Looks amazing.
So you leave it skin side down the whole time?
The original poster later clarified that you turn the thighs skin-side-up after the 17 minutes and before popping em into the oven. You can do something similar with a spatchcocked cornish hen: season to taste and brown well skin-side-down in a sturdy pan, then flip over and finish in the oven.
No, I flip it over after the 17 minutes on stovetop before putting in oven. I forget to mention that up top.