Active Time
35 minutes
Sophisticated enough for a Sunday supper yet quick enough for Wednesday's dinner, this master recipe is all in the technique. Cook the thighs skin side down in a cast-iron skillet to render out the fat and make the skin as crisp and, dare we say, delicious as bacon.
Ingredients
2 to 4 main-course
6
1
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 475°. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12" cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Nestle chicken in skillet, skin side down, and cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high; continue cooking skin side down, occasionally rearranging chicken thighs and rotating pan to evenly distribute heat, until fat renders and skin is golden brown, about 12 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer skillet to oven and cook 13 more minutes. Flip chicken; continue cooking until skin crisps and meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate; let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
How would you rate Perfect Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs?
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Reviews (686)
Back to TopOutstanding! Follow directions and adjust heat based on size of thighs and quality/power of your flame. Enjoy!
Anonymous
Los Angeles
9/29/2023
These are melt-in-your mouth, fall of the bone, deliciousness! Follow the recipe EXACTLY…foolproof! So easy, and I get rave reviews every time I make them. Serve with cauliflower mash and steamed asparagus. YUM!
kristy
Seattle
5/18/2023
I actually made this with bone-in chicken breast. Thought it was so simple it wouldn't be very good, but I needed simple. So good we had it the next night too!
Anonymous
4/3/2023
i don't like chicken. this didn't change that.
Hugh G. Koch
Philadelphia, PA
10/25/2022
I love this recipe. The skins get nice and crispy. I have a gas stove that runs a bit hot, so I start at a medium heat and then turn it down once I add the chicken. I like to throw some brusslesprouts into the pan when I put the skillet into the oven.
Anonymous
10/24/2022
This recipe is foolproof. I make it at least once a week.
Anonymous
Berkeley, CA
9/20/2022
I've been using this recipe as is for years. Dry cast iron skillet works the best. Once in a while, I'll get fancy and make a lemon caper sauce at the end.
Kt
Portland, OR
8/11/2022
This recipe works perfectly with a properly seasoned cast iron. A lot of reviews say that it sticks, smokes, or burns—if this is you, you either have a poorly seasoned cast iron, aren’t using an appropriate high temp oil, are using seasonings that burn, or aren’t following instructions.
Anonymous
7/20/2022
Easy and delicious!
Anonymous
4/29/2022
East to follow instructions! Perfectly crispy. I marinated 3 hours with soy sauce, Ginger, and 1/2 lemon juice ,garlic and 1/2 orange. Very moist and crispy too! N
Anonymous
San Antonio
4/27/2022
Great recipe, but would like to suggest a slight modification. Add no oil to the pan. That's right: dry skillet. Also, put the chicken down on a cold skillet, then put it on high heat. When the chicken starts to pop and jump around on the skillet, drop to medium-high heat and proceed as directed.
MKD
Austin
4/14/2022
Have made this many times without alteration. Sometimes takes slightly longer, depending on size of pieces. Skin comes crispy and golden, exactly like in the photo. A keeper.
Fran
Mexico
2/16/2022
Perfect every time!
Anonymous
Bucks County PA
2/8/2022
I’ve made this many times, following the recipe exactly, and it comes out great. I do use a metal splatter screen both when on the stovetop and in the oven. I use fairly large, thick thighs, and season well initially.
Martha
Missouri
2/6/2022
This is almost correct! The temp and cook times are too long. However, the basic concept produces delicious chicken thighs with crispy skin. We probably make this at least monthly. You can season these with lots of delicious rubs to make them even better. Definitely use a cast iron dutch oven to prevent splattering.
Steph D
Atlanta, GA
1/29/2022