Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Potatoes and Olives

Cast iron skillet braised chicken thighs with potatoes and olives in a broth

Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Potatoes and Olives

Roasted Chicken Thighs with lemon. Seared crispy, then finished in the oven with potatoes and olives. The result is a crispy skin, tender and juicy on the inside and bursting with beautiful fresh flavor.

Course Main Course Chicken

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Servings

Calories 507kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

2 ¼ pounds chicken thighs bone in, skin on
salt to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups chicken stock
12 ounces Small Potatoes Yukon gold, or fingerling
5 garlic cloves smashed and peeled
½ cup green olives
1 lemon washed well, cut into wedges
6 thyme sprigs
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken with salt.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in oil.
When the oil starts to shimmer,. place chicken thighs, skin side down, in skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Flip chicken. Add 1 ¼ cup stock and ½ teaspoon salt. Add potatoes nesting them in between the thighs. Bring to a boil. Add garlic, olives, lemon wedges, and thyme to liquid. Return to a boil.
Transfer skillet to oven. Roast until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
Return skillet to stove top. Mix cornstarch with remaining ¼ cup stock, and stir into pan. Bring to a boil to thicken sauce. Serve immediately. A large shallow bowl works well for presentation.

Notes

If you don't have a cast iron skillet, use an oven proof skillet. A Dutch oven will work well here.

Tips for Crispy Chicken Skin

Pat skin dry with a paper towel before adding to the hot oil.
Avoid using a non-stick pan. Non stick pans are famous for not reaching a heat level to properly brown meats.
Don't overcrowd the chicken pieces. Allow some air in between each thigh.
Heat your cast iron skillet over medium high heat before adding oil.
Once you add the oil, let it come to a shimmer before adding the chicken thighs.
Add chicken thighs, skin side down. Once the skin is golden and will easily pull away from the skillet, start turning the thighs. No need to brown the bottom side of the thighs. The oven will take care of cooking through.
When adding liquid for roast chicken, add it to the base of the skillet to avoid drenching that crispy skin.

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