Best Lemon Chicken Thighs Recipes

ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH LEMON, THYME AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Pat chicken thighs dry and place, skin side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in refrigerator, uncovered, for 8 hours or overnight to dry skin. Remove chicken from refrigerator at least 45 minutes before cooking.
• Heat oven to 500 degrees. Spread onion slices and garlic cloves in a baking dish that can hold the chicken snugly in a single layer. Scatter lemon on the onion-garlic mixture and strew with thyme and rosemary sprigs.
• Remove chicken from baking sheet and place on several layers of paper towels, skin side down. Sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Turn thighs over and season with remaining salt and pepper. Transfer to the baking dish skin side up. Use your hands to arrange the bed of onions and garlic so they're completely under the chicken.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife point. If skin is not a deep golden brown and crispy, turn on broiler and broil chicken close to heat a few minutes to crisp and brown it.
• To serve, move chicken off the bed of onions, garlic, lemon and herbs. Discard lemon and spoon the rest of the ingredients, along with pan juices, onto a serving platter. Place chicken on top and serve.

BAKED LEMON-BUTTER CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place 3 tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in a microwave oven until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Smash garlic cloves with the side of a chef's knife and add garlic to the warm butter. Stir in lemon juice and onion powder. Set aside.
• Sprinkle both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium-sized oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken, skin-side down, for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip chicken over and brush skin with lemon-butter mixture. Pour remaining butter mixture into skillet and remove from heat.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Brush skin every 10 minutes with pan juices.
• Remove skillet from the oven and place chicken on a serving platter. Drizzle chicken with pan juices and garnish with parsley.

LEMON AND HERB MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and zest, chopped herbs, garlic, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Whisk to combine.
• Place the chicken thighs in a wide flat dish so they are in a single layer. Add the herb mixture. Massage the thighs to coat with the herb mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Note: If doing a quick marinade, leave the chicken out of the fridge for up to 1 hour.
• Preheat grill. Brush and oil the grill to clean.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush off any excess herbs and oil. Season the chicken generously with salt and drizzle with a little bit of fresh olive oil.
• Cut the 2 whole lemons in half and cut the tips off the ends; this will allow the lemons to stand up without rolling around. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the preheated grill. Place the lemons, flesh side down, on the preheated grill. Grill the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes and then rotate the chicken 90 degrees to create the lovely crosshatch pattern. Grill the chicken for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. Check for doneness (the chicken should be well cooked). Check the lemon halves to see if they are beautifully caramelized. Turn over to grill on the bottom for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the chicken with grilled lemon.
• Call yourself a superstar!
• March - Why We Love: Lemons

GRILLED LEMON-GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Zest and juice 4 lemons; reserve remaining 2 whole.
• Combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, sage, garlic, and crushed red pepper for marinade in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Place chicken thighs in a single layer in a wide, flat dish. Add the herb mixture and massage to coat. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and brush off any excess herbs and oil. Season generously with salt and drizzle with olive oil.
• Cut the 2 whole lemons in half and cut the tips off of the ends; this will allow the lemons to stand up without rolling around.
• Place the chicken, skin side-down, on the preheated grill. Grill chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees to create a crosshatch pattern. Grill another 3 to 4 minutes, then turn and grill until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• At the same time, grill the lemons, flesh-side down, alongside the chicken, until caramelized. Flip over to grill on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with grilled chicken.

LEMON-GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season the chicken thighs with 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the freshly ground pepper.
• Place the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour and set aside.
• In a large wide saute pan with 2 to 3-inch sides, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the thighs and brown well on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Add the onions to the oil and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the chicken until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf and cook 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, chicken broth, and browned chicken thighs to the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover tightly, and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the lid and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until cooked through and tender.
• While the chicken is baking, cook the pasta until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes for dry pasta. Drain well and toss in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of the parsley and the butter.
• To serve, place a portion of pasta in the center of 4 large plates. Arrange 2 thighs around each serving of pasta and drizzle lemon garlic cooking liquid over the pasta. Garnish with additional parsley and serve immediately.

GREEK LEMON-GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Combine lemon juice, chicken broth, olive oil, garlic, and oregano in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and shake so chicken is well coated with marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x11-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Pour chicken and marinade into the prepared baking pan. Arrange potatoes around the chicken.
• Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are tender and chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

LEMON, ROSEMARY AND BALSAMIC GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine and pour into a 1-gallon resealable food storage plastic bag. Put the chicken thighs in the bag and seal it. Turn to ensure that the chicken is evenly coated, then refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat a grill to medium-low and brush the grates lightly with an oil soaked cloth. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Season the chicken well on all sides with salt and pepper, then place on the grill, skin side down. Cook the chicken about 8 to 10 minutes, turn and continue to cook an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat and serve while hot.

LEMON GARLIC ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Spray a deep baking dish, or roaster with non stick spray.
• Combine 1 TBS of olive oil, the juice and zest of both lemons, plus the additional lemon juice, and the 4 cloves of garlic minced in a small bowl.
• Place the chicken in the roasting pan.
• Sprinkle liberally with the Lemon Pepper Salt.
• Pour the lemon mixture over all- you can throw the lemon rinds into the baking dish too.
• Bake at 400 for about 45 minutes to an hour, turning the chicken over halfway through baking.
• I sometimes make this, and seal it in a ziplock bag in the freezer, then when you are ready, thaw, dump in the roaster and bake- just adding the lemon pepper salt.
• My family likes this when I take the sauce from the chicken, combine it with a small amount of half and half and serve it over pasta.

LEMON AND GARLIC GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Prepare an outdoor grill for medium heat.
• Whisk the oil, oregano, lemon zest and juice and garlic in a large bowl. Add the chicken, toss to coat and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• Lightly oil the grill grates and grill the chicken, skin-side down, until lightly charred, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Cover the grill and cook until no longer pink near the bone and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of each chicken thigh reads 165 degrees F, about 5 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a green salad.
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CREAMY LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place chicken in a large bowl and coat generously with salt, pepper, and paprika.
• Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken to the skillet in batches, skin-side down. Cook until skin is golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per batch. Remove chicken and place into a large baking dish.
• Add thyme and garlic to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until garlic is fragrant and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour slowly into a thick paste. Add wine, stock, lemon juice, and cream and bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Pour sauce over chicken in the baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, until chicken is not longer pink inside and juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

AMAZING BAKED LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Remove most of the skin from chicken thighs, leaving a small patch on top.
• Mince garlic and make a paste with the teaspoon of salt using side of large knife, then rub all over tops of chicken.
• Peel potatoes and cut into eight wedges each.
• Add salt and pepper to potatoes, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
• Sprinkle chicken with black pepper and place in 9x13 pan.
• Place potatoes in and around thighs.
• Pour chicken broth into side of pan.
• Sprinkle lemon juice to taste over top of dish.
• Bake at 350° for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done.
• Turn chicken and potatoes over halfway through cooking time.
• Add more chicken broth during baking, if pan becomes dry during cooking.

BAKED LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir 1/4 cup lemon juice, salt, rosemary garlic seasoning, and oregano in a large bowl. Add chicken and enough water to cover; stir well. Cover and refrigerate chicken 4 hours to overnight. Drain and discard lemon juice brine.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a large baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Spread half the lemon slice in the baking dish. Arrange chicken thighs over lemon slices; top chicken thighs with remaining lemon slices.
• Bake chicken in preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 30 to 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Melt light butter with olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir mushrooms, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried lemon peel in hot butter-oil mixture until mushrooms are browned and soft, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine chicken stock and flour in a jar with a tight fitting lid; shake well. Pour mixture into mushrooms.
• Increase heat to medium high; simmer mushroom sauce until thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve with chicken.

LEMON-GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Combine lemon juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic in a non-reactive dish. Add chicken; turn to coat all sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray a shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.
• Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Arrange chicken on the prepared roasting pan. Pour remaining marinade over top. Sprinkle with pepper and salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven, basting occasionally with marinade, for 20 minutes. Bake without basting until the juices run clear, another 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH WHITE BEANS, LEMON, AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Toss beans and capers in a 13x9" baking dish and spread out evenly on bottom of pan. Spread 1 tsp. mustard on skin of each chicken thigh and nestle, skin side up, into beans and capers. Arrange lemon slices under and around chicken and add enough water (about 1/3 cup) to come up sides of chicken by 1/2". Drizzle chicken with oil and season whole dish with salt and pepper.
• Roast chicken, stirring and shaking dish halfway through, until skin is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 35 minutes. If chicken skin starts to burn, move pan to a lower rack to finish cooking.
• Transfer chicken, beans, lemon slices, and capers to a serving platter. Spoon some of the pan sauce around chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

LEMON-GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl; pour over chicken thighs in another bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove chicken from marinade and place in a roasting pan. Add potatoes.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn chicken over and baste with marinade. Bake until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 35 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer chicken and potatoes to a serving platter and sprinkle with lemon zest.

LEMON-GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS WITH POTATOES AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Put the potatoes and carrots in a medium pot, cover with 1 inch of water and season with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken with salt and black pepper. Melt the butter in a Food Network™ 13-in. Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and the garlic cut-side down. Cook until both are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Add the potatoes, carrots and lemon to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes start to brown, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Put the chicken on top of the vegetables skin-side up and roast in the oven until the chicken registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer and the potatoes are golden, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving.

BAKED LEMON-PEPPER CHICKEN THIGHS AND RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with lemon-pepper seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, rubbing the seasoning into both sides of the chicken. Cook chicken in the hot oil until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
• Melt butter in the the same pot and stir into the drippings. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Turn off burner.
• Pour in chicken stock and water, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven with a wooden or plastic spoon to loosen any browned bits. Stir in rice, lemon juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and pepper. Place the chicken on top of the rice and cover with the lid.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and remove the chicken to a plate using tongs. Stir rice from bottom to top then place the chicken back on top of the rice. Cook, uncovered, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft, about 15 minutes.

ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH LEMON AND OREGANO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Very thinly slice half of lemon; discard any seeds. Cut remaining lemon half into 2 wedges. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
• Coat a large room-temperature skillet with 1 teaspoon oil. Add chicken, skin side down. Place skillet over medium heat and cook, letting skin render and brown, and pouring off excess fat to maintain a thin coating in pan, until chicken is cooked halfway through, about 10 minutes.
• Scatter half of lemon slices over chicken and half on bottom of skillet (the slices on top of the chicken will soften; those in the skillet will caramelize). Transfer skillet to oven, leaving chicken skin side down. Roast until chicken is cooked through, skin is crisp, and lemon slices on bottom of skillet are caramelized, 6-8 minutes.
• Transfer chicken pieces, skin side up, and caramelized lemon slices from bottom of skillet to a warm platter. (Leave softened lemon slices in the skillet.) Return skillet to medium heat. Add oregano sprigs, shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Remove skillet from heat. Add wine; cook over medium heat until reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Add broth; cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Squeeze 1 lemon wedge over and season sauce with salt, pepper, and juice from remaining lemon wedge, if desired. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up, to rewarm. Serve topped with caramelized lemon slices.

CHICKEN THIGHS BAKED WITH LEMON, SAGE, ROSEMARY & THYME

Steps:

• Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with a large pinch of salt to create a coarse paste (or use a small mixing bowl and the back of a spoon, or mince the garlic very finely on a cutting board). Add the oil very slowly in drops while pounding and grinding the paste, continuing until the allioli is thick, creamy, and emulsified. Put the chicken in a bowl. Rub the allioli all over, including under the skin. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Heat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Arrange the lemon slices in one layer in a large shallow roasting pan or baking dish (9x13x2 inches is good). Top each slice with a piece of rosemary and thyme and a sage leaf. Set the chicken thighs, skin side up, on top; sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. Bake until the skin is golden and the juices are clear, 45 minute to 1 hour.
• Sometimes the lemons and chicken produce a lot of juices, in which case you can make a delicious pan sauce. Transfer the chicken (keeping the herbs and lemon slices underneath) to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Tilt the pan to pool the juices in one corner. Spoon off the fat that rises to the top. Set the pan over medium heat (if the pan isn't flameproof, pour the juices into a small skillet) and scrape up any stuck-on juices. Let the juices boil and reduce so they thicken to a saucy consistency. Drizzle the sauce around, not on, the chicken to maintain the crisp skin.

LEMON GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Place lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a large zip-top bag; reserve remaining lemon juice for another use. Add olive oil, garlic, parsley, and salt. Add chicken thighs, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, 1 hour to overnight
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove chicken from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Place chicken on the preheated grill and cook, turning once, until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 8 to 9 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the grill and allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.