Baked Chicken Thighs

1. Note: Use a cast iron skillet to sear/bake the chicken if possible. This provides a great sear and is also oven safe. If your skillet is not oven safe, be sure to transfer the chicken/sauce to an oven safe baking dish before baking.

Season the Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Pat the chicken completely dry and season the chicken with salt/pepper. I like to season underneath and on top of the skin.
3. Combine the melted butter, oil, and seasonings in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to spread it all over the surface of the chicken.

Sear the Chicken

1. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Working in batches, add the chicken, skin-side-down, and sear for about 4 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown. Rotate the chicken and cook on remaining sides for 2 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and repeat.

Make the Pan Sauce

1. Turn heat off. Leave 1 tablespoon of oil/drippings in the skillet and spoon out any excess. Add the wine and set the heat to medium.
2. Add the chicken broth, bouillon, smashed garlic cloves, and thyme to the skillet and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet, the brown bits add more flavor to the sauce. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the lemon juice and chicken, skin side up.

Bake

1. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
2. Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Let it rest for 6-8 minutes.
3. While the chicken rests, prepare gravy with the pan sauce (optional).

Make the Gravy (Optional)

1. Transfer the pan sauce/drippings to a large measuring cup with a spout. Let the fat rise to the top and spoon out the majority of it so that the gravy isn’t overly oily. (A fat separator makes it easy to dispense the juice from the bottom, leaving the fat on top.) If you don’t have enough for 2 cups, top it with chicken broth to make 2 cups.
2. For 2 cups of drippings: Use 3 tablespoons of butter and flour. For 3 cups of drippings: Use 4 ½ tablespoons of butter and flour.
3. Melt butter over medium heat in the same large skillet that you used to cook the chicken. Add the flour and use a silicone spatula to stir it continuously for a good 2 minutes, until it starts to turn golden brown.
4. Add the drippings in small splashes, stirring continuously. Decrease heat if the liquid is sizzling too much. Once all the liquid is added, bring it to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Continue to heat through until desired consistency is obtained. Serve with chicken and mashed potatoes!