Creamy Cast Iron Chicken Thighs

Closeup of creamy chicken served in a cast iron skillet.

Creamy Cast Iron Chicken Thighs

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken, chicken thighs, easy chicken recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 628kcal

Author Maike Corbett

Ingredients

2 pounds (5 pieces) chicken thighs bone-in
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup butter unsalted
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400º Fahrenheit.
Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
Pat dry the chicken thighs, place in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the seasoning. Toss until all chicken thighs are well coated.
Cook the chicken thighs skin side down in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Allow the chicken thighs to cook for about 5 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.
Flip the chicken thighs and place the skillet in the preheated oven. Allow the chicken thighs to cook for 20 minutes. Check the internal temperature (165º Fahrenheit).
Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate to rest and cover with foil.
Add garlic and butter to the cast iron skillet. Saute the garlic in the remaining chicken drippings and melted butter over medium heat for about 1 minute.
Add chicken broth, heavy cream, and red pepper flakes. Stir and allow the mixture to simmer for about 2 minutes.
Combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Pour the slurry into the skillet, reduce the heat, and stir to combine; once thickened, stir in the lemon juice.
Add the chicken back into the skillet. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Notes

Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165º Fahrenheit.

Once you move the skillet from the oven to the stove, be careful, as the skillet will be really hot at this point.

When making the sauce, you don’t want to leave it unattended. A great tip is to make sure that all of your ingredients are ready to go when making the sauce. The pan is hot, and things can overcook quickly.

Add or subtract chicken thighs in this recipe without changing the sauce. I used 2 pounds of chicken thighs, which came out to 5 thighs. Depending on the size of your chicken thighs, you could use 4-6.

Nutrition