Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat them dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a medium bowl or a resealable plastic bag. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, minced garlic (6 cloves), lemon juice (2 tbsp), soy sauce (1 tbsp), honey (1 tbsp), dried oregano (1 tsp), kosher salt (1 tsp), and freshly ground black pepper (1/2 tsp). Mix thoroughly so each piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. If short on time, marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Cooking

Preheat and prepare pan

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes.

Sear the chicken

Add 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp olive oil (from the Cooking and Marinade pools — olive oil accounted in marinade but use extra if needed) to the hot skillet. When the butter foams, add the chicken thighs in a single layer, skinless side down. Cook without moving for 4–5 minutes until a deep golden brown forms. Flip the chicken and cook the other side for 3–4 minutes. Transfer seared chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

Make garlic pan sauce

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter to the same skillet. Add the thinly sliced garlic (4 cloves) and cook, stirring constantly, for 30–45 seconds until fragrant and just starting to turn golden — do not burn. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add red pepper flakes (1/4 tsp) and return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet.

Simmer until cooked through

Spoon sauce over the chicken, cover the skillet, and simmer gently for 6–8 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). If sauce reduces too quickly, add up to 2 tbsp more broth or a splash of water to maintain a glossy sauce.

Finish and serve

Remove the chicken to a serving platter. Stir chopped fresh parsley (2 tbsp) into the sauce in the pan and squeeze a little lemon juice from the lemon wedges over the sauce if desired. Spoon the garlic sauce over the chicken, garnish with extra parsley and lemon wedges, and serve hot.