Keto Lemon Garlic Chicken Thigh Skillet (25 Minutes) is a fast stovetop chicken dinner with pan-seared thighs, garlic, butter, lemon, heavy cream, and black pepper. This Keto Lemon Garlic Chicken Thigh Skillet cooks in one pan, stays low-carb, delivers crispy texture, and builds a simple pan sauce without starch.

About This Recipe

Keto Lemon Garlic Chicken Thigh Skillet (25 Minutes) relies on one method: sear, deglaze, reduce. Chicken thighs provide more fat than breasts and brown quickly. Skin-on thighs cook evenly without drying. Seasoning is minimal—salt, black pepper, and garlic—because lemon drives acidity and butter supplies richness. Heavy cream thickens the sauce slightly without turning it into a dairy-heavy reduction.

The skillet does most of the work. The thighs must be dried before seasoning so the skin browns instead of steaming. Oil heats first, thighs sear skin-side down until edges crisp, then the pan heat reduces to finish cooking internally. Once the thighs reach full doneness, they are removed temporarily while liquid goes in. Lemon juice and broth scrape browned bits from the pan and build the base of a sauce. Garlic cooks briefly so it does not burn. Heavy cream enters last and binds fat and acid.

Because no starch or flour is used, the sauce stays clean. It clings to meat and does not thicken artificially. The dish stores well because the fat content prevents separation. Reheating in a skillet maintains crispness.

No vegetables are required, and there is no pasta or rice. Serve as-is or pair with a low-carb side. If you want another skillet chicken meal, try Keto Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Casserole. For a lemon-based lunch option, Keto Creamy Lemon Herb Chicken Bowl is already på din lista.

This dish is portionable and works for meal prep. It produces enough sauce to spoon over thighs. Nothing requires oven use.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 25-minute cook time
• One-skillet method
• Lemon-garlic flavor
• Crisp chicken skin
• No starch thickener
• Easy sauce reduction
• Keto macro profile
• Meal-prep usable

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Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

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Instructions

1. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
2. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
3. Season thighs with salt and black pepper.
4. Place chicken into the skillet skin-side down.
5. Cook 6 to 7 minutes until the skin becomes browned and crisp.
6. Flip chicken thighs.
7. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking 6 to 8 minutes until cooked through.
8. Remove chicken thighs from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
9. Reduce heat to medium-low.
10. Add butter to the skillet and allow it to melt.
11. Add minced garlic and cook 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant.
12. Pour chicken broth into the skillet and scrape browned bits from the bottom with a spatula.
13. Add lemon juice and lemon zest and stir.
14. Pour heavy cream into the skillet and stir until sauce combines.
15. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes until sauce slightly thickens.
16. Return chicken thighs to the skillet and spoon sauce over the top.
17. Cook 1 minute to warm chicken through.
18. Remove from heat and serve.

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Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: ~420
• Fat: ~33g
• Protein: ~25g
• Net Carbs: ~2g

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FAQ

• Can I use boneless thighs?
  Yes. Reduce cook time.
• Can breasts work?
  Yes. Do not overcook.
• Does cream curdle with lemon?
  Heavy cream stabilizes and prevents curdling.
• Can I omit zest?
  Juice alone works but gives less aroma.
• Can I add vegetables?
  Spinach can be wilted into the sauce.

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Variations & Substitutions

• Swap broth for dry white wine
• Add red pepper flakes
• Replace cream with mascarpone
• Use ghee instead of butter
• Add capers for acidity

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Serving Suggestions

• Serve with the pan sauce
• Pair with zoodles
• Use for meal prep
• Plate with avocado or spinach

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Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to hear from you — leave a comment below and tell me how it turned out, what you liked, or if you made any tweaks!

Try these next:

• Keto Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Casserole
• Keto Creamy Lemon Herb Chicken Bowl

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