Cast Iron Honey Chicken

Cast iron and honey were made for each other. I've never tasted anything like it. Sweet, sticky, sour, juicy and charred. Thinking about the bottom of that skillet right now makes my mouth water.

I tested out a recipe for food52.com, and decided I wanted to change it up a bit and make it my own. The original recipe is awesome, so go check it out: Roasted Chicken with Honey, Lemon and Rosemary. The lemon and honey turn into this tart but sweet combination that create a brilliant crust around the bird. 

I made my chicken in a cast iron skillet, which resulted in caramelizing the garlic on the bottom of that pan with the honey and juices from the chicken. I can't tell you how divine it was. After I pulled out the chicken and pieces of caramelized garlic, there was this thick, sticky "paste" left on the bottom. Heaven, my friends, heaven. I sopped up every drop of it as "sauce" for the chicken. This is such an easy dish, it would be ridiculous of you not to make it.

Cast Iron Honey Chicken

1- 2 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
1/2 lemon (thinly sliced)
4 tbsp honey
10 cloves garlic (crushed and halved)
olive oil
salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Salt and pepper your chicken breasts, under the skin and on top of the skin. Carefully tuck 2 lemon slices under the skin of each breast. Add lots of honey under and on top of the skin of the breast.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat (you want to get the skin real crunchy and brown). Add olive oil to the skillet and throw in chicken breasts, skin side down. Add the garlic halves to the bottom of the pan. Cook on the stove top for 7 minutes. Flip the chicken (skin side up) and transfer to the oven. Cook for 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove from stove and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve the chicken with all of the caramelized garlic pieces, and the thick sauce on the bottom. You will love this, YUM!