Lemon Chicken Thighs Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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 GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• CHICKEN STOCK MIXTURE: In a medium bowl, combine chicken stock, lemon juice, olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, Dijon, oregano, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and CHICKEN STOCK MIXTURE; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade. Heat canola oil in a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat.* Working in batches, add chicken to the grill pan in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

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.

ULTIMATE SLOW COOKER LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Make rub for chicken. Combine mustard, 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest, oregano, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a small bowl. Use fingers or a brush to coat chicken on both sides with the mustard rub.
• In another bowl or measuring jug, combine remaining lemon zest (2 teaspoons), lemon juice and the chicken stock. Set aside. Note: Both the chicken and lemon-chicken stock mixture can be prepared up to one day in advance. Cover both and keep in the refrigerator.
• Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in a large oven-safe skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until the skin has turned golden brown and some fat has rendered.
• Transfer the browned chicken to a slow cooker and arrange in one layer with the skin facing up. Cover with lid then cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Save the skillet with drippings for making the sauce.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet used to brown the chicken. If there is not enough fat, add butter so that 2 tablespoons of fat are in the pan.
• Place over medium heat until hot then whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk until the flour and fat turn into a smooth paste and look medium blonde in color; about 1 minute. Pour in the lemon juice-stock mixture and whisk until smooth.
• Bring the sauce to a low simmer. As it simmers, it thickens and becomes glossy. Transfer to a jar or measuring jug and refrigerate for when the chicken is cooked.
• When the chicken is done, it will be sitting in an inch or so of cooking liquid and rendered fat. Transfer the chicken to a plate then skim as much fat from the liquid as possible. There should be almost 2 cups of liquid left in the slow cooker.
• Warm the lemon gravy made earlier then add the lemon gravy to the slow cooker and stir until blended. Place the chicken thighs back into the slow cooker for serving or serve with the gravy drizzled on top.

LEMON CHICKEN WITH FETA ORZO

Steps:

• Equipment: large pan for chicken, small pot for orzo, grater, strainer
• In your small pot, add water and season heavily with salt. Once the water is boiling, add the orzo to the pot.
• Place your large pan over high heat. Grab your chicken thighs and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle the pan with olive oil and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the chicken thighs to the hot pan.
• Smash your garlic, breaking apart the cloves but leaving the paper on, set aside. Zest your lemon, always rotating the lemon to a new spot that's not white. Cut your lemon into wedges and set aside.
• Check the underside of the chicken thighs, they should be browned nicely after having cooked for about 6 minutes. Flip the thighs to brown the other side. Add the smashed garlic to the pan. Now squeeze your lemon wedges all over the chicken and toss the wedges into the pan. Add your lemon zest, white wine, and feta water to the pan.
• Grab a bowl for your orzo. To the bowl, add well-crumbled feta, a drizzle of olive oil, Aleppo chili powder, dried dill, and mix well. Strain the orzo through a strainer and add to the bowl. Toss to combine and salt and pepper to taste.
• Back over to the chicken thighs. Tilt your pan and, using a spoon, baste the chicken with its sauce. Take the pan off the heat and crumble in 2 tablespoons of butter to finish the sauce.
• To serve, plate a pile of orzo. Add several chicken thighs on top, add lemon wedges, add garlic cloves (that have released from their paper), and spoon your sauce over the entire dish.

LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Let the chicken rest: Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.
• Save meat juices to serve with chicken: Pour the juices from the pan into a serving bowl. Use a tablespoon to skim the fat off the top (save the fat for cooking with later, or discard, but do not discard down the drain or it will solidify and clog your drain). Serve the chicken with the juices on the side or a little poured over the top of the chicken. Serve alone, or with steamed rice , buttered noodles , angel hair pasta , or mashed potatoes .

LEMON BUTTER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Season chicken thighs with paprika, salt and pepper, to taste. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; drain excess fat and set aside. Melt remaining tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan, lemon juice and thyme. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, stir in spinach, and simmer until the spinach has wilted and the sauce has slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Return chicken to the skillet. Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

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.

CRISPY LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Slice half of the lemon into thin slices and set slices and remaining uncut half aside.
• Pat chicken thighs dry and sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and a light dusting (about 1/4 teaspoon total) of thyme.
• In a large oven-safe skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, swirl oil around the pan so that it is completely coated. Place thighs in the skillet skin-side down, and cook until well-browned and crispy, about 4-6 minutes.
• Remove from heat and flip chicken thighs. Nestle lemon slices in the pan between the chicken pieces and squeeze juice from remaining lemon half over the chicken.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (longer for very large thighs), until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the thighs reads 165°F.
• Remove from oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

LEMON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 220°C | 430°F. Thoroughly pat thighs dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large oven-proof pan or skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is HOT, sear chicken skin-side down for 8-10 minutes, until crispy and golden browned. Flip and sear the underside for another 8 minutes, until the meat is golden.
• Move thighs to the side and add the garlic to the pan juices. Sauté until fragrant (30 seconds). Pour in the lemon juice and stock, then add in the herbs.
• Transfer chicken to hot oven and roast until completely cooked through (about 15-20 minutes).
• Garnish with extra parsley; taste test and adjust salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with lemon slices.

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).