Let’s cook these delicious chicken thighs:

1. Preheat Oven and Season Chicken:

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels (this helps achieve crispier skin).
• Season the chicken thighs generously on all sides with salt and ground black pepper.

2. Sear the Chicken:

• Melt 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
• Carefully place the seasoned chicken thighs in the hot skillet, skin-side down. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the skin is nicely browned and crispy. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.
• Remove the seared chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate. Do not wipe out the skillet.

3. Make the Garlic-Brown Sugar Glaze:

• Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium or medium-low. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter to the skillet.
• As the butter melts, stir it around, scraping up any flavorful browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the minced garlic to the skillet. Cook and stir constantly for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Be very careful not to burn the garlic.
• Stir in the packed brown sugar, honey, dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried basil until well combined and the sugar begins to dissolve. The mixture will form a thick glaze.

4. Return Chicken to Skillet and Prepare for Oven:

• Turn off the heat under the skillet.
• Return the seared chicken thighs to the skillet, placing them skin-side down into the glaze. This allows the meat side to soak up the glaze during roasting. If prioritizing crispy skin, see Tips.

5. Roast in Oven:

• Carefully transfer the oven-proof skillet to the preheated oven.
• Roast for 25 to 40 minutes. The chicken is done when it is no longer pink at the bone, the juices run clear when pierced, and an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone (but not touching it) reads 165°F (74°C). Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken thighs.

6. Serve:

• Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven.
• Let the chicken rest in the skillet for a few minutes.
• Drizzle some of the rich pan sauce/glaze over the chicken thighs when serving. Enjoy hot!

A simple yet elegant chicken dinner