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Meat, Busy evenings

Garlic chicken with pan fried potatoes

Garlic chicken with pan fried potatoes is a dish of golden chicken thighs cooked with unpeeled garlic cloves and thyme, served with crispy pan fried potatoes. It serves 4, takes 40 minutes, is rated easy, and costs about €2.80 per person. The key to success is crispy chicken skin and potatoes that brown without sticking to the pan.

Tonight, golden garlic and thyme chicken with crispy pan fried potatoes, a Sunday classic any day of the week.

Garlic chicken with pan fried potatoes
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
500 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This dish plays on two textures you want on the same plate, crispy chicken skin and meat that stays juicy thanks to the gentle covered cooking. The unpeeled garlic cloves soften slowly in the pan juices until they turn almost creamy, perfect for mashing right onto the chicken. Thyme adds flavor without taking over, and fresh parsley brings a bright finish at the very end.

It is the kind of recipe worth keeping on hand for a relaxed Sunday dinner or a busy Wednesday when you need to feed everyone without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids love the crispy potatoes, and adults appreciate the soft garlic spread on bread. With two pans going at once, dinner is ready in forty minutes.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Boneless chicken thighs 800 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Waxy potatoes 900 g
  • Garlic 8 cloves
  • Thyme 4 sprigs
  • Parsley 1 bunch

Pantry

  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes and cook them in salted water starting from cold water. 8 min

    Take them out while still a bit firm, they will finish cooking in the pan.

  2. Drain and dry them well, then brown them in a large pan with half of the oil. 12 min

    Wait a few minutes before stirring, they form a nice crust.

  3. Meanwhile, brown the chicken pieces in another pan with the rest of the oil, skin side down first. 10 min

    Season with salt at the end of cooking, salt draws out moisture and prevents browning.

  4. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves and thyme to the chicken, and continue cooking over low heat, covered. 10 min

    Mash a clove with a fork and mix it into the juices, it is wonderful.

  5. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and serve with the chicken.

    Add the parsley at the last moment, it keeps its color and fragrance.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a wide pan for the potatoes, if they are too crowded they will steam instead of browning.
  • Keep the chicken skin intact while it cooks, that is what gives you the crispiness and keeps the meat from drying out.
  • If your lid lets too much steam escape, slide a piece of parchment paper between the pan and the lid to keep the juices concentrated.

The variations

  • Swap the boneless thighs for bone in thighs, just add 5 more minutes to the covered cooking time.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with roasted butternut squash slices using the same garlic and thyme.
  • For a faster version, use precooked vacuum packed potatoes, you will save about 8 minutes of cooking time.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with vinaigrette
  • Crusty bread for the soft garlic
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

This dish keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, ideally with the chicken and potatoes stored separately. Reheat in a pan over low heat so the potatoes get some crispness back.

Questions about this dish

Can I use bone in chicken thighs instead?

Yes, just add 5 to 10 more minutes of covered cooking so the meat near the bone cooks through. You still start skin side down to get the same crispy skin.

Do I need to peel the garlic before cooking it?

No, leave the cloves unpeeled, that is the secret of this dish. They cook gently in the juices and turn soft, almost like a spread.

Can I prep this dish ahead of time?

You can peel and cut the potatoes a few hours ahead and keep them in cold water. The chicken is best cooked right before serving so the skin stays crispy.

How do I stop the potatoes from sticking to the pan?

Make sure they are completely dry before adding them to the hot oil, moisture is usually the cause of sticking. Also wait a few minutes without stirring so a crust forms before you try to flip them.

How long does it take to make garlic chicken with pan fried potatoes?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in garlic chicken with pan fried potatoes?

About 500 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does garlic chicken with pan fried potatoes cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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