These Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs are unbelievably quick and easy to cook with just one pan. They are also delicious with crispy skin and juicy interior. Serve with salad, or rice and steamed vegetables for a tasty weeknight dinner.
Pan roasting is currently my most favorite method to cook chicken thighs. It is the easiest way to get crispy skin and juicy meat every time. This method involves browning the chicken thighs skin side down on the stove top, then finishing in the oven to crisp the skin and let the meat reach the desired temperature.
Furthermore, I prefer pan roasting to cooking the thighs on the stovetop only since it creates less cooking odor. Less time on the stove means less odor in the house.
Ingredients
The main ingredients are skin-on chicken thighs, salt and pepper. I use chicken thighs with bones but feel free to use boneless chicken thighs. With boneless thighs, you may be able to cut down on cooking time.
I also make a quick and velvety pan sauce with Asian flavors by using sake (or white wine), chicken stock, butter, and soy sauce. You can opt for other pan sauces you like.
How to Cook Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Crispy Skin
Once you start the cooking process, everything will take less than 15 minutes to finish. All the steps are easy and straightforward.
You will need to choose an oven-safe heavy-bottomed pan to make this dish. I use my 10-inch All-Clad stainless steel skillet to cook four thighs. I think a cast iron skillet will also work.
First, lightly brown the chicken thighs skin side down on the stovetop. Then put the pan in your preheated oven until the chicken is almost fully cooked, around 160F. After that, place the pan back on the stove, flip the thighs over and briefly sear the meat side until the internal temperature is 165F.
Make sure you flip the thighs only after removing the pan from the oven. The chicken needs to stay skin side down in the oven to fully render the fat, and hence crisp up the skin. Besides, we also want to avoid drying out the meat side.
Doesn’t it sound incredibly easy? While the chicken thighs are in the oven (which can be around 7-8 minutes), you can quickly toss a salad or prepare steamed vegetables. A very healthy and satisfying dinner can be ready in under 30 minutes this way.
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Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs with Crispy Skin
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon cooking oil
For the pan sauce
- 1/4 cup sake (or white wine)
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425F (218C).
- If you have time, remove the chicken thighs from the refrigerator 10-15 minutes before cooking. Season both sides with salt. Also season the meat side with garlic powder and black pepper.
- Place an ovenproof heavy-bottommed pan over medium heat. Add cooking oil and once the oil is hot, add chicken thighs skin side down in a single layer. Brown for about 3 minutes until the skin starts to turn light golden.
- Put the pan into the oven still with the skin side down. Cook for 7-8 minutes until almost cooked through (with internal temperature around 160F).
- Take the pan out of the oven and put it back on the stove over medium-high heat. Flip the chicken thighs and sear the meat side for about 30 seconds until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Transfer chicken thighs to clean plates.
- Discard the fat in the pan. Place the pan back over medium heat and then carefully add sake. Stir and deglaze the pan for 15-20 seconds. Then add chicken stock and let the liquid come to a simmer. Finally, add butter and soy sauce, stir to combine and continue to simmer to thicken the sauce to your liking. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve the chicken thighs with pan sauce, salad or steamed vegetables and rice.
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