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One Pan Balsamic Chicken

One pan balsamic chicken with golden, crispy skin thighs in a dark, glossy balsamic glaze. Sear in a cast iron skillet, simmer in a caramelized reduction, then finish with blistered cherry tomatoes and 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 thighs
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
seasonings
  • Salt
  • pepper
  • garlic powder
  • Italian seasoning
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
garlic and tomatoes
  • 6 cloves garlic whole
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
balsamic glaze
  • 0.333 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
finish
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • Fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Season the 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 the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 7-8 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and crispy (visual cue: crisp, dark-golden edges).
  2. Flip the chicken and sear for 3 more minutes, until well browned (visual cue: browned surface and crisp skin).
  3. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
  4. Add the whole garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes, cooking for 2 minutes until the tomatoes begin to blister (visual cue: split, blistered tomato skins).
Make the balsamic glaze and finish
  1. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, honey, and chicken broth, then stir and bring to a boil while scraping up any browned bits (visual cue: dark liquid turns glossy and bubbling).
  2. Return the chicken skin-side up to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F (visual cue: caramelized sauce thickens and coats the chicken).
  3. Stir in the butter until melted, scatter fresh basil over the top, and serve straight from the skillet (visual cue: sauce turns extra glossy and smooth).

Notes

For best browning, pat chicken thighs dry before seasoning. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet to keep the skin from getting rubbery. Freezing is not recommended for the sauce consistency after thawing. If you want it lower sugar, swap honey for an equal amount of a sugar-free honey-style syrup or omit honey and add an extra splash of broth for balance.