Crispy Chicken Thighs with Kale & Red Onion
Dig into this one-pan chicken with garlicky kale recipe for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!
Chicken thighs are often overlooked in favor of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. However, we think that skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are much tastier—and they’re usually cheaper to boot.
When cooked skin-side down in a hot cast iron pan, the fat drippings create a juicy base for the rest of the meal. In this recipe, we added kale and red onion to the drippings and seasoned with cumin and black pepper. Then, we finished it in the oven to get the chicken done lightning fast.
This recipe is simple and versatile, so feel free to add any other veggies or seasonings you like to make it your own.
Tip:
- If you don’t have a cast iron pan, use an ovenproof skillet instead.
The Paleo Diet Newsletter
Sign up to get free Paleo recipes, in-season meal ideas, and 7-day meal plans.
SIGN UPDetails
- Recipe by: Jess Case
- Serves: 4
- Meal: Dinner
- Serves: 4
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 1 3/4 lb.), patted dry with paper towels
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 oz stemmed, torn kale
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine cumin with ¼ teaspoon pepper and sprinkle evenly over both sides of chicken.
Heat a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat. Once hot, place chicken skin-side down. Cook 8 minutes or until skin is lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add red onion, garlic, and remaining ground pepper to the pan drippings. Cook 3 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add half of kale and cover, cook 2 minutes or until lightly wilted. Stir in remaining kale, cover, and cook 2 minutes more.
Stir and top with chicken, skin side up. Bake uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (an internal temperature of 165°F).
Related Recipe
