Lemon Chicken Thighs

These lemon chicken thighs are wonderful and tangy from lemons, fresh thyme, and pungent garlic, making this dinner undeniably delicious. Make it for lunch or dinner. Serve it with roasted vegetables and a side of rice.

It’s summertime and lemons are in full swing. These hot summery days are the best time to incorporate lemon into your meals. This lemon chicken does just that.

The marinade is my favorite part of this lemon chicken dish. It’s simple to make, packed with garlic and herbs, and the marinade can even be made ahead of time. You only need to marinate the chicken for 60 minutes to create a tasty supper.

Lemon Chicken Marinade

Chicken Marinade Ingredients

Lemon. You will need lemon zest and juice. The addition of the zest will emphasize the desired lemony taste.

Olive oil. Use a nice quality olive oil. Your marinade is only good as the ingredients you put in it.

Garlic. I like to be generous with this ingredient. It adds so much flavor. Are you a garlic girl?

Spices. Parika and Aleppo pepper adds a nice smokey-like flavor. Feel free to use smoked paprika.

Herbs. Fresh sprigs of thyme have a wonderful earthy flavor. It works so well with lemon and garlic.

Whole-grain mustard. This is my secret ingredients. Like the lemon, whole-grain mustard is going to add a nice sharp, tanginess that works perfectly. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

How Long Should You Marinate Chicken with Lemon?

I recommend marinating this chicken for at least 60 minutes. Also, because there’s acid in the marinade, do not marinate it no longer than 4 hours. The acid will break down the meat fibers and cause an unwanted mushy texture.

What Are the 3 Essential Components of Marinating?

Here are the 3 essential components I consider when making marinades.

Fat. I like to use a nice, rich olive oil as the fat of choice. Avocado oil is also an option.

Acid. This can include lemons, oranges, pineapples, or even grapefruit.

Spices. The options are pretty endless here; there’s paprika, garlic, onion, oregano, etc.

What to Serve with Lemon Chicken

Shred it into the oven juices and serve as incredibly tasty tacos.

Serve alongside broccoli or your favorite roasted vegetable and plain white rice.

Once baked, store in a container with a slice. Once cool, dice it up and enjoy over salad.

Use it to make an awesomely delicious chicken salad. Hey, why not?

How to Store

Once the chicken has cooled. Store it in a container with a lid and place it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How to Freeze

Before cooking, preserve the lemon chicken in the freezer for up to 6 months. Just make sure it travels straight from preparation to the freezer.

After cooking, once cool, store in a freezer-safe bag and place into the freezer for up to 3 months.

Lemon Chicken Thighs

5 from 1 vote

Lemon chicken thighs are made with a tangy lemon-based marinade consisting of aromatic garlic, wholegrain mustard, fresh sprigs of time, paprika, and Aleppo pepper.

Author: Ashley Cooking Method: Baking, Marinating Cuisine: American Courses: Chicken Recipes Recipe Keys: C Chicken

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe Chicken Recipes

Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 45 min Rest Time 60 min Total Time 1 hr 55 mins Servings: 4

Ingredients

Servings

• ¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
• 1 lemon, zest of (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 lemon, juice of (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 8 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
• (1 lemon, thinly cut into wheels, optionally placed between the chicken thighs)

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, add the olive oil, zest, and juice of the lemon, wholegrain mustard, garlic, paprika, Aleppo pepper, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well-incorporated, about 30 seconds. 

2. In a baking dish, place the chicken thighs. Pour the marinade over the chicken. With tongs, flip and coat each thigh until all are covered with marinade. Add the thin-sliced lemon wheels in between each thigh (optional). Cover the baking dish with saran wrap and place the dish into the fridge for 60 minutes. 

3. 15 minutes before the timer goes off, preheat the oven to 375°F.

4. Remove the saran wrap and place the baking dish with the marinated chicken in the oven covered ( you can use foil for this step) and bake for 30 minutes. 

5. After baking for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes to achieve the final browning. 

6. Once an internal temperature reaches 160-170°Farenhiet, take the baking dish out of the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes. 

7. Serve while hot. 

Keywords: lemon chicken recipe