Get ready for a one-pan chicken dinner that’ll rival your favorite Italian restaurant! Juicy, skillet-seared Cacio e Pepe Skillet Thighs are smothered in a luxuriously creamy and boldly peppery sauce, inspired by the classic Cacio e pepe pasta. It’s a deceptively simple dish that delivers incredible flavor and comfort in under an hour.
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🗝️ Recipe’s key points
- It transforms basic pantry items into a meal that’s perfect for cozy weeknight dinners and equally impressive for guests.
- You can make the entire dish in one pan in under an hour, and it’s perfect served over pasta, potatoes, or rice.
- Cooking the black pepper chicken thighs at a high heat makes a crispy crust. Then, finishing them in the sauce keeps the meat juicy and adds a creamy, peppery flavor.
Easy, elegant, and utterly delicious – this one skillet chicken thighs truly has it all!
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Chicken thighs – You will need about 2 ½ to 3 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. This is about 6 thighs for this Italian chicken skillet recipe. You can use skinless thighs, but this will prevent you from achieving a golden crust.
- Olive oil – Used to sauté the shallot and garlic, and create a golden sear on the chicken. You can also use vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
- Kosher salt – For seasoning the thighs once patted dry.
- Shallot – Finely minced. This adds the aromatic base of this dish alongside the minced garlic.
- Garlic – This recipe calls for minced garlic from 3 garlic cloves for the best depth of flavor.
- Dry white wine – The wine helps deglaze the pan. It lifts the tasty browned bits from the chicken. Its acidity balances the richness of the dish, making a better sauce.
- Heavy cream – Thickens the sauce and adds incredible creamy flavor.
- Chicken broth – Use low-sodium broth for better control of the level of salt in this dish.
- Whole black peppercorns – This ingredient is in the name of this easy chicken thighs dinner. It is a key part of the sauce!
- Pecorino Romano cheese – Always use freshly grated cheese for best flavor. It will also melt better in the sauce.
- Lemon zest – Added to the sauce just before serving, lifting the sauce and balancing the rich, creamy sauce.
- Fresh parsley – For a pop of freshness. Adding parsley as garnish is optional.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering, then add the chicken skin-side down.
- Sear the chicken until golden-brown, about 13 – 15 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden-brown, 10 -12 minutes more.
- Turn off the heat and transfer the chicken to a large plate skin-side up (it won’t be cooked through). Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add the shallot and garlic to the pan.
- Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 1 minute.
- Add the dry white wine and simmer, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, about 30 seconds.
- Add heavy cream, chicken broth, and peppercorns. Bring to a rapid simmer, stirring regularly.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken skin-side up to the pan. Pour in any accumulated juices from the plate. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and the chicken is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Stir the lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of the finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese into the sauce.
- Return the chicken and spoon the sauce around. Garnish with the remaining cheese and chopped fresh parsley leaves. Serve with lemon wedges and more grated Pecorino Romano cheese, if desired.
🥫 Storage
Store leftover Cacio e Pepe chicken thighs with sauce in an airtight container for 4-5 days. You can store this creamy Cacio e Pepe chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it later and reheat it with the sauce. Enjoy it with fresh sides.
📚 Variations
- Chicken: I’ve used chicken thighs for this dish, but you could make it with skin-on chicken breasts and adjust the cooking time.
- Ditch the alcohol: You can make the sauce without the dry wine, if you prefer. Add additional broth or apple juice as a suitable substitute.
- Vegetarian: Make a classic Cacio e Pepe recipe. Just leave out the chicken and enjoy this rich sauce with soft pasta.
- Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese can be used if you can’t source Pecorino.
- Kick of heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper into the sauce for a spicy twist.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs ensure ultra juicy pieces of chicken and allow for a golden seared crust for extra flavor and texture.
- Leave enough space in between each chicken thigh to encourage a good sear rather than steaming the pieces. A large 12-inch skillet fits 6 thighs well.
- It’s important to pat the chicken thighs dry before seasoning. This helps create a golden, crispy crust when searing in the hot pan.
- Don’t cook the chicken thighs all the way through when searing. They will continue to cook once added to the sauce to simmer.
- You can tell that the chicken thighs are cooked properly when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
🤔 FAQs
It’s pronounced “KAH-cho eh PEH-peh.”
Cacio = “KAH-cho” (the “c” is like a hard “k,” and the “cio” sounds like “cho”).
e = “eh” (like the short “e” in “pet”).
Pepe = “PEH-peh” (both “e’s” are short, crisp vowels, not “pay-pay”).
Think of it as saying: KAH-cho eh PEH-peh. 🇮🇹✨
Yes, you can swap in chicken breasts, but I recommend pounding them to even thickness so they cook more evenly. Keep in mind that thighs stay juicier and more flavorful, especially in a creamy sauce like this.
Traditionally, Cacio e Pepe is made with Pecorino Romano, which has a salty, sharp flavor. You can also use Parmesan or a mix of both if that’s what you have on hand.
This recipe is best enjoyed fresh, as the creamy sauce thickens when it sits. However, you can cook the chicken ahead of time, then quickly reheat it in the sauce just before serving.
The “pepper” in Cacio e Pepe means you’ll definitely taste the black pepper kick, but it’s not overwhelming. You can adjust the amount of pepper to suit your taste—use less for mild, more if you love bold flavor.
Absolutely. The sauce can be thickened with just pasta water, chicken broth, and cheese. Cream just adds extra richness, but it’s not required for delicious results.
📗 Related Recipes
Have extra chicken thighs? If so, these juicy and flavorful chicken thigh dinners are for you!
- Greek Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs – This is an easy one-pan meal. It has crispy, juicy chicken with roasted Mediterranean vegetables and tangy feta cheese.
- Asian Grilled Chicken Thighs – Golden grilled chicken thighs glazed in a blazing spicy Asian sauce, served with extra for dipping. Chicken wings work perfectly as an alternative.
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken – A rich and creamy garlic chicken skillet with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, ready in just 30 minutes. Naturally low-carb and Paleo-friendly.
🍽 What to serve with Cacio e Pepe Skillet Chicken Thighs
Serve your one skillet chicken thighs over tender pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, couscous, or quinoa. All of these options will help to soak up the delicious sauce! For a low-carb alternative, serve your quick Italian chicken thighs over these zucchini noodles. For a lighter dinner, enjoy your chicken thighs and sauce with a fresh side salad or grilled vegetables. Soak up any extra sauce with a slice of garlic bread.
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Large skillet – A 12-inch skillet will comfortably hold 6 regular chicken thighs. Avoid a small skillet as the chicken will steam.
- Chef’s knife – Use to prepare the ingredients.
- Cutting board – Another tool I always use to prepare my ingredients.
- Liquid measuring cup and dry measuring spoons – For accurate measuring.
- Microplane – The perfect tool for grating hard cheese, like Pecorino Romano
- Wooden mixing spoon – For mixing the creamy sauce.
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
Here it is—Cacio e Pepe Chicken Thighs that bring you all the flavors of the classic Roman pasta dish. This recipe turns it into a warm, una-padella (one-skillet) dinner. Juicy chicken, creamy sauce, that kick of black pepper—it’s comfort food with an Italian flair that comes together faster than you can say “Mangia!”
What I love most is how this recipe feels a little fancy, yet it’s simple enough for a Tuesday night. It’s one of those dishes that makes you look like a rockstar in the kitchen with barely any effort (and minimal cleanup—grazie mille, skillet!).
So, the next time you’re craving something bold, peppery, and downright delicious, give these chicken thighs a try. Trust me, once you taste that cheesy-peppery sauce clinging to each bite, you’ll be hooked. Buon appetito, my friends—and may your weeknight dinners always be this satisfying. ❤️
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
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📖 Recipe
Cacio e Pepe Skillet Chicken Thighs Recipe
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Equipment
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Large Skillet
-
Chef knife
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Non-skid cutting board
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Measuring Spoons
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Dry measuring cups
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Liquid measuring cup
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Box Grater or Microplane
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken thighs 6 skin-on chicken thighs (2 ½ to 3 pounds total)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup medium shallot 1 finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns coarsely crushed
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
- 3 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese divided, plus more for serving
- Finely chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish (optional)
- Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
-
Pat 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt.
-
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
Add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is golden-brown, 10 to 12 minutes more.
-
Turn off the heat. Transfer the chicken to a large plate skin-side up (it will not be cooked through). Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.
-
Add 1 finely chopped medium shallot and 3 minced garlic cloves to the pan. Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 1 minute.
Add ¼ cup dry white wine and simmer, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, about 30 seconds. Add ¾ cup heavy cream, ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon coarsely crushed whole peppercorns.
Bring to a rapid simmer, stirring regularly.
-
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the chicken skin-side up to the pan and pour in any accumulated juices from the plate. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and the chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter.
-
Stir 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of the finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese into the sauce. Spoon the sauce around the chicken. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese and chopped fresh parsley leaves if desired.
Serve with lemon wedges and more grated Pecorino Romano cheese if desired.
Notes
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs ensure ultra juicy pieces of chicken and allow for a golden seared crust for extra flavor and texture.
- Leave enough space in between each chicken thigh to encourage a good sear rather than steaming the pieces. A large 12-inch skillet fits 6 thighs well.
- It’s important to pat the chicken thighs dry before seasoning. This helps create a golden, crispy crust when searing in the hot pan.
- Don’t cook the chicken thighs all the way through when searing. They will continue to cook once added to the sauce, which will then simmer.
- You can tell that the chicken thighs are cooked properly when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Nutrition
The post Cacio e Pepe Skillet Chicken Thighs appeared first on All Our Way.