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    Home » Recipes

    Cast-Iron Pomegranate Molasses Roasted Chicken

    Published: Apr 6, 2019 Modified: May 12, 2019 by Candice This post may contain affiliate links.

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN RECIPE

    This cast-iron pomegranate molasses roasted chicken thighs will be your new go-to weeknight chicken dinner! It's crispy, sweet, sticky, and delicious. Plus I'm sharing how to clean cast iron...something that will be easy once you learn it once!

    Chicken thighs in cast iron.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 18 votes

    Cast-Iron Pomegranate Molasses Roasted Chicken

    This cast-iron pomegranate molasses roasted chicken will be your new go-to weeknight chicken dinner! It's crispy, sweet, sticky, and delicious.
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Main, Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Persian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 444kcal
    Author: Candice

    Ingredients

    • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
    • 5 cloves garlic
    • 2 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoon avocado oil
    • ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
    • 1 serrano pepper thinly sliced
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat to 450F.
    • Mix the garlic, Herbes de Provence, Dijon mustard, avocado oil, pomegranate molasses, and serrano pepper in a bowl.
    • Lightly season with salt and cover the chicken with the mixture. Make sure to get some under the skin.
    • Heat your cast iron skillet on the stove. Add a thin layer of oil, if necessary*. Place the chicken skin side up in the pan. If you have any marinade left in the bowl, add the remaining mixture on top of the chicken. Cook 5 minutes until starts to brown. Transfer to the oven.
    • Cook 25-30 minutes in the oven until internal temperature reads 155F.* It will continue to cook while it rests. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    *If your pan is well seasoned you may not need additional oil. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 327mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3.5mg
    Did you try this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and/or comment! And tag @ProportionalPlate on TikTok or Instagram... I'd love to see what you're making.
    Pomegranate molasses marinade.

    Why cook chicken in a cast iron?

    Cooking chicken in a cast iron gets the skin crispier and the cooks the chicken faster than in other pans. These pomegranate molasses roasted chicken thighs get the crispiest sticky skin and you will love it!

    My other favorite cast-iron chicken is this spatchcocked cast-iron mustard chicken.

    Chicken thighs cooking in cast iron pan.

    Does this recipe work with boneless chicken?

    If you want to use boneless chicken, make sure you marinade the chicken for a minimum of 2 hours. Overnight is best.

    Which cast iron pan do I use?

    My favorite inexpensive option is the Lodge cast iron skillet ($33). If you're looking for a show stopper, grab the Finex cast iron with lid ($280) photographed here. Buy the 12" skillet, and you'll be happy you did!

    Cooked chicken thighs in a cast iron pan.

    How to clean cast iron...

    Hand wash your cast iron skillet immediately after use with hot water. Then, use an abrasive sponge to scrub off all the stuck-on food. If necessary, use coarse kosher salt to scrub off any stubborn bits. Finally, dry the skillet thoroughly, add a thin layer of oil, and re-heat the cast iron. Let cool, and store until next use.

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    421 shares

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    1. Emily

      August 20, 2020 at 8:31 am

      I like food that’s light on salt, but this needed salt after cooking. Are you using a salted version of pomegranate molasses?

      Reply
      • Candice

        August 20, 2020 at 2:10 pm

        Interesting... No, I don't use salted pomegranate molasses. And I'm so sorry to hear it didn't come out the way you hoped.
        Did you lightly season with salt before adding the marinade to the chicken? I just noticed that I don't have salt as an ingredient, but it says to lightly season. I will add it in!

        Reply
    2. Jess

      November 03, 2019 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! Now that is a piece of chicken that I can get in to! It came out so good! I am making this one again!

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 08, 2019 at 7:34 am

        That is wonderful, Jess! So happy to hear you loved it!

        Reply
    3. Leanne

      November 03, 2019 at 4:29 pm

      5 stars
      I love cooking in my cast iron pan, especially with chicken! This recipe is amazing! And that delicious, sticky chicken glaze is just the perfect topping!

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 08, 2019 at 7:34 am

        So glad to hear you loved it, Leanne! Cooking in cast iron is such a special treat... I've been trying to use it more and more.

        Reply
    4. Jacqui Debono

      November 02, 2019 at 4:37 pm

      5 stars
      I love my Lodge skillet, and I will use it to make my crispy chicken! I have used molasses in sweet puddings, but never savoury! So I was excited to try this, and it was amazing! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 03, 2019 at 7:28 am

        So glad to hear you liked it, Jacqui! It’s pretty common to use pomegranate molasses in middle eastern cooking... so it’s something I grew up with. I have more recipes that use it, so let me know if you want me to point you in that direction!

        Reply
    5. Sharon

      November 02, 2019 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      This roasted chicken is a beautiful meal that's perfect for fall weekends. The sauce on this is perfection!

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 08, 2019 at 7:33 am

        One of my friends calls it crack sauce LOL! So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Sharon!

        Reply
    6. Veena Azmanov

      October 31, 2019 at 11:30 pm

      5 stars
      The chicken was cooked to perfection. Awesome Glaze and amazing cooking techniques too. Love the flavors too.

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 08, 2019 at 7:31 am

        Oh yay, Veena! So glad you enjoyed the flavors.. it's one of my favorites!

        Reply
    7. Anna

      October 31, 2019 at 2:40 am

      5 stars
      This looks so delicious, and that molasses create just the tastiest, sticky glaze, the flavour is 100% of this world! Nicely done!

      Reply
      • Candice

        October 31, 2019 at 8:42 am

        Thank you so much for sharing, Anna! And glad to hear you enjoyed the sticky deliciousness of the glaze!

        Reply
    8. Kelly Anthony

      October 30, 2019 at 7:00 pm

      5 stars
      I always let my husband clean the cast iron because I've never really known exactly what the proper steps are. Thanks for sharing these great directions on how to do it right.

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 08, 2019 at 7:30 am

        I'm so glad you found them useful, Kelly. You've got this!

        Reply
    9. Heather

      October 30, 2019 at 4:43 pm

      5 stars
      I've never cooked with pomegranate molasses, but was dying to try it. I got a bottle and gave this recipe a try... and dont think I can ever look back! These are so tasty, tangy, sticky, and wonderful.

      Reply
      • Candice

        November 05, 2019 at 8:08 am

        That makes me so happy to hear, Heather! Glad you enjoyed them as much as we do!

        Reply

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    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

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