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One Pan Balsamic Chicken

One pan balsamic chicken with deeply golden, crispy skin and a dark, glossy caramelized balsamic glaze. Bone-in, skin-on thighs are simmered in a reduced vinegar-honey sauce with blistered cherry tomatoes and whole garlic for an Italian chicken skillet dinner.
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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
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
Searing and glaze
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 whole garlic cloves
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 0.333 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 0.25 fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
Sear in the cast iron skillet
  1. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken skin-side down for 7-8 minutes until skin is deeply golden and crispy.
  2. Flip the chicken and sear for 3 minutes; then remove to a plate.
Blister the tomatoes and garlic
  1. In the same skillet, add whole garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes until tomatoes begin to blister.
Build the balsamic reduction
  1. Pour in balsamic vinegar, honey, and chicken broth, then stir and bring to a boil while scraping up browned bits.
  2. Return the chicken skin-side up and cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F and the balsamic sauce reduces to a thick glaze.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir in butter until melted, scatter fresh basil over the top, and serve straight from the skillet.

Notes

For maximum crispness, pat the chicken thighs dry before seasoning and avoid moving them during the initial skin-side sear. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days; rewarm gently in a skillet or microwave until hot throughout (balsamic glaze thickens as it cools). Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a lower-sugar option, swap honey for an equal amount of a sugar-free honey-style syrup and reduce heat slightly to prevent burning while the sauce thickens.