Make a small soup. You can make a portion or two of soup in much less time than a whole big pot full.

Braise. Put your thighs in a medium hot sauce pan. A pan that they are single layer but are snug. Tiny bit of oil but no added liquid. Cover. Then chop veg like a whole onion, shallot, celery, any veg that is in your crisper...garlic...turn down heat to a simmer...NO added liquid. Add onions and veg on top of your thighs. The veg and thighs will give off lots of liquid very soon...15 minutes.....Done in 35-45. Keep covered and not a boil...just a simmer. Crack the lid if fussy wants to boil.

Take out thighs to cool off to remove meat from bones, (I do skinless/boneless)

You can remove your thighs and put on a sheet pan in the oven to crisp with a bbq or asian sauce while the pan sauce/juices reduce for a gravy. Or just pick the meat for soup. Or add some h20 for soup...very concentrated broth this makes.

I make this in rotation every couple months in the winter. (with 18-24 thighs in my big braise pan. Makes many meals, bbq, chicken salad, soup...no meal is similar...not leftovers.

A heavy bottomed enameled cast iron works best. Lower heat for a thinner pan.

Instant Pot.

Three wonderful ideas starting with a small cup - logical but of course I didn't think about that. I will definitely try sleevendogs's idea next time; I just threw the chicken in the oven for now, and Elizabeth, I was just thinking about maybe I need to get an Instant Pot as I often find myself wanting something but not having "quick" recipes. I think IP is the answer - thanks to all!!

I use a pressure cooker to make quick soup.

In 2 hours I could make a delicious chicken soup.
Put your thighs with the skin on...in a dutch oven to brown adding just a touch of oil or butter. Turn and brown them while you chop an onion and 3 or 4 stalks of celery and 3 or 4 carrots, when the veggies are chopped add the vegetables to the chicken in the pot and add 4 cups of water and 4 teaspoons of chicken stock base....chicken broth would be good but you said you didn't have any. Add a large clove of garlic, peeled and either crushed or chopped and a good handful of chopped fresh parsley if you have some, dry about a tablespoon if that's all you have....couple of grinds of black pepper, salt to taste....becareful, the soup base is salty....simmer an hour....remove thighs, remove the bones and skin and shred the meat. In an hour the soup should have reduced by about a cup and intensified flavor. Always leave the skin and bones in the soup as long as you can for maximum flavor.

Sounds wonderful and easy. I worry about the fat that I always remove the next day. I wonder if I should buy a of the fat separator?