perfect pan-roasted chicken thighs

I love super simple recipes like this. Especially when the result is so tasty that I’m ready to fill my plate for seconds and I’m visibly crushed because I know there’s none left in the pan. Poor me, I’ll just have to make this recipe again soon. Trust me, I will and so will you, I’m sure. This will be a staple chicken thigh recipe and I’m a chicken thigh lover through and through.

One thing that is different in this recipe is that the chicken skin stays on the chicken. If you grew up in a house that banished any notion of fat, the number one rule in cooking with poultry was that chicken skin must always be removed. And into my adult life, I’ve pretty much followed that rule hook, line and sinker. And with thighs, that is totally fine because thighs are juicy and rarely seem to dry out. But I was eager to try out this recipe as I’m a sucker for simplicity and with a come-on as enticing as Perfection, I could’t resist. The skin stayed on. And trust me, any extra calories are seriously worth it.

This chicken that is easy enough to make on a harried weeknight. Despite it’s simple ingredient list- salt, pepper and a bit of vegetable oil, it’s really about technique and searing the skin to get really crispy results. Did I mention that it only takes 35 minutes?

Perfection does come with a bit of a cost. The only real drawback to this meal is that it is a bit messy. The oil and the chicken fat does splatter, but it’s not enough of a mess to call the whole thing off. Just steer clear of the pan while it’s on the stove to prevent random burns and do a quick wipe down when you put the pan in the oven. The resulting chicken is one with super crisp skin and a moist and juicy interior. Biting into it had me smiling from ear to ear. This isn’t as fussy as traditional fried chicken but it was incredibly delicious! Hello pan perfect chicken, we’ve become fast friends indeed.

It contains no butter or oil and it’s completely delicious and easy to prepare.

perfect pan-roasted chicken thighs
(recipe from Bon Appetit)
1 T vegetable oil
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 475F. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat. Add chicken skin side down and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 12 more minutes skin side down, rotating and rearranging chicken to evenly distribute heat until the fat renders and skin is golden brown.

Move skillet to the oven and cook for 13 more minutes, still skin-side down. Turn over chicken and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.