavor of the sauce off.
Rosemary White
0 September 20, 2021Reply

Delicious. My grateful (keto dieting) husband is enjoying his chicken thighs with garlic sauce as I write. I didn’t have white cooking wine so I used cooking sherry which worked quite well. If I use it again, I’ll cut back on the salt on the chicken to make up for the added salt in the cooking sherry. The bay leaf is a lovely touch. We served it with cauliflower rice, flavoured with lots of butter and a few shakes of freshly grated parmesan. Great recipe!
P
0 September 20, 2021Reply

Where is the list of ingredients?
- Wholesome Yum M
  0 September 20, 2021Reply
  
  Hi P, The recipe instructions and ingredients are located on the recipe card. If you cannot locate it on the page, feel free to use the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of the page. It will bring you to the correct location. Enjoy!
- Luzette
  0 January 4, 2022Reply
  
  Absolutely fabulous recipe. I struggle to find recipes that my kids will eat and this one gets a big thumbs up from them.
Liana
0 August 24, 2021Reply

Super easy and delicious. I did add a sprinkle more of Paprika, not sure it needed it. Next time I’ll add more garlic. Love the flavor that the sliced garlic brings to the sauce. Thanks again for a great recipe.
Paula
0 August 23, 2021Reply

Made this for the family! It was easy and they loved it had one picky eater that didn’t want the gravy but ate two pieces of chicken!!! Will make this again
Jessica
0 August 16, 2021Reply

This was very simple to make. It was so delicious that I wanted to lick the plate! I will definitely be making this more often.
Charlene Tuttle
0 August 16, 2021Reply

I already made this twice in 2 weeks. It is definitely going to be in the weekly meal rotation. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Lindsay
0 August 9, 2021Reply

I made this dish for the 2nd time last night – everyone cleaned their plates! Not always easy to find a meal that a grown man, an 8 year old, and a 6 year old agree on… but everyone loves this dish!!
Eileen
0 June 13, 2021Reply

This was so easy and really yummy! Will definitely make again!
Lisa
0 March 22, 2021Reply

This was absolutely delicious! My chicken thighs were extraordinarily HUGE, so I needed to add about 3 minutes cooking time on each side. An easy but elegant dish…I’ll make it often!
Allison
0 March 16, 2021Reply

This was amazing! One of the best meals I’ve ever made.
Maria
0 February 3, 2021Reply

I do not have fresh garlic can I use chopped garlic instead?
- Wholesome Yum M
  0 February 3, 2021Reply
  
  Hi Maria, Yes, that will work fine.
DAwn
0 January 14, 2021Reply

This was quick and easy and oh so tasty! I added sliced white mushrooms and baby spinach when i put the wine and broth in. Such good flavor! I cant wait to see how it is tomorrow for lunch. Love your recipes!!
Maureen K Hilderbrand
0 January 3, 2021Reply

So easy to make, was delicious. I made a few very minor changes. I used skinless boneless chicken breasts, they butterfly them on request. So nice and thin. As we love wilted spinach. Before adding cream, I put fresh spinach into skillet for about 1 minute. And then later added cream. Served the chicken over the spinach. Will be adding to my regular rotation of dinner meals. Thanks so much, it is so tasty.
Nikki
0 December 25, 2020Reply

Is it possible to make this in a crockpot?
- Wholesome Yum M
  0 December 26, 2020Reply
  
  Hi Nikki, I think it would work fine in a crockpot. I would not add the cream until the end, as you don’t want it to boil.
Valeria
0 December 15, 2020Reply

I tried this recipe today and omg I love it! This was delicious I’m adding to my favourite recipes.
Kattia
0 November 6, 2020Reply

This recipe was delicious! I did not have the cooking wine, but it still came up great! Thanks a lot!
Shawn
0 November 2, 2020Reply

What a great, simple recipe that is so rich in flavor! Kudos to creating the obvious because we had all missed it. I used bone broth and the sauce was that much richer, but it will be a regular in my home from now on. <3
- mariska
  0 January 4, 2021Reply
  
  Absolutely delicious!! A plate licker!!
Karen
0 October 26, 2020Reply

I can’t wait to try this recipe! It sounds so delicious!!
BONNIE
0 August 21, 2020Reply

Delicious! I make this last night; my husband loved it.
I followed the recipe; but next time I might add sliced mushrooms. Thanks so much for offering us great low carb recipes!
Terri
0 March 1, 2020Reply

I made this & it was fantastic, but 1/4 teaspoon of the smoked paprika was barely enough to rub on both sides of one thigh. That flavor is wonderful, and I can’t imagine 1/4 tsp has any effect on the final results. Is 1/4 tsp really the correct amount? I think I ended up using over a tablespoon & it was not overwhelming.
Nancy
0 February 3, 2020Reply

Chicken thighs are my favorite part of the chicken. They’re always juicy and flavorful, so I’m always looking for new ways to use them. The sliced garlic is an amazing addition. I had no idea it would make such a difference!
Thank you!!
Trish Tilley
0 February 1, 2020Reply

how would you use ghee to make this non-dairy?
- Wholesome Yum M
  0 February 5, 2020Reply
  
  Hi Trish, Substitute the butter for ghee in the same amount as listed. Omit the heavy cream. The sauce is done once all ingredients have been added and the liquid volume reduces by half.
Joe
0 January 20, 2020Reply

This was incredible! We added chopped sun-dried tomatoes, extra cream and stock and topped a plate of cauliflower fettuccine. This is definitely a winner, thanks!
Winter Kelly
0 January 14, 2020Reply

Amazingly delicious, yet quick & simple! I didn’t have a bay leaf so I substituted a pinch of dried thyme. The subtle smokiness & warmth that comes from combining the paprika with the garlic …pure delight. Melts in your mouth. I’m eager to make this again. My husband can add mushrooms in the future whereas I’ll stick to this exactly as written. Possibilities are endless!
Wendy
0 January 11, 2020Reply

Hi. I’m wanting to make this for dinner but my husband doesn’t tolerate heavy cream in the evenings. Is there something else I can use?
Thanks!
- Wholesome Yum M
  0 January 13, 2020Reply
  
  Hi Wendy, You could sub the heavy cream with coconut cream.
Leann Kisnorbo
0 January 10, 2020Reply

Wine has sugar which wine are you recommending , can’t work out your figures .
- Wholesome Yum M
  0 January 24, 2020Reply
  
  Hi Leann, Any white cooking wine or dry white wine will do. It’s mostly used to brighten up the creamy sauce.
Heather
0 January 10, 2020Reply

Hi! Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
- Wholesome Yum M
  0 January 10, 2020Reply
  
  Hi Heather, Yes, that is fine. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, they may take a little longer to cook than the time listed in the recipe. Enjoy!
Amanda Counts
0 December 12, 2019Reply

Ooh, we loved this one tonight! I minced the garlic instead of slicing and I used whatever wine was around. Other than that, cooked just as directed. Made this with the brussels sprouts au gratin recipe from your site.
Rachel Wright
0 November 13, 2019Reply

There is no recipe card? I would love to make this but…
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 December 1, 2019Reply
  
  Hi Rachel, The garlic chicken thighs recipe card is right above where you left your comment. 🙂 There’s also a “jump to recipe” button at the top.
Mary C Ekroos
0 October 22, 2019Reply

Thanks for another great recipe! your ingredients sy 2 Tbsp butter, divided into: 1Tbsp, 1 Tbsp & 2 Tbsp, so does that make the total 4 Tbsp? instead of 2? Or should some of those Tbsp be teaspoons? Thanks Again for all your wonderful recipes and suggestions!!
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 October 25, 2019Reply
  
  Hi Mary, Sorry about that! It’s 2 tablespoons total, one for sauteing the chicken and one for the garlic later. I updated the recipe card to clarify. Thanks for noticing!
Monique
0 October 21, 2019Reply

Can this be done in a slow cooker version?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 December 16, 2019Reply
  
  Hi Monique, I haven’t tried that but I think you’d need a pretty different recipe since the wine wouldn’t cook away the way it does on the stove top.
Robert
0 October 21, 2019Reply

This recipe looks great. However, you ask to add the “broth”, and it even shows in the video. But there is none listed in the ingredients. From the picture it appears to be about 1 or 3/4 of a cup. But I am unsure.
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 October 21, 2019Reply
  
  So sorry about that, Robert! The recipe card has been fixed.
- Ragini
  0 April 7, 2022Reply
  
  Really great dish,
  Thank you
Keri
0 October 19, 2019Reply

Can this chicken be prepared without the cooking wine?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 December 16, 2019Reply
  
  Hi Keri, Is there a reason you are wanting to exclude it? It evaporates.
  - Jessica
    0 February 24, 2020Reply
    
    I don’t have wine on hand can I use something else?
    - Wholesome Yum M
      0 February 25, 2020Reply
      
      Hi Jessica, If you don’t have white wine on hand, you can just use chicken stock.
Janice
0 October 17, 2019Reply

The directions (#5) say add broth and wine to pan. Ingredients do not list broth. How much broth is used?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 October 21, 2019Reply
  
  Hi Janice, So sorry about that! I fixed it on the recipe card.
Keb
0 October 17, 2019Reply

Can you use sherry instead of white wine?
- Maya | Wholesome Yum
  0 December 16, 2019Reply
  
  Hi Keb, Yes, you could do that! The flavor will be a bit different.