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    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Chicken and Turkey

    Crispy Cast-Iron Chicken Thighs

    Published by: Adina January 10, 2023 · Last modified: February 15, 2023 6 Comments

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    pinterest image with title for cast-iron chicken thighs.

    Cast-iron chicken thighs cooked to perfection in a skillet, using only the stovetop. Juicy meat, crispy skin, minimum work, and ingredients. Ready in about half an hour.

    Jump to Recipe
    close up stove top golden chicken thigh

    Chicken thighs and a cast-iron skillet: a match made in heaven. What will you get? Incredibly crispy, golden skin and tender, juicy meat. So good and simple that you will make this recipe again and again.

    A simple side dish to go with it – most anything would do - and dinner is served. Your whole family will love the cast-iron chicken thighs and probably ask for seconds.

    And the best about this recipe?

    • One-ingredient recipe (not counting a bit of oil, salt, and pepper).
    • It’s more like a technique that every cook should master: cooking no-fuss, perfectly crispy, and delicious cast-iron chicken thighs that can make dinner on their own or be integrated into other recipes.
    • The crispy chicken thighs are ready in 25-30 minutes, perfect for a busy weeknight or a quick Sunday supper.

    Check out more delicious thigh recipes: Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs, Teriyaki Chicken Thighs in the Oven, Peri-Peri Chicken, Sticky Honey Lime Chicken Thighs with Soy Sauce, Tender Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs, or Baked Chicken Thighs.

    Table of Contents
     [show]
    • Basic ingredients
      • Alternative spices
      • Tips
    • The skillet
    • Technique for cooking chicken thighs in the cast-iron skillet
      • Preparations
      • How long does it take to cook chicken thighs in the skillet?
      • Check doneness
      • Tips
    • Recipe FAQ
    • How to serve?
    • More cast-iron chicken recipes

    Basic ingredients

    collage of four pictures of raw chicken thighs, salt, pepper, oil and paprika powder.
    • Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. They have the most flavor; the skin will get crispy and savory due to the spices, and you will love them!
      • The portions I usually use weigh between 5.5 – 6.2 oz/150 g-175 g.
    • Other ingredients: Vegetable oil, fine sea salt, ground black pepper, and, if you wish, some sweet ground paprika.
      • However, the paprika is optional; the chicken thighs will taste just as delicious without it.

    Alternative spices

    The paprika powder can also be replaced with other spices of your liking, for instance:

    • Any spice mixture for chicken you like.
    • Different kinds of ground paprika: hot, sweet smoked, or hot smoked.
    • Curry powder of your liking, chili powder, Cajun, or Italian seasoning.
    • You can also add some garlic powder to any of those other spices.

    Tips

    • Don't use chopped fresh garlic or fresh herbs to spice the chicken; they will burn during the relatively long frying process.
    • You can add two large garlic cloves and some rosemary sprigs to the pan and think about turning them regularly. Then, remove them from the skillet if they start turning too dark.

    The skillet

    • This recipe is perfect for a large cast-iron skillet with a diameter of 12 inches/30 cm (Amazon affiliate link).
    • However, the recipe will also work in a heavy nonstick skillet.
    cast iron chicken thighs in the skillet

    Technique for cooking chicken thighs in the cast-iron skillet

    Preparations

    • Dry the pieces with paper towels before rubbing them with the spices (1). Season with spices all over (2).
    • Place the skillet on the stovetop and let it get really hot (but not smoking).
    • Add a little bit of oil and place the parts in the hot skillet, skin side down. Turn the heat down to medium-low heat.
    collage of two pictures of raw chicken thighs on a blue plate before and after seasoning.

    How long does it take to cook chicken thighs in the skillet?

    • Cook on the skin side for 10 to 12 minutes or until the skin is deeply golden (3).
    • Wait to move the pieces in the pan for the first 5 minutes or so, or you might break the skin. Then, once the fat has been rendered correctly, you can move them around as you wish.
    • Move the thighs and the skillet around a few times to ensure that all the pieces cook evenly.
    • Check in between; if the color turns too dark too quickly, lower the temperature. After 9-10 minutes, check the color of the skin; the cast-iron chicken thighs should be deeply golden (4).
    • Flip and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, moving the skillet and the pieces a few times in between.
    collage of two picture of cooking chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet.

    Check doneness

    • Check the internal temperature of the cast-iron skillet chicken thighs with a meat thermometer; it should be 74-77 degrees Celsius/ 165-170 degrees Fahrenheit (Amazon affiliate link).
    • If you don't have a thermometer, cut with a small sharp knife near the bone, the meat should be thoroughly cooked through with no signs of red or pink.
    • If the portions are larger, you should increase the cooking time and recheck every few minutes.

    Tips

    • Please don’t wash the chicken; the bacteria will not be destroyed, which will only happen during the cooking process. The only thing you will “achieve” when washing poultry is to transfer some of those bacteria onto your sink.
    • Don't overcrowd the pan; the skin will not render nicely. I can fit 5 large or 6 smaller thighs into my 30 cm/12-inch skillet.
    • Turn the skillet on the stove once or twice during cooking. My experience is that the skillet might get unevenly hot, and you will get darker skin on one side of the skillet if you don't move the skillet or the meat around.
    • Another issue when using a gas stove top is that the flame might burn stronger on one side, that is the case with my own, so I always must think about turning the pan around.
    • Use a splatter guard; the fat rendering process will create a fair amount of splatter (Amazon affiliate link).
    crispy chicken skin

    Recipe FAQ

    How to make the skin crispy?

    Pat the chicken parts dry with a paper towel before seasoning them.
    Ensure that the skillet is really hot before adding the oil and the meat.
    Don’t move the parts in the pan for the first 5 minutes of the cooking time, or the chicken skin might stick to the pan and tear. Once the fat has been rendered and the skin crisps, moving the thighs in the pan will be very easy.

    Can I use a lid instead of a splatter guard?

    No, if you cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil, the meat will steam, and the skin will become soft instead of crispy.

    Can I use boneless chicken thighs?

    Sure, but you will have to adjust the cooking time. Cook them on each side for about 5-6 minutes and check the internal temperature. If they’re not done yet, cook them for a couple more minutes and check again.

    How to store, freeze and reheat?

    Refrigerate the cooled cast-iron chicken thighs in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can serve the leftovers cold or reheat them in the preheated oven at 400°F/200°C for 12-15 minutes or until heated through.
    Freeze the skillet thighs in an airtight container or freezer bag for about 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
    The skin will not be crispy anymore after freezing, but you can put the parts under the broiler for a couple of minutes before serving to refresh the skin.

    How to serve?

    Pretty much anything you feel like eating would go well with these cast-iron chicken thighs recipe!

    • Try those golden potato cubes you can see in the picture: cube the potatoes, mix them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and other spices or dried herbs to taste, and roast at 400°F/200°C until cooked through about 30 minutes.
    • Try roasted Sweet Chili Dip and Potato Wedges, Confit Potatoes, Smashed Potatoes, Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, and Sliced Sweet Potatoes.
    • Rice with Tomatoes, Zucchini and Carrots, BBQ Rice, Simple Buttered Rice with Garlic, or Garlic Butter Noodles with Parmesan would also be great.
    • Make a simple salad with Yogurt Dressing or Raspberry Vinaigrette, Simple White Cabbage Salad or German Coleslaw, Roasted Whole Carrots, Fiesta Corn Salad, and so on.
    cut up chicken thigh with potatoes

    More cast-iron chicken recipes

    • Cast-Iron Chicken Breast
    • Mexican Salsa Verde Chicken
    • Gipsy Skillet Chicken with Garlic
    • Yassa Chicken - African Chicken Stew
    • Crispy Panko Fried Chicken

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Don’t forget to tag me #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!
    stove top chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet sprinkled with parsley.

    Crispy Cast-Iron Chicken Thighs

    Cast-iron chicken thighs cooked to perfection in a skillet, using only the stovetop. Juicy meat, crispy skin, minimum work, and ingredients.
    4.73 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 -6
    Calories: 288kcal
    Author: Adina

    Equipment

    • Large cast-iron skillet 12-inch/30 cm diameter
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • 4-6 chicken thighs bone-in bone-in skin-on, about 5.5 – 6.2 oz each/ 150 g-175 g
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • fine sea salt
    • black ground pepper
    • sweet paprika powder optional, Note 1
    • 2-3 garlic cloves and 2-3 sprigs rosemary optional, Note 2

    Instructions

    • Heat a large cast-iron skillet (Note 3).
    • Season chicken thighs: Dry the chicken parts with paper towels and rub them with the spices on both sides.
    • Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl the skillet around to cover its bottom with oil. Slowly add the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side down. Don't overcrowd the pan. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
    • Turn the skillet on the stove once or twice during cooking; the skillet might get unevenly hot. If you use a gas stove top, move the skillet around a few times, as the flame often burns stronger on one side.
    • Cook on the skin side for 10 to 12 minutes or until the skin is deeply golden. Wait to move the chicken in the pan for the first 5 minutes, or you might break the skin. Once the fat has been rendered, you can move the thighs around as you wish.
    • Move the chicken and the skillet around a few times to ensure that all the pieces cook evenly. Adjust the temperature if the skin turns too dark too quickly.
    • After 9-10 minutes, check the color of the skin; it should be deeply golden.
    • Flip the chicken and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, moving the skillet and the meat a few times in between.
    • Check if the chicken is cooked through with a meat thermometer(Amazon affiliate link); the internal temperature should be 165-170°F/74-77°C (Note 4). If the chicken thighs are on the larger side, you might need to increase the cooking time slightly. Give them 2-4 more minutes and check again.

    Notes

    1. Spices: The sweet paprika is optional. You can also replace it with other spices, like spice mixtures for chicken, different sorts of paprika powder, curry powder, and so on.
    2. If using garlic cloves and fresh rosemary, remember to turn them around in the pan and remove them if they turn too dark.
    3. Using a splatter guard is recommendable. Don't cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil, or the chicken will steam, and the skin will become soggy.
    4. If you don't have a meat thermometer, cut with a small sharp knife near the bone, the meat should be thoroughly cooked through, with no signs of red or pink.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1chicken thigh | Calories: 288kcal | Protein: 29g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Sodium: 394mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. My says

      April 27, 2021 at 4:26 am

      I was looking for Stove top Cast Iron Chicken thighs bone in recipe. This is my first time to use cast iron. I read your instructions and followed them ... not moving chicken for 5 min ... after shake pan .. and move skillet around .. prevented chicken to burn. Great Idea.

      As your suggestion ... pat it dry ... used himalayan salt, blk pepper, cumin, paprika, onion and garlic powder ... let it sit.
      Cooked it .. 10-11 min skin side down. Flip .. add 2 garlic cloves w/ jacket on .. 2 sprigs oregano and rosemary. Cooked it 10 - 12 min .. moving skillet around. Drizzle lemon juice. At end .. smashed cooked garlic .. added flavor to sauce.

      Delicious ... Serve it with cooked potatoes w/ red onion, red bell pepper .. for Hubby and mine with brown rice and Green salad

      Thank you for great instruction and tasty dish.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        April 27, 2021 at 7:32 am

        Hi My. It sounds great! I am so glad you liked it. Thank you for the feedback!

        Reply
    2. CC says

      March 09, 2022 at 3:33 am

      5 stars
      Juiciest chicken thighs ever! I made this recipe for me and my boo thang. We both enjoyed it thoroughly!

      Reply
      • Adina says

        March 09, 2022 at 8:02 am

        Thank you for the feedback! I am so glad you liked the recipe.

        Reply
    3. Lu says

      September 14, 2022 at 2:28 am

      5 stars
      I loved this recipe! Super easy and versatile 🙂 I just used salt, pepper and garlic powder and enjoyed this shredded up in my salad 🙂

      Reply
      • Adina says

        September 14, 2022 at 12:42 pm

        So happy to hear it!

        Reply

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