Best Crispy Lemon Chicken Thighs Recipes

CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CARAMELIZED LEMON RINDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Pat the chicken thighs quite dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them on both sides with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet skin-side down and nestle the lemon halves around them so the cut sides touch the skillet. Cook until the chicken skin is very golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. (The lemon halves should char, but if they start completely blackening, lift them up and place them on top of the chicken as it cooks.)
• Lift up each lemon half, brush the cut side with maple syrup and return to the skillet cut-side down. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the chicken is almost cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the thighs so they are skin-side up, then continue roasting until no longer pink near the bone, another 5 minutes. Serve the chicken with the saucy pan drippings spooned over.

LEMON-SCENTED CRISPY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH POTATOES AND BABY CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the cubed baguette on a sheet tray and bake 10 minutes to dry out. Reserve. Add the potatoes to a pot of simmering water and simmer until you just take the bite off, 10 minutes (we will cook these again in the skillet). Remove and reserve. Turn up the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Heat a 14-inch heavy-bottomed skillet on high and coat with canola oil. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken skin-side down, working in batches if needed, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet, reserving all of the fat in the pan. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt and sweat until translucent and softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the baguette cubes, reserved potatoes and carrots, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the lemon wedges and lemon thyme. Toss all the ingredients in the fat with an additional glug of oil if needed. Arrange the thighs on top and place in the oven until the thighs reach 160 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

CRISPY LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a shallow dish stir together the cornmeal, lemon-pepper seasoning, and dried parsley. In another shallow dish, combine the lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
• Dip each chicken thigh into the lemon juice mixture; coat thighs evenly with the cornmeal mixture.
• In a very large nonstick skillet heat 1 tablespoon remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken thighs to the skillet. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is tender, evenly browned, and no longer pink; turning once. (Add more oil during cooking, if necessary).