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One Pan Balsamic Chicken

One pan balsamic chicken with golden skin-on thighs and a deep caramelized balsamic glaze. Skillet balsamic chicken is finished until glossy and thick, with burst cherry tomatoes and whole garlic.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 tsp Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
Skillet base and glaze
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 whole garlic cloves whole
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup in recipe; use 0.333 cup
  • 0.33 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup in recipe
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 Fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Season bone-in skin-on chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
Sear and build the skillet base
  1. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then sear chicken skin-side down for 7-8 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crispy (visual cue: crisp, browned skin).
  2. Flip the chicken and sear for 3 more minutes, until browned (visual cue: continued golden edges). Remove chicken to a plate.
  3. Add whole garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, until tomatoes begin to blister (visual cue: burst blistered skins and fragrant garlic).
Make the balsamic glaze and cook through
  1. Pour in balsamic vinegar, honey, and chicken broth, stir, and bring to a boil while scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  2. Return chicken skin-side up to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce reduces to a thick glaze (visual cue: glossy, darker reduction clinging to the chicken).
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in butter until melted, then scatter fresh basil over the top and serve straight from the skillet (visual cue: shine from the melted glaze).

Notes

For maximum caramelization, pat the chicken dry before seasoning and let it sit 5 minutes while the skillet heats. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days; freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. To make it dairy-free, replace butter with an extra drizzle of olive oil at the end.