Servings: | Prep Time: | Total Time: | ||
4 | 20 mins | 1 hr 20 mins |
Chicken thighs are my favorite. While a juicy chicken breast in a sandwich can be delightful, there’s something truly special about the flavor and juiciness imparted by the bones in chicken thighs. Those bones are the secret, slowly releasing their richness over a longer cooking time that is well worth the wait.
These Cast Iron baked Mediterranean Crispy Chicken Thighs are elevated with the bright, robust flavors of the Mediterranean. Black olives, Italian herbs, cherry tomatoes, and a blend of spices come together to create a symphony of taste. The real secret to this dish is achieving that perfectly crispy chicken skin before finishing the thighs in the oven. A cast iron skillet is ideal for this, but any oven-safe skillet will do.
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Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs
3/4 c. of water
1 medium green pepper
3 sweet peppers
1 shallot
1 red onion
1 big clove of garlic
1 c. of cherry tomatoes
3/4 c. of black olives
1 lemon
1 envelope of Sazon Goya seasoning for stews with Zafron
1/4 c. of cooking oil. I use Avocado or Corn oil for cooking.
Salt and ground Pepper to taste
1 small bouquet of Mediterranean fresh herbs such as Thyme, Rosemary and Sage.
If using dried Italian herbs, add about 1 Tbsp.
Directions:
1.- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and preheat the oven to 400° F.

2.- Mince the garlic, chop the pepper, sweet peppers, onion and shallots. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Evo Oil Sprayer https://amzn.to/3WgpxIJ

3.- In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium high.
Pre-seasoned Cast Iron Skillets https://amzn.to/3WhKkM7
4.- Carefully, add the chicken thighs skin down to sear for about 5 to 6 minutes. This step will be splashy, the oil should be hot in order to obtain a crispy skin.

Popco Silicone Tongs https://amzn.to/4cqvqZr
5.- Add the herbs to the pan, let them swim in the oil and chicken juices. Flip the thighs to the other side, you should see the crispy skin I’ve been talking about.
6.- Add the chopped veggies. Let everything sauté together for about 5 mins.
7.- While the veggies sauté, add the olives, zest and lemon juice, and Goya seasoning pack. Add the water to the skillet, and head for the oven.
8.- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until temperature reaches 175° F.

9.- Serve hot, by itself, or over a decadent amount of mashed potatoes. Don’t forget to drizzle those incredibly tasty juices all over it.

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Substitutions: Goya seasoning, for a spoon of Better than Bouillon chicken paste.
Water, for low sodium chicken or veggie broth.
Fresh herbs, for Italian seasoning.
Lemon juice for white wine, your whole house will smell like a 5 star restaurant.
Enjoy!
Delicious chicken recipe for dinner 😍