Brown Sugar Baked Chicken Thighs

INGREDIENTS

  • Large cast-iron-skillet
  • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (Alternative 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Dry off raw chicken both sides with paper towels
  • Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; remove chicken to any bowl and cover with lid to keep warm.
  • Turn heat down to lowest setting (or you can turn off heat completely if using cast iron pan.) Melt remaining tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat.
  • Stir in brown sugar, honey, oregano, thyme and basil until well combined. Return chicken to the skillet. Use tongs and flip chicken to coat both sides with your brown sugar honey mixture.
  • Place cast iron skillet into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes.
  • Serve immediately.

Large Cast Iron Skillet required. If you are still cooking in a frying pan throw that shit out and buy a cast iron skillet. I don’t even cook on a gas grill anymore because I have found that if you know how to use a cast iron pan it tastes just as good if not better than cooking on the grill. Why cook out doors in St. Johns, FL? It’s hot, we have tons of biting flies. Grills end up rusting out, you gotta clean the grill before-and-after each session. Cleaning and sealing paver patios and pool decks for a living I always see rust, oil, and grease stains around grills. Sealing pavers helps prevent and minimize deep set stains “before” you start grilling.