CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS

Crispy Chicken Thighs


Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes

Cast iron pans get very hot which makes them great for crisping chicken skin, but also means they tend to smoke. Make sure you turn your vent hood on and, if possible, open a window. Also, chicken thighs can vary greatly in size. You may need to shave the cooking times slightly for really small thighs, and increase the cooking times for larger thighs.

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
6 to 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon zest (reserve the juice), and rosemary in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken thighs.

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Place the chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high and continue cooking with the skin side down until the fat renders and it is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for another 6 minutes. Flip the chicken so the skin side is facing up and cooking until the skin is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers at least 165°F, about another 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken before serving.