Crispy Cast-Iron Garlic Herb Chicken Thighs

Name: Crispy Cast-Iron Garlic Herb Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Contemporary Home Cooking
Ingredients: 4 thighs Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (~8 oz each); 2 tsp Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper; 1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp Unsalted butter; 6 cloves Garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife; ½ cup Low-sodium chicken stock; 1 whole Fresh lemon (halved for roasting and juice); 3 cups Baby spinach

Bone-in chicken thighs start skin-side down in an unheated 12-inch cast-iron skillet so the fat under the skin renders slowly for 14 minutes, then finish in smashed garlic, butter, and roasted lemon pan jus.

By OnMyKitchen · 35 mins total (10 mins prep · 25 mins cook) · Yield: 4 servings

Crispy Cast-Iron Garlic Herb Chicken Thighs — weeknight recipe — **Crispy Cast-Iron Garlic Herb Chicken Thighs:** Compiled from standard cooking technique (read the editorial policy).

Servings:

Ingredients (4 Servings)

4 thighsBone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (~8 oz each)
2 tspKosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbspExtra-virgin olive oil
3 tbspUnsalted butter
6 clovesGarlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife
½ cupLow-sodium chicken stock
1 wholeFresh lemon (halved for roasting and juice)
3 cupsBaby spinach

Suggested Cookware

Lodge 12-Inch Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillet — Heavy cast iron holds steady heat, and the 12-inch size gives four bone-in thighs room so steam can escape
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Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8-Inch Chef’s Knife — Broad blade for smashing garlic cloves and trimming excess skin
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Estimated per serving: 510 kcal · 42g protein · 4g carbs · 36g fat

Method (35 Mins Total)

1. Dry the Skin & Place in an Unheated Skillet
Blot the chicken thighs dry on both sides with paper towels and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil across the bottom of a cold 12-inch cast-iron skillet and lay the thighs skin-side down.
Tip: Surface moisture turns to steam and makes skin rubbery, so blot the skin right before it goes into the cold pan.
2. Render Undisturbed Over Medium Heat for 14 Minutes
Turn the burner to medium and leave the thighs alone for 14 minutes. Do not pry them up early. Once the skin browns, it releases cleanly from the iron on its own.
3. Flip & Spoon Browned Garlic Butter Over the Top
Flip the thighs skin-side up and add the smashed garlic cloves, lemon halves, and butter to the skillet. Tilt the pan slightly by the handle and spoon the foaming garlic butter over the chicken for 5 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 175°F in the thickest part.
4. Pour Off Excess Fat & Wilt the Spinach in Pan Jus
Move the chicken to warm plates and carefully pour off all but 2 tablespoons of rendered fat. Add the chicken stock and a squeeze of the roasted lemon, boil briskly for 2 minutes to scrape up the browned bits, and fold in the baby spinach until just wilted.

Cooking Tips

Start skin-side down in a cold pan over medium heat. The fat under the skin renders as the pan warms, so the skin crisps without a smoking-hot pan.
Blot the skin dry before it goes in the pan. Surface moisture turns to steam and keeps the skin from crisping.
Cook thighs to at least 175°F in the thickest part. Dark meat is tender at a higher temperature than the 165°F food-safety minimum.
Pour off most of the rendered fat before making the pan sauce, so the sauce does not turn greasy.

Variations

Glass-top electric or coil stove

Heavy cast iron heats more slowly on electric burners. Add a few extra minutes to Step 2 and flip when the thighs release easily from the pan.

Less tart pan sauce

Squeeze only half of the roasted lemon into the pan jus and whisk in 1 extra tablespoon of cold butter off the heat.

Boneless, skinless thighs

Skip the cold-pan start. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high and sear about 6 minutes per side, until cooked through.

This recipe is compiled from standard cooking technique and has not been lab-tested by OnMyKitchen. Nutrition figures are estimates.

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