Easy Extra Crispy Chicken Thighs Recipe
These crispy chicken thighs are an easy chicken dinner that the whole family will love! The best part about this juicy chicken is that it can be served with a variety of side dishes like creamy mashed potatoes, green beans, potato salad, any root vegetable, or Brussels sprouts. This recipe comes together quickly and it is made from simple ingredients. Getting dinner on the table has never been easier!
Ingredients
- Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs cook as many as will fit it one layer in your skillet
- Sea salt figure ¾ teaspoon per pound of chicken
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2-3 cups of fresh herbs leaves and tender stems: mint, parsley, dill, basil, cilantro, oregano, and/or chives
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2-3 Tablespoons unrefined olive oil just eyeball it
- Red fresno chili sliced thinly (use as much or as little as you like)
- 1 medium shallot very thinly sliced
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season the pieces with salt (about 3/4 teaspoon per pound) on both sides as soon as you get home from the market, if possible. When you are ready to cook them, pat dry again and allow them to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to take off some of the chill. Add them to a cold cast iron skillet, skin side down.
- Turn the heat to medium and cook them without moving them for about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, until the skin is perfectly golden brown. You can use a splatter guard to prevent your stove from getting messy. Reduce the heat if the skin begins to burn before it gets evenly golden brown.
- Turn the thighs over and continue cooking the thighs until the meat closest to the bone is cooked through, about 15 minutes more. Alternatively, after flipping the chicken, you can finish them in a 375 degree F oven for 15 minutes or until the meat reaches 165 degrees.
- In the meantime, toss the herbs, shallot and chili pepper with half of the lemon juice and all of the olive oil. Plate the chicken and drizzle with the other half lemon juice and top with the herb salad plus a pinch of salt and pepper.
Notes
- If you enjoy crispy skin, you can leave the chicken uncovered in the fridge overnight to help dry out the skin before cooking.
- You can bake these chicken thighs in an air fryer if you prefer.
- Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F before consuming. I’ve found that using an instant-read thermometer is the best way to check internal temperature. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh for the most accurate reading.
- Serve these crispy chicken thighs with a yummy Collard Greens Salad, some Roasted Fall Vegetables, or with my Easy Pasta al Limone recipe.
- Store leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 days.
- Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes. If you prefer, you can microwave the chicken thighs until they are heated through, but keep in mind that the skin will not become crispy again by microwaving them. If you want to get them crispy, use an air fryer or the oven.
- You can freeze chicken thighs for up to 3 months. Let the chicken thighs cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven or air fryer.