Ultimate Chicken Thighs Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

• Pat the skin of the chicken thighs dry to remove excess moisture. [00:16]

Step 2: Season the Chicken

• Sprinkle salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper on the chicken thighs. Flip them over and repeat the seasoning on the other side. [02:04]

Step 3: Heat the Pan

• Preheat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of avocado or grapeseed oil. [02:41]

Step 4: Cook the Chicken

• Place the chicken thighs skin side down in the hot pan. Cover with a splatter guard and cook for 8 minutes without touching them. [03:20]

Step 5: Transfer to the Oven

• After 8 minutes, flip the chicken over and place the splatter guard back on. Transfer the pan to a preheated oven at 475°F for 10 minutes. [03:51]

Step 6: Final Cooking

• After 10 minutes, check the chicken. If the skin is golden brown and crispy, remove it from the oven. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing. [04:32]

Step 7: Serve and Enjoy

• Slice the chicken and serve. Enjoy the crispy skin and juicy meat! [05:20]

Additional Techniques

• For the oven-roasted chicken thighs, preheat the oven to 400°F, season with kosher salt, sweet paprika, and black pepper, and cook on a rack for 50 minutes. [06:16]
• For boneless skinless chicken thighs, create a spice rub with smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper. Cook in a preheated cast-iron or nonstick pan for best results. [07:41]