Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Garlic
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are seared to a shatteringly crispy skin and then finished in the oven with bright lemon and aromatic garlic in a single cast iron skillet. The rendered chicken fat bastes the meat from the bottom while the high oven heat crisps the skin to absolute perfection.
Crispy seared bone-in chicken thighs finished in a cast iron skillet with lemon and garlic.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
main
aromatics
fat
seasoning
Instructions
Season and Preheat
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
Sear Skin Side Down
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the skillet and do not move them for 8 to 10 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and releases naturally from the pan.
Flip and Add Aromatics
Flip the chicken thighs to the flesh side and add the smashed garlic cloves and lemon slices to the pan around the chicken. Spoon some of the rendered fat over the chicken pieces to baste them before transferring to the oven.
Finish in the Oven
Transfer the entire skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the chicken to rest in the skillet for 5 minutes before serving with the pan juices spooned over the top.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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