My Crispy Boneless Cast Iron Chicken Thighs are a simple dish to put together and are full of flavour. Cooked on the stovetop, these perfectly golden chicken thighs are so juicy and tender and are prepared using minimal ingredients. Dinner is made easy with this recipe!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
The chicken thighs are quickly and easily cooked in a cast iron pan on the stovetop.
We use boneless chicken thighs, with skin on; they cook quickly and are deliciously moist and tender. If you’ve never cooked chicken thighs, I encourage you to try this recipe. I feel certain it is one which you will make repeatedly.
You will love this recipe for Crispy Boneless Chicken Thighs because:
- The chicken thigh fillets are quickly and easily prepared, using just one pan on the stovetop.
- Cooking on the stovetop in a cast iron pan is the way to ensure crispy skin.
- This is the weeknight dinner that everyone will love.
- The skin is crispy and golden and the flesh juicy and tender.
- The dish contains just 5 ingredients, and they are all readily available.
- You can use herbs of your choice to vary the flavour.
- Cooked as per the recipe, the Crispy Boneless Chicken Thighs are naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Chicken thighs – we use boneless, skin-on chicken thighs as the skin will become crisp and the flesh is reliably tender.
Dried oregano – I have used dried oregano, a popular addition to Mediterranean dishes. If you prefer, use another herb of your choice.
Sea salt – use coarse cooking salt.
Freshly ground black pepper – for the best flavour.
Olive oil – just a little to start the chicken cooking in the frying pan/skillet.
Lemon – a wedge to serve – optional.
How to Make Crispy Boneless Chicken Thighs:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Pat the chicken thighs dry:
Remove the chicken from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking to bring them to room temperature. Pat chicken thighs dry with some paper towel and trim off excess fat.
2 – Season the chicken thighs:
Sprinkle each side of the chicken thighs with ¼ teaspoon of dried oregano, some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3 – Cook the chicken thighs skin side down:
Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs in the hot skillet, skin side down, and lower the heat. Cook uncovered, without moving them, for about 10-15 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden brown.
4 – Turn and finish cooking:
Turn the thighs over and cook the chicken on the other side for about 5 minutes or until cooked. It should register 75 Degrees C (165 F) on a thermometer.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside 5 minutes to rest. Serve with lemon to squeeze over – it is a great flavour booster.
Tips for success and FAQs:
Remove the chicken thighs from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking them. Having them at room temperature will ensure that they cook more evenly, avoiding a cooked outside and a raw centre.
If you follow a gluten-free diet, and you alter the spices, check that the ingredients are gluten-free.
A pan with a heavy base, such as cast iron or stainless steel, is essential for browning the chicken as it will have more even heat distribution. The chicken may burn if cooked in a pan with a thin base. If necessary, you can use a non-stick pan, but it may not brown the chicken as well.
To obtain crispy skin, pat the skin dry with a paper towel. Moisture on the skin will prevent it from becoming crispy. As well, do not move the chicken thighs around. Just leave them for the skin to become nice and crusty. For the best result, turn them just once.
Seasoning is the difference between a bland dish and a good dish. Season the chicken well on both sides with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. I also use dried oregano, but you could use another herb of choice such as marjoram, thyme, rosemary or sage. You could also use some powdered garlic or paprika.
This is one of the best tips for cooking meat or poultry. Always let it rest. The length of time will depend on the size of the meat and the cooking time. Once the chicken is cooked, move it to a clean plate and set it aside to rest for 5 minutes. This will enable the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken. If you cut into the chicken thighs without resting, the juices will spill out and the meat may become dry.
Variations and substitutions:
Seasonings – instead of dried oregano, you could use dried basil, onion or garlic powder, smoked paprika or even a little cayenne pepper.
Fresh herbs or arugula/rocket – the chicken thighs can be arranged on a platter of arugula leaves and garnished with fresh chopped parsley or basil.
Serving suggestions:
My Crispy Boneless Chicken Thighs are so delicious alongside one (or several!) of these dishes:
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Baked Parmesan Tomatoes
- Potato Salad with Peas and Mint
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Strawberry and Avocado Salsa
- Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli
My Crispy Skin Boneless Chicken Thighs are an easy, tasty weeknight meal. It doesn’t take a lot of ingredients to make a delicious meal. Just flavour the thighs according to your personal preference and pair them with your favourite side dishes. They are certain to become as popular in your house as they are in mine.
Alex xx
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Crispy Boneless Cast Iron Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 medium boneless chicken thighs – skin on See Note 1
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 2
- lemon wedges – to serve
Recipe Measurements:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results.
Instructions
- Remove the chicken thighs from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking to bring them to room temperature. This will ensure that they cook more evenly, avoiding a cooked outside and a raw centre.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel and trim off excess fat.Sprinkle each side of the chicken thighs with ¼ teaspoon of dried oregano, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Seasoning them well will mean more flavoursome chicken.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based stainless steel or cast-iron frying pan/skillet over medium heat. The frying pan should be large enough to take the pieces of chicken without crowding them. See Note 3.
- When the pan is hot, add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and lower the heat.Cook slowly, about 10-15 minutes, without moving the chicken, until the skin is brown and crisp.
- Turn the chicken over and cook on the other side for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. It should register 75 degrees C (165F) on a thermometer. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken pieces and the strength of heat you use.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the thigh, keeping the flesh tender and moist. Serve with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over – it brightens and heightens the flavour.
Notes
- Chicken thighs: if your chicken thighs are larger, they may take a little longer to cook. The weight of the chicken thighs I used was approximately 150 g (5 oz) per thigh.
- Tablespoon:Â we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Cast iron skillet/frying pan: a pan with a heavy base, such as cast iron or stainless steel, is essential for browning the chicken as it will have more even heat distribution. The chicken may burn if cooked in a pan with a thin base. If necessary, you can use a non-stick pan, but it may not brown the chicken as well.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
This post was originally published in November 2021. It has been updated with new photos and more information. The recipe remains the same.
Kara
So glad I found this recipe! Quick, easy and crispy … just like the title says. This will be a new regular meal in our rotation. I served it with mashed potatoes and salad and the entire family loved it.
Alexandra Cook
Hi Kara,
Thank you for your lovely comments on the Crispy Chicken Thighs. I am so pleased that you found this recipe to be quick and easy, and enjoyed by the entire family. 🙂
Kayla
Yum! These boneless chicken thighs were so delicious! I loved how crispy the skin got! I had never been able to get a good crisp like this on the stovetop before, and appreciate you sharing your tips. We served them with your Kale Slaw.
Alexandra
Hi Kayla, thank you so much for your feedback on the Crispy Chicken Thighs. I am so pleased that you appreciated the suggestion for getting the skin crispy. They certainly are delicious that way! 🙂
Brittany F
Love this recipe! Chicken thighs are underrated.
Alexandra
Hi Brittany, I am so pleased that you like the recipe for Crispy Stovetop Chicken Thighs. I agree with you, there is so much potential with chicken thighs and making the skin crispy is always popular. 🙂
Audrey
These turned out perfectly!
Alexandra
Hi Audrey, I am so happy to hear that, thank you for letting me know. 🙂
Anthonia
I was finally able to get crispy chicken skin with this recipe! I followed your tips for drying the skin and leaving it alone in the pan and it worked perfectly! I’ll be making this again and again!
Alexandra
Hi Anthonia, thank you so much for your feedback on the Crispy Chicken Thighs. I am so pleased that you enjoyed them and appreciate that you let me know. 🙂