Best 20 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.

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.

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.

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 CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Pat chicken thighs dry and season well with salt and black pepper. Place in a large resealable plastic bag and add vinegar. Seal bag and gently massage chicken to ensure all thighs are coated in vinegar. Chill 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove chicken thighs from bag and pat dry with paper towels. The drier the skin, the crispier it will be when cooked.
• Place chicken thighs, skin side down, in a dry large cast-iron skillet and set over medium heat. Cook undisturbed until they easily release from the pan, about 4 minutes. Continue to cook, moving chicken around occasionally to ensure the skin is cooking evenly, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and transfer skillet to oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Transfer chicken and garlic to a plate.
• Set skillet over medium-high heat and cook lemons, cut side down, until edges are deeply charred (they should be almost black), about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate with chicken and garlic and let cool slightly.
• Squeeze lemon juice into a small bowl; add garlic, honey, and Aleppo-style pepper and whisk to combine. Whisk in oil and any accumulated juices on plate with chicken. Season vinaigrette with salt and black pepper.
• Drizzle half of vinaigrette on a platter and set chicken on top. Serve with remaining vinaigrette alongside.

LEMON GINGER CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Unroll the chicken thighs and place in a 9" x 13" baking pan.
• Brush with 2 tablespoons water and sprinkle the thighs evenly with the flour.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Combine the cornstarch and brown sugar in a bowl.
• Gradually whisk in the soy sauce, lemon juice, cooking wine and water.
• Add the ginger and pepper.
• Pour over the chicken and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
• Serve with basmati rice.

ROSEMARY-LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon and rosemary over medium heat until bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towels; reserve drippings in pan., Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt; brown in drippings on both sides. Cook, covered, skin side down, over medium heat 4-6 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170°. Remove from pan; keep warm. Pour off drippings from pan., Add broth and lemon juice to same skillet. Bring to a boil, scraping to loosen browned bits from pan; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Spoon over chicken; sprinkle with bacon.

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.

LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Mix garlic, brown sugar, thyme, rosemary, allspice, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Pat chicken dry and rub with the spice mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook until crisp, about 4 minutes. Flip. Pour chicken stock around the thighs. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon into the skillet. Slice the second lemon and arrange over the thighs.
• Cover and simmer 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). Discard lemon slices and serve.

INSTANT POT® KETO CHICKEN THIGHS IN LEMON-GARLIC CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Heat vegetable oil.
• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides; add to Instant Pot®. Cook one side at a time until both sides of the chicken are a golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside.
• Add onion and sauté for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Pour in white wine and stir to scrape brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil and cook until broth has reduced slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the Sauté function.
• Return chicken Instant Pot®. Close and lock the lid. Select High pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 10 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, for 10 minutes. Release remaining pressure carefully using the quick-release method, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
• Remove chicken from the pot and set aside. Select the Sauté mode and bring sauce to a boil. Whisk in butter or margarine, heavy cream, salt, and thyme. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve chicken drizzled with the sauce.

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.