Crispy Pan Fried Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

Crispy Pan Fried Chicken Thighs are something that you can achieve at home. Using boneless skinless chicken thighs, you’ll be able to get them nice and crispy and browned on the outside while juicy inside.

It might sound intimidating to make crispy fried chicken thighs, but you only need a few ingredients and a little confidence in your cast iron to get the perfect texture to them. This dish delivers flavor and is sure to become part of your regular meal rotation.

What type of pan should you use?

Our favorite pan to use is a 12-inch cast iron pan. It’s a big heavy pan that is available at a lot of stores and is a good size to fit 8 chicken thighs in.

The pan is sturdy and able to be heated to a high temperature to help crisp the chicken thighs. Something to keep in mind for clean up is that it isn’t enameled which means you should avoid using a grease-cutting soap in it if possible.

Using some coarse salt and water helps remove any stuck on food. Be sure to dry the pan immediately to avoid any rust spots or dry it on the stove over a medium or high heat for a couple minutes.

Can you really crisp chicken thighs without the skin?

Yes! Cast iron chicken thighs are definitely famous for their skin getting crispy and brown. However, we chose to use boneless skinless chicken thighs to show you how to achieve a nice crispy delicious texture on chicken even without the skin.

The biggest thing to remember is to heat up the pan with the olive oil before putting the chicken into it. This helps with locking in those flavors and crisping up that outside, and the hot oil makes it less likely that the chicken will stick.

Another thing you’ll need is a little patience. Don’t try to flip or check on the chicken thighs too early or you may get pieces stuck to the pan. It’s natural for this to happen, but giving the chicken thighs a few minutes helps brown the outside which helps release it from the pan easily.

Do you need to bake the chicken thighs?

You can, but it’s not necessary for this recipe. These chicken thighs can be nice and crispy using a nice hot cast iron skillet and olive oil on the stovetop. If you’re looking for a baked chicken thigh recipe, this one is quick and delicious!

How do you make crispy pan fried boneless skinless chicken thighs?

It only takes a few steps to cook nicely crisp and browned chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet. You’ll want to mix together the seasonings and then season both sides of each chicken thigh. Roll them back up and set aside for a few minutes while you heat the olive oil in the cast iron pan.

Once the olive oil and pan are nice and hot, put the top of the chicken thigh down into the pan first. Try to avoid checking the chicken as it’s cooking so that pieces of the chicken won’t get stuck to the pan. You’ll want to cook them for about 5-7 minutes per side to cook all the way through. You’ll know they’re done when the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F an instant read thermometer and/or is no longer pink when you cut into the thickest part.

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

You can browse all my delicious chicken recipes, but here are some more great chicken thigh dishes for you.

• Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
• Ranch Chicken Thighs Recipe
• Breaded Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Best BBQ Chicken Thighs
• Basic Baked Chicken Thighs