Cast-iron skillet chicken with baby potatoes is an easy dish to pull together any day of the week. I love how the potatoes and chicken get all crispy in the same pan and how the potatoes soak up that chicken flavor. To get a delicious chicken dish every time, here are some of my favorite tips for making this dish.
. Don’t be shy about turning the potatoes at the half way point so they all touch the skillet on different sides and are cooked in the oil at different times. This ensures they get golden brown and cooked through.
. Another tip when it comes to golden, crispy potatoes, is to remove the chicken to a platter and let the potatoes cook another couple of minutes, tossing to coat them in the oil. Keep the chicken covered with foil until potatoes are finished.
. Chimichurri is the secret ingredient in this dish and is a must. The chimichurri is a flavorful and fresh addition in this recipe and is great on lots of different proteins, so if you like this combination of herbs, be sure to try it on steak and fish too.
. Chicken thighs have to be the most flavorful part of the bird. Chicken breasts get a lot attention but honesty, they tend to be dry and usually need a lot of help with preparation, sauces, etc. Cooking chicken thighs is very forgiving. It has a little more fat and stays moist so much longer. Cooking it with with the skin on and bone in keeps the meat super moist and the flavor can’t be beat. IF you don’t want to eat the skin because you are watching those calories, I recommend cooking the chicken with the skins on to keep everything moist and flavorful. Then, just remain the skin before serving. You’ll get tons more flavor and a moist bird every time.
Once you start cooking with thighs, there is no going back. Don’t believe me? Try my Chicken, Peaches & Cream, Chicken Thighs with Figs and Thyme, Plum Glazed Chicken Thighs and my Sheet Pan Stuffed Chicken Thighs with Carrots and New Potatoes and see why I love them.
To get started, let’s make the chimichurri sauce. Chop your parsley, basil and red onion. Add that to a bowl and mix in the rest of the sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning. Because of the fresh herbs, this sauce needs to be served immediately after being prepared and no more than a day later. This recipe is enough for four servings so plan on using this the next day on leftovers.
Prep your baby potatoes. Wash and dry them, then cut in half. Dry the chicken thighs with paper towels and season well on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders.
To make the chicken, heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Place the chicken pieces skin side down in the skillet. Fill in the pan with the potatoes. Tuck the potatoes down in between the thighs and into the oil. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, until the chicken has released its juices, the skin is brown and the potatoes are starting to get brown.
Flip the chicken over and rearrange the potatoes so other sides are being cooked in the oil and touching the skillet. Cook for another 10 -15 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165° and the potatoes are cooked through. (check with a thermometer)
Remove from heat, add dollops of the chimichurri on top, and drizzle any liquid over the potatoes. If you are looking for a tasty shortcut to making chimichurri sauce, be sure to check out my Easy Chimichurri Sauce recipe. I found a great seasoning that makes whipping up this sauce a breeze.
Great Sauces to Enhance your Recipes
Chimichurri is just one of the many sauces I use to enhance my recipes. If you have a couple of great sauces in your recipe file, you can turn plain roasted chicken, fish and beef into delicious entrees with little effort. Be sure to check out some of my favorites and add them to your recipes to get an extra flavor boost.
Hatch Chili Salsa with Peaches
Roasted Veggies and Peach Salsa
Cast-Iron Skillet Chicken With Baby Potatoes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 Chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on and patted dry with a paper towel
- 1 Tbsp. Kosher salt
- 1/2 Tbsp. Black pepper
- 1 Tsp. Onion powder
- 1 Tsp. Garlic powder
- 1 Lb. Mixed baby potatoes, cut in half
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 Recipe Chimichurri
CHIMICHURRI
- 1/4 Cup Fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 Cup Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 Cup Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. Red wine vinegar
- 1/2 Tsp. Kosher salt
- 1/4 Tsp. Freshly ground black peppe
Instructions
- Make the chimichurri: Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir with a fork to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Because of the fresh herbs, this should be served fresh. The recipe is just enough for the four servings.
- To make the chicken, heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Mix the salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders in a small dish. Dry the chicken thighs with paper towel. Season the chicken on both sides and place the chicken pieces skin side down in the skillet. Fill in the pan with the potatoes. Tuck the potatoes down in between the thighs and into the oil. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes, until the chicken has released its juices, the skin is brown and the potatoes are starting to get brown.
- Flip the chicken over and rearrange the potatoes so other sides are being cooked in the oil and touching the skillet. Cook for another 10 -15 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165° and the potatoes are cooked through. (check with a thermometer) Remove from heat, add dollops of the chimichurri on top, and drizzle any liquid over the potatoes. Serve with a vegetable of your choice.
