Herbes de Provence Chicken Thighs

Herbes de Provence Chicken Thighs: A simple and classic dish.

Originally Posted: Dec. 6, 2021

Total Time: 25 minutes

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Intro

My favorite way to cook chicken thighs is with a cast iron skillet. It’s a versatile cooking method that can be done with many different flavors and seasonings. The thighs end up flavorful, juicy, and crispy, all in under 30 minutes.

I’ve done cast iron chicken thigh recipes with shawarma spices, chipotle, shoyu, and even a mead-based mango-habanero glaze. But today, we’re focusing on one of the simplest and easiest cast iron chicken recipes: using the herbal blend known as Herbes de Provence.

And I do believe this method of cooking chicken qualifies for both paleo and keto diets.

Brief History

Herbes de Provence is a traditional herb blend used in Provençal cuisine in southeastern France. The blend usually contains savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Because Provence is known for its lavender fields, herb blends sold in the US often include lavender to invoke this imagery.

Ingredients

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• 4 – 6 Chicken Thighs with skin-on (you can debone these yourself if you want)
• 2 – 3 Tbsp. Herbes de Provence, and a few pinches later for sprinkling
• 10 – 20 Garlic Cloves
• Salt & Pepper
• Cooking oil
• About 2 Tbsp. pats of butter

Equipment

• Seasoned cast iron skillet (12in diameter),
• or
• Enameled cast iron skillet (11.75in diameter). The enamel coating in these skillets make them much easier to clean than traditional cast iron skillets, and they don’t need seasoning.
• Oven
• Tongs
• Instant-read thermometer to check the chicken’s internal temperature (I like this one because it folds up and it has a magnet so I can stick it to the side of my microwave or fridge for storage).

A note about traditional cast iron skillets and this recipe: Chicken thighs are high in fat, and cooking them in a traditional, non-clad cast iron skillet is a great way to build up your skillet’s seasoning.

Optional Equipment

If you choose to debone the chicken thighs, you’ll probably want the following items:

• Cutting glove (for safety)
• Filet knife, preferably with a 5in blade (I’ve found that short filet knives are my favorite for deboning)

Written Instructions

Total Time: 25 minutes

Start by preheating the oven to 450°F (~232°C). Pat the chicken thighs completely dry to help them crisp up during cooking. Optional: You can also debone the chicken thighs if you wish, which makes them easier to slice later. To do this, feel for the bones (there should be two per thigh), then trace along each side of them with a filet knife until you can pull the bone out. Use a cutting glove for safety if you choose to do this.

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Lightly oil a heated cast iron skillet, then melt about 2 tablespoons of butter and tilt skillet around so the entire bottom is coated. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of Herbes de Provence into the butter/oil mixture and add salt and a generous amount of pepper, then place chicken thighs into the skillet skin-side down. Add garlic cloves to gaps between the chicken. If you want to, you can also sprinkle some herbes, salt, and pepper onto the bottom of the chicken thighs (the side that’s facing up) at this point. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the skin is golden-brown.

Place cast iron skillet in preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes. Take out of oven, flip chicken thighs so the skin is facing up, then sprinkle with more herbes if you feel like it needs it (sometimes some of the herbes will come off in the oil while the skin side is down). Place skillet back in oven for another 10 minutes.

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When the chicken comes out of the oven, use an instant read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F (74°C) (make sure you stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat while trying not to touch the bone. Bone will give you an incorrect reading).

Let chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with your choice of sides. I like to serve mine with buttered and salted peas or Quinoa & Feta Salad, and perhaps some smashed potatoes.

Note: With this method of cooking chicken thighs, I usually find the internal temp. to be quite a bit above the minimum safe temp.—closer to 200°F (93°C) in some cases—without tasting overcooked or dry. This makes cast iron chicken thighs a great recipe for beginners: they’re flavorful and juicy, hard to mess up, and incredibly easy from a food-safety standpoint.

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