Pan Roasted Chicken Recipe

Prep the chicken

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs unsalted butter; heat until butter melts and foams.

Place chicken thighs skin-side down in a single layer (work in two batches if needed). Cook without moving for 6–8 minutes, until skin is deeply golden brown and releases easily.

Flip the thighs and cook 3 minutes more on the flesh side. Transfer the skillet to a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven and roast 12–15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Transfer chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil to rest. Reserve pan drippings in the skillet for the sauce.

While chicken roasts, prepare mushrooms. In a separate sauté pan over medium-high heat add 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs unsalted butter. When foaming, add sliced mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed 3–4 minutes to brown, then stir and cook another 2–3 minutes until soft and browned.

Push mushrooms to the side and add minced shallots (2) and 3 minced garlic cloves. Sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant and shallots soften, stirring with mushrooms so flavors combine.

Add 3 tbs Madeira wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up any browned bits. Allow alcohol to reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock, 1 tbs fresh thyme leaves, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce for 3–4 minutes until slightly thicker and flavor concentrated.

In a small bowl whisk 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water to make a slurry. Stir slurry into simmering sauce and cook 1 minute to activate thickening.

Reduce heat to low and whisk in 3 tbs heavy cream. Taste and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir in 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley. If sauce is too thin, simmer another minute; if too thick, add up to 2 tbs chicken stock to reach a pourable but creamy consistency.

If you used a different skillet for roasting the chicken, pour reserved pan drippings from the roasting pan into the mushroom sauce pan and stir to combine for extra flavor. Return chicken thighs to the pan skin-side up, spooning some sauce over them to coat.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if not already hot from roasting chicken.

Slice ciabatta loaf lengthwise or into 1–1.5 inch slices for serving. In a small bowl combine 4 tbs softened unsalted butter, 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary, 2 grated/minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tbs olive oil. Mix until smooth.

Spread the rosemary-lemon garlic butter evenly over cut sides of the bread. Place on a baking sheet, buttered side up, and bake 8–10 minutes until edges are crisp and butter is melted and slightly golden. For extra color, broil 1 minute, watching carefully to avoid burning.

Arrange rested chicken thighs on a warmed buffet tray or serving platter. Spoon creamy mushroom and Madeira sauce over and around the chicken, leaving skin visible for presentation.

Place rosemary-lemon garlic ciabatta alongside or on a separate tray. Garnish chicken with chopped parsley and tuck fresh rosemary sprigs and lemon wedges around the platter for color and freshness.

Keep warm on a low-heat buffet setting (140–160°F / 60–70°C) and spoon additional sauce over chicken just before serving. Serve 2 pieces chicken per guest as a buffet entrée, with ciabatta on the side.