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One Pan Balsamic Chicken

One pan balsamic chicken with golden, crispy skin thighs glazed in a deep caramelized balsamic reduction. Chicken thighs are seared in a dark glossy cast iron skillet, then finished until tender and the sauce turns into a thick, glossy glaze 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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs and seasoning
  • 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • salt
  • pepper
  • garlic powder
  • Italian seasoning
Skillet glaze and tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves whole
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar plus additional to reach 1/3 cup total
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 cup chicken broth use 1/2 cup
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • fresh basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
  2. 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.
  3. Flip and sear for 3 more minutes, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the balsamic glaze
  1. Add whole garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until tomatoes begin to blister.
  2. Pour in balsamic vinegar, honey, and chicken broth, stir, and bring to a boil while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
  3. Return 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.
  4. Stir in butter until melted, scatter fresh basil over the top, and serve straight from the skillet.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the skillet medium-high hot for the initial skin sear so you get deeply golden, crisp skin before you flip. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth. Freezing is not recommended because the tomato texture can soften. For a lighter option, use reduced-sugar honey or a honey substitute that measures 1:1 to keep the glaze flavor without extra sugar.