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–+ servings
salt and pepper chicken thighs in a cast iron pan sitting on a wooden cutting board on a table

Salt & Pepper Chicken Thighs

A play on salt and pepper chicken wings, this version gives the same flavor and crunchy skin, without all of the oil and deep frying.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 262kcal
Author: Meiko Temple

Ingredients

  • 4-6 chicken thighs skin on bones removed
  • kosher salt
  • white pepper major key – don’t substitute this
  • 1 head garlic finely chopped
  • 1 bunch green onion finely chopped
  • 1-2 tbsp chili flakes to taste
  • 1 sliced jalapeno optional

Instructions

  • Dry chicken with paper towel. Remove the bone with kitchen shears and trim any excess fat. Salt skin generously. Season meat side with about 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp white pepper. Heat a large pan over medium-high (cast iron is great for this).
  • Put the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, then leave it alone – the fat needs to render for the skin to crisp up. Let skin side fry until crispy and golden brown, about 10-12 minutes; use a splatter guard to keep the oil from going all over the place. Flip chicken, cook an additional 3-5 minutes or more until cooked through. Let drain on paper towels.
  • While the chicken rests, remove all but about 2 tbsp chicken fat from the pan and add garlic; sauté over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in the chili flakes and green onions and cook a couple more minutes. Season with 1 tsp white pepper and 1 tsp salt; taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Pour over crispy chicken thighs.
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Notes

I adjusted the recipe to include 1 sliced jalapeno which I added in with the garlic.
Per Serving
440 Calories
27.6g Protein
4.8g Net Carbs
27.1g Fat

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 954IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet - 10 inch
Paper Towel
Splatter Guard

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

**The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.