This cast-iron Asian chicken thigh recipe is juicy and succulent. The chicken thigh is one of our favorite cuts of chicken. It’s really hard to dry out a piece of chicken thigh. Well, it is possible, but it’s one of the more forgiving cuts when it comes to retaining moisture and that’s why we love it.
Lovely Cast Iron Goodness
The trick here is to get the cast-iron pan really hot. Searing the chicken thighs in a hot cast-iron pan will get these bad boys really brown and delicious. We love using a cast-iron skillet for this recipe because it helps to add browned bits to the outside of the chicken almost like it was cooked over an open flame. Searing the outside also helps with locking in some of the juices in the chicken thighs.
We also love that cast iron is so versatile. For example, if your chicken thighs are really thick, you could pop the cast iron into a preheated oven of 375 degrees and cook them the rest of the way until they are no longer pink inside. You can’t pop just any skillet into the oven.
What is coconut aminos?
You’ll see that we like using coconut aminos in some of our recipes. Coconut aminos is a soy-free and gluten-free alternative to traditional soy sauce (check the label on your coconut aminos to be sure). It is also much lower in sodium than traditional soy sauce. While many traditional Asian recipes use soy sauce, we have chosen to experiment with this great alternative ingredient. Coconut aminos gives the dish a lot of great flavor, and even a natural sweetness that you don’t get with traditional soy sauce. Give coconut aminos a try if you haven’t tried it before!
We hope you enjoy this easy and delicious recipe! Sharing is caring – hit those share buttons to share this recipe with your family and friends.
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Ingredients
8 boneless/skinless chicken thighs (about 5–7 oz each)
1/2 tsp sage powder
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder (gochugaru)
3 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
2 green onion, sliced thin (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cut any excess fat off the chicken thighs.
- Mix all dry seasonings together in a small bowl. Rub seasoning all over chicken thighs.
- Add seasoned chicken thighs, coconut aminos and 2 tbsp of oil to a ziplock bag. Close bag and shake well.
- Let chicken marinate for 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- Add 1 tbs of oil to cast iron and turn heat to high.
- Once cast iron gets hot add your chicken thighs.
- Cook until the outside of the chicken gets dark brown. *Keep a close eye on the chicken thighs, since the pan is really hot to avoid burning them.
- Flip chicken to brown the other side. Once both sides look browned, then turn heat down to medium.
- Continue cooking until chicken thighs are no longer pink inside. Once the chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature, remove from pan, top with sliced green onion and serve.
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