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!
Cast-Iron Pomegranate Molasses Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp Herbes de Provence
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
- 1 serrano pepper thinly sliced
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
Nutrition
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.
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!
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.
I like food that’s light on salt, but this needed salt after cooking. Are you using a salted version of pomegranate molasses?
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!
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!
That is wonderful, Jess! So happy to hear you loved it!
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!
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.
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.
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!
This roasted chicken is a beautiful meal that's perfect for fall weekends. The sauce on this is perfection!
One of my friends calls it crack sauce LOL! So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Sharon!
The chicken was cooked to perfection. Awesome Glaze and amazing cooking techniques too. Love the flavors too.
Oh yay, Veena! So glad you enjoyed the flavors.. it's one of my favorites!
This looks so delicious, and that molasses create just the tastiest, sticky glaze, the flavour is 100% of this world! Nicely done!
Thank you so much for sharing, Anna! And glad to hear you enjoyed the sticky deliciousness of the glaze!
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.
I'm so glad you found them useful, Kelly. You've got this!
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.
That makes me so happy to hear, Heather! Glad you enjoyed them as much as we do!