Season both sides of the chicken thighs with fresh thyme leaves and sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Heat the oil in an OVEN SAFE large skillet over high heat.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the seasoned chicken thighs skin side down; cover with a splatter screen, and sear skin 8-10 minutes.
Be patient. Don’t try flipping early. It’ll release easily from the pan once it’s ready to flip, but you want to make sure the skin is rendered, crispy, and beautifully golden brown.
Flip the chicken over and add a few sprigs of thyme in the skillet then place into the preheated oven to cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.