Crispy Chicken Thighs

By Ali Slagle

Published Feb. 14, 2024

Crispy Chicken Thighs
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
4(750)
Comments
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For bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with crackly skin and juicy meat, start them in a cold pan, skin-side down, then leave them mostly undisturbed. For more even browning, you could press them down and rotate the skillet, but either way, if you’re off doing something else, the gradual, moderate heat will slowly render the skin golden-crisp. Finish cooking the chicken on the second side, let the chicken rest, then consider how you’ll use all that flavorful fat that’s accumulated in the skillet: Sauté any vegetables, crisp beans, make toast or stir the liquid left in the skillet into a pan sauce.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs)
  • 2teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or coarse kosher salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

533 calories; 40 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 40 grams protein; 561 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with salt.

  2. Step 2

    Place the chicken skin side down in a single layer in a large skillet. (It’s good if the thighs are touching.) Turn the heat to medium and cook until the thighs release easily from the pan and the skin is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. For even browning, rotate the skillet every few minutes and use your tongs to press the chicken into the skillet. If the chicken is burning before evenly brown, reduce the heat. If the splattering oil is too much, cover the skillet.

  3. Step 3

    Flip the chicken and cook until cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. (The meat closest to the bone should reach 165 degrees.)

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Ratings

4 out of 5
750 user ratings
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Comments

Francine

No need to turn thighs...place thighs in cast iron pan, skin side up, (no need to grease the pan) sprinkle liberally with kosher salt, oven at 400°, leave for 1 hour without opening oven door. Best and easiest chicken recipe I've ever made. Been making this for years! The skin is like bacon and the chicken is moist and juicy.

Joe

I hope I don't offend anyone. I'm sure this recipe works. But do you have an air fryer? Put a tiny bit of oil on top and bottom of thigh. Season it with S&P. I use Cajun seasoning, because yum. 24 minutes in air fryer. Start it skin side down. Flip it over half way through. Done. Crisp and delicious. With some rice and garlicky/lemony broccoli, it's my dinner like 5 out of 7 nights a week.

Sara Yakira

Very similar to the Jacques Pepin method I have been using for years: Cut on each side of the chicken thighs on the back side part-way through along the bone. This will help them cook faster. Salt and pepper both sides. Place skin-side down in a cold, dry non-stick frying pan without any oil or butter. Cook on high heat until fat from the skin starts to render. Cover, turn down heat to low and cook 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is done. Do not turn chicken—brown only on skin side.

Nia

How to Reduce Smoke • Use a heavy pan: A cast iron skillet or stainless steel distributes heat better, so the fat renders without scorching. • Turn heat down: Start at medium to get it going, then reduce to medium-low. It’ll still crisp the skin, just more gently. • Slight cover: Use a spatter guard or partially cover the skillet with a lid tilted to let steam escape while containing oil. • Ventilation: Turn on your vent hood, open a window, or place a fan nearby pointing out. • Oven finish: After browning the skin for 10–15 minutes on the stove, transfer the skillet (or move the chicken to a baking sheet) into a 400°F oven until the chicken reaches 165°F. This cuts way down on splatter and smoke. 👉 If you want crispy skin but less mess, the stovetop-to-oven method is usually the best compromise.

Jude

Has anyone tried these in a pan that has been preheated? I think that will form an immediate bond between the chicken and the pan. I had trouble with sticking - 2 came out with delectable crispy skin, the other 2, not so much. I didn't flip until they were ready (meaning they pulled off easily), but two just never made it to ready. Any suggestions? In the oven at a high temp is an easy and much less messy way to get crispy skin, but you don't get that great sauce.

Mary

Made this the way Francine does hers and it is simply amazing. Wondering if using skinny little chicken legs would work as well.

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