Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs

These herb roasted chicken thighs are one of our go-to dinners on busy nights. By cooking them on the stovetop for a few minutes first before transferring your cast-iron to the oven, you end up with a perfectly golden and crispy outside. I always use a combination of both dried and fresh herbs with I make this, and I typically go a little overboard on the fresh thyme because I love it so much! You could definitely swap out the herbs for whatever you have on hand, add fresh garlic in place of garlic powder (which we often do) or even make this with chicken breasts if you prefer.

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil + ½ Tbsp butter

¼ tsp salt (more to taste)

¼ tsp pepper (more to taste)

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 ¼ tsp dried thyme (or 1 ½ Tbsp fresh thyme)

1 tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp dried oregano

lemon juice from about ½ a small lemon

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 400° F. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of chicken thighs. Then add each of the herbs to both sides, using dried or fresh, whichever you have on hand. (conversion: 1 tsp dried = 1 Tbsp fresh)

2.     Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs to the skillet, smooth side down, and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken thighs, and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the tops (I use about ½ a small lemon) and about ½ Tbsp butter (or more to taste. I slice it into small chunks to disperse throughout skillet).

3.     Transfer skillet to oven and cook for another 15 minutes, or until completely cooked through*. Serve with a large salad or your favorite vegetables and grains. I love pairing this with sautéed broccolini or asparagus and rice.

*Note: if using bone-in or skin-on chicken thighs, will need to increase cooking time.