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cooked chicken thighs on top of cauliflower rice on brown plate with fork
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Cast Iron Chicken Thighs with Cauliflower Rice

Cast iron chicken thighs are simmered with fresh garlic, chicken broth, and pickle juice.  The pickle juice adds a delicious brine flavor.  Serve over a bed of cauliflower rice, topped with flavorful pan juices.  This easy chicken thigh recipe is low carb, keto, and gluten free!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 354kcal
Author Anne Clark

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup dill pickle juice add more dill pickle juice if the skillet gets too dry.
  • 1-½ cups chicken broth
  • 16 oz frozen cauliflower rice

Instructions

  • Add olive oil and minced garlic to large cast iron skillet.  Saute for 1-2 minutes.  Pat dry the chicken with paper towels. Season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. For added flavor, lift the skin and season under there, too (see notes below). Sear both sides over medium-high heat until the skin is golden brown.
  • Once the chicken thighs are browned, add pickle juice and ½ cup chicken broth to the pan.  Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, then turn each thigh over and continue cooking another 30 minutes or until the meat is very tender. Once tender, remove chicken thighs from skillet to a separate platter. Cover and keep warm.
  • Make the pan sauce: add remaining cup of chicken broth to the cast iron skillet and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Scrape brown bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon and continue cooking until the sauce reduces by one half. 
  • While the pan sauce is reducing, prepare the cauliflower rice per the directions on the bag.  Serve chicken thighs on top of steamed cauliflower rice and drizzle with the pan sauce.

Notes

For added flavor, before searing the chicken, separate the skin from the chicken and lightly salt and pepper the meat under the skin as well.  Position the skin back in place.
Instead of cauliflower, serve with steamed broccoli. Be sure to spoon the pan sauce over the cooked broccoli - it's so good!
Leftovers will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.  Store in airtight containers.  I like to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids. 

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 892mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg