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One Pan Balsamic Chicken

One pan balsamic chicken with deep caramelized balsamic glaze that turns the skillet sauce into a thick, dark glossy coating. Golden, crispy skin-on chicken thighs are finished in the reduction with burst cherry tomatoes and whole garlic for an easy 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
seasonings
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste
  • 1 garlic powder to taste
  • 1 Italian seasoning to taste
oil and aromatics
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 garlic whole
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
balsamic glaze
  • 0.333 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp butter
garnish
  • 1 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
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 7-8 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crispy; flip and sear 3 more minutes, then remove.
Sauté tomatoes and garlic
  1. Add the whole garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes until the tomatoes begin to blister, stirring as needed.
Build the balsamic glaze
  1. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, honey, and chicken broth, then stir and bring to a boil while scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
Finish in the reduction
  1. Return the chicken skin-side up and cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F and the balsamic sauce reduces to a thick glaze.
Glaze and serve
  1. Stir in the butter until melted, scatter fresh basil over the top, and serve straight from the skillet with the dark glossy glaze coating the chicken.

Notes

For the crispiest skin, avoid moving the chicken during the first sear and pat thighs dry before seasoning. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet until hot, as the glaze will thicken as it cools. Freezing is not recommended because cherry tomatoes can soften and the sauce may separate after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, use a honey substitute or reduce honey slightly while keeping the vinegar and broth amounts the same.