Serves 4
40 min
Perfect Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs
Recipe GLPRdb28bb724bfdde
Succulent bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs crisped to golden perfection in a cast-iron skillet. The thighs are seared skin-side down to render the fat and develop a beautiful crust, then finished in a hot oven until the meat is juicy and cooked through. A simple, elegant main course with minimal ingredients that delivers restaurant-quality results.
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Ingredients
6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 pounds)
to taste Kosher salt
to taste Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
Directions
Preheat your oven to 475°F. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over high heat and add the vegetable oil. Allow the oil to heat until it shimmers and is very hot but not smoking.
Carefully place the chicken thighs in the skillet skin-side down. Cook for 2 minutes without moving them to begin the crisping process.
Reduce the heat to medium-high. Continue cooking the chicken thighs skin-side down for about 12 minutes, occasionally rearranging them and rotating the skillet to ensure even heat distribution. The skin should become deep golden brown and the fat will render, creating a flavorful base.
Transfer the skillet carefully to the preheated 475°F oven and bake for 13 minutes.
Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and flip the chicken thighs skin-side up. Return to the oven and continue cooking for 5 minutes, until the skin is crispy and the internal temperature of the thickest part of each thigh reaches 165°F.
Transfer the cooked chicken thighs to a serving plate and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
