Crispy Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs are always a hit with the family and are a mostly hands-off dinner that is ready in less than 30 minutes! Better for you than classic fried chicken but still with delicious crispy skin and moist, tender meat that your family will love and that pairs perfectly almost any side!
Looking for more chicken dinner ideas to change things up? Be sure to try our Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken Skewers, Smoky Chicken Tinga Tacos, and Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs!
Crispy Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs
Let's talk about these crispy cast iron skillet chicken thighs that just happen to be Whole 30 compliant but are every bit as satisfying as fried chicken in my opinion.
First though, a confession: I used to not like chicken thighs. I don't really know why but I think I thought they were too greasy or I didn't like the flavor of dark meat or whatever.
But for ages the only cut of chicken I would make were chicken breasts!
Until I tried Our Best Bite's spicy honey chicken recipe, which called for boneless skinless chicken thighs rather than breasts. And I couldn't get over how delicious they were! It's still one of our favorite chicken recipes and a go-to dinner for us.
Those spicy honey chicken thighs are what finally convinced me to leave my prejudice against thighs behind me. And it's a good thing because these crackling, crispy cast iron chicken thighs are my other favorite way to prepare that particular cut of meat.
Except in this recipe you will use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and a good cast iron pan. I love cooking meat with the bone in because it keeps it so juicy and moist and adds so much flavor!
This recipe is really as much about technique as it is about ingredients, which are minimal. Other than a super simple seasoning of salt, pepper, and a little bit of garlic powder, there isn't much else to the prep work for these chicken thighs.
How to Make Chicken Thighs in a Cast Iron Pan
To make them, you first want to heat up your oven because after an initial sear skin-side down in a hot cast iron pan with just a tiny bit of oil, the chicken will get finished off by roasting in the oven until cooked through.
While the oven heats, mix together the salt, pepper, and garlic powder and sprinkle it evenly over both sides of the chicken thighs. Then heat up your cast iron pan nice and hot over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to it. I actually have two cast iron pans and will double the recipe just so I have plenty for leftovers as well!
The chicken goes in skin-side down and then you need to just leave it alone so the hot cast iron pan can do it's magic. I first saw this technique on Stupid Easy Paleo back when I was doing my first Whole 30 and immediately fell in love.
I mean, it takes all of 1 whole minute to season the chicken, and stick it in the pan, then the rest of the cooking process is just flipping the chicken once and sticking the pan in the oven. No babysitting dinner means I have time to make a side, set the table, or read a book to my girls while the food finishes cooking.
In addition to not liking chicken thighs, I also used to not like chicken skin. But that's because I had only ever had it with breaded, fried chicken from a certain fast food place that I'm not a particular fan of. It was greasy and heavy and breaded and I just found it blechy.
But man oh man, the skin on these pan fried chicken thighs is something else entirely. Once they have seared for about 7 minutes or so, a wonderful crust forms and the skin is just full of flavor and crispy goodness. My girls rave about it and it's always the first thing they go for when it's time to eat.
One word of caution: because you are rendering the fat from the chicken skin, it is going to create quite a bit of splatter. A splatterguard really comes in handy to keep cleanup to a minimum later. Also, you're going to want to make sure to have your vent hood fan on.
What to Serve with Crispy Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs
Serve these pan fried chicken thighs with some stir-fried baby bok choy or green beans and cauliflower rice and you've got an easy Whole 30 compliant dinner!
And if you aren't doing Whole 30, go ahead and serve these chicken thighs with mashed potatoes or a rice pilaf!
More Chicken Recipes You'll Love
- Slow Cooker Applesauce Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
- Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables Stir Fry
More Favorites from House of Nash Eats
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Crispy Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6-8)
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel. In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, and pepper, then sprinkle over the meat on both sides.
- In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Place chicken thighs into the pan, skin side down and cover with a splatterguard. Cook without moving for 7-9 minutes so that the fat can render and the skin can get nice and crispy.
- Once the chicken releases from the pan and has a nicely browned crust on the skin, flip the chicken pieces over using tongs. Transfer the skillet with the chicken to the oven and roast for 18-20 minutes until cooked through and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F when tested with an instant read meat thermometer.
So good! I’ve used this recipe several times now. And will continue doing so!
OMG this looks amazing! I’m always looking for new recipes to try out and can’t wait for this!
This recipe was so perfect and delicious! I feel like I've mastered cooking chicken thighs and I'm excited to share it with friends and family. Before I popped it in the oven I stuck 2 tablespoons of butter and some garlic cloves in it as it baked. So delicious!!
Thank you for that idea. Trying it now😊💜
This turned out so good! I had boneless skinless chicken thighs in my fridge but I followed the recipe and seared the tops and honestly they tasted GREAT. My husband and I both agreed it was a great recipe! I also chopped onions and put them in the cast iron skillet around the chicken thighs when I baked it and those added some nice flavor. Will definitely make it again!
This was delicious. Thanks!
This has become a weeknight staple in my house. So quick, easy and delicious!
Absolutely delicious. We love chicken and now this is one of our favorites. Please tell me what I am doing wrong. Crust crispy on the outside and delicious but underneath the crust kinda chewy. I have made twice and can’t wait to have it again.
Please help me with my crust.
Thank you ❤️
Melyndia Wilkinson
Try baking it to 190 degrees Fahrenheit if you have the time.
One of our go to meals for sure. So easy and delicious. Please tell me what I am doing wrong. The skin ilooks wonderfully crispy but is a little chewy .
Will make this once a week.
Thank you 😊
I am making this right now. Question... do I cover it in the oven? Will it make a splatter mess in my oven?
Thank you!
Susan
I don't ever cover it in the oven.
Fantastic recipe! So simple and so good. I would highly recommend it; it’s now a family favorite.
Simple and delicious
So good! I added a bit paprika to the seasoning and cooked per recipe. I added red potatoes for a starch when the pan when into the oven. Took out chicken when done and let the potatoes roast a bit longer until tender. delish!
This is my go to. Not because I have chicken thighs on hand. I buy chicken thighs to make this for my family. Two teenage girls in this house and they actually eat it..
WOW these chicken thighs were excellent. So easy and the skin was perfectly crispy. The only adjustment I made was putting the chicken thighs on a baking sheet instead of leaving it in the oiled cast iron skillet. I still baked it for the allotted time and they came out perfect! So tender and juicy.
Oh I am so glad you liked them! Can't beat perfectly crispy skin!
Easy, fast and outta this world! Great hands off recipe got busy days! Love this one...
This recipe was really good! I added some fresh thyme before I flipped them and they came out perfect. I would recommend cooking thighs up to around 200 degrees. 160 degrees for chicken breasts. Thank you for the recipe.
Very easy to make and extremely flavorful!
Looks like a great recipe... very disappointed you didn't offer a page or two for printing the recipe... 34 pages for this recipe is entirely ridiculous!
Oh my! I wouldn't want 34 pages either! If you scroll down to the recipe card there is a print button. It should just print the recipe, on one page. You can always hit "jump to recipe" at the top of the blog post and it will take you straight to the recipe card where you can print just the recipe. Let me know if you have any more questions!
Delicious!!! Nice crispy skin!
Yum yum yum
The only thing is my chicken thighs were small and even though I set the timer for 13 minutes in the oven, it was still cooked too long.
Loved cooking in the skillet and added paprika
Chicken thighs are dark meat and best cooked till 190.
Easy and Delicious! Used boneless, skinless thighs and plated with peas and riced cauliflower. Now a part of our rotation.
I have an easier and more delicious take on this. You won’t have to worry about splatter. Pre heat the oven to 450 WITH the cast iron pan in the oven. Remove from oven. Add butter, it should sizzle, Add chicken, skin side down and put it into the hot oven for 15-20 min. Remove, flip chicken and into the oven for another 15-20 min until temp reads it is safe. No splatter and the butter adds a sweetness to the super crispy skin.
Easy and delicious
Thank you!
Really delicious! Added onions and quartered potatoes to skillet with some butter for baking, and I fried the skin with ghee on the stove top.
This is my go to. Not because I have chicken thighs on hand. I buy chicken thighs to make this for my family. Two teenage girls in this house and they actually eat it...
This recipe was exactly what I was looking for. Incredibly simple to prepare with ingredients I had on hand, and it gave me time to prepare a side dish. I made it in a 12" Lodge cast iron skillet and it came out perfect. I'm not much of a cook, and I think this recipe gave me a lot for a little. Thank you for this.
This is a wonderful recipe I even throw some butter gold potatoes and chuncks of sweet potoes for the sweet and savory taste!
With out a doubt, this is the best chicken thigh recipe we have. It is our go to when un expected family or friends stop by. Fast and easy using one pan.
Delicious! Perfect skin! Thank you 😀
Great recipe!!!
So easy,
So moist and delicious…
We have already had this twice in one week!
Thank you Amy♥️
Tried this tonight. BIG fan 👏👏👏👏
I added onion powder and cayenne.
It was fantastic. The cooking times were perfect. Thank you!
How long for boneless skinless chicken thighs?
Boneless chicken thighs take a little less time to cook, but it also depends on the size of thigh. I would decrease the oven time by about 5 minutes, but the true way to know is to measure the internal temperature of the thighs and make sure they are 165 degrees F.
I make this recipe more times than I can count. It's always good. I sometimes add a little smoked paprika but that's about it.
Great very easy recipe and it always come out just right!!!