Skillet Chicken and Stuffing Recipe

One pan chicken thighs and stuffing in a skillet.

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Skillet Chicken and Stuffing Recipe

Chicken thighs, stuffing, cranberries, and crispy sage all bake together in one skillet to make this beautiful, rustic, holiday-worthy dinner!

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 585kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet or another oven-safe skillet

Ingredients

12 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs *
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small yellow onion diced
2 stalk celery diced
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces dry chicken stuffing mix **
½ cup dried cranberries
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook for 30 seconds per side, until crisp. Transfer the sage to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 12 fresh sage leaves
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high. Arrange the chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, without moving them, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp. Flip and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, until most of the fat has rendered from the skin. Transfer the chicken to a plate. It may not be cooked through at this point.
5 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Reduce the heat to medium, then add the onion and celery to the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the butter to the skillet and allow it to melt.
1 small yellow onion, 2 stalk celery, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the stuffing mix and dried cranberries.
6 ounces dry chicken stuffing mix, ½ cup dried cranberries
Pour in the chicken broth and stir until the stuffing is evenly moistened.
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up into the stuffing, leaving as much of the skin exposed as possible. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part and the stuffing is hot with crisp, browned edges.
Let the chicken and stuffing rest for 5 minutes. Scatter the crispy sage leaves over the top just before serving.

Notes

*The cook times for this recipe are based on bone-in, skin-on thighs. If you prefer to use boneless thighs, you may need to reduce the cook time slightly.

**Use a box of dry Stove Top style stuffing mix. I used the "chicken-flavored" stuffing, but you can use any flavor or variety.

Becky's Top Tips:

A cast iron skillet is ideal for this recipe, but another large (12-inch) oven-safe skillet can be used instead. A shallow Dutch Oven or braiser works well too.
The sage will fry and crisp up quickly, so keep an eye on it and remove the leaves as soon as they start to rise up from the pan.
Resist the urge to flip the chicken too soon. The skin will naturally release from the pan (instead of sticking) when it's ready.
Don't submerge the thighs too far into the stuffing mix. Any skin submerged in the stuffing and broth will remain soft, but we want the skin to get crispy in the oven.
This recipe is designed to create soft, moist stuffing. It will not be a loose, crumbly dressing.

Use Breasts Instead:Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be used instead of thighs. Brown them on both sides, then finish cooking them in the oven at 400°F instead of 375°F. Because breasts cook faster than thighs, the higher temperature helps the stuffing develop crisp, browned edges before the chicken dries out. Start checking the internal temperature early, as cooking time will depend on the thickness of the breasts.

Storage: Store chicken thighs and stuffing together in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.

Nutrition