Baked Lemon Chicken Thighs Recipe

Baked Lemon Chicken Thighs Recipe

This baked lemon chicken thighs recipe is simple but the best. The chicken thighs lemon pepper are marinated in a simple lemon marinade and then baked to perfection creating juicy, delicious chicken.

This lemon chicken thighs are made with a handful of ingredients but the flavors are amazing and it tastes delicious. Once you try it, it's going to be on rotation for your dinner menu. It's that good.

The ingredients used are ones that can be found in most kitchen pantries. No hard-to-come-by ingredients here!

I have used skin on bone in chicken thighs for this lemon pepper chicken thighs recipe however you can use Boneless thighs, chicken breast, or chicken drumsticks.

No need to sear the chicken in a pan on the stove before making these baked chicken thighs with lemon, no browning in a pan, and no need to marinate it for long although if you have the time, you can marinate it for 30 minutes before cooking.

This baked lemon chicken thighs recipe is high in protein, low carb, nutritious, healthy, and delicious. Let me show you how to bake lemon chicken thighs.

Ingredients

Here are what you will need to make lemon pepper chicken thighs. The detailed ingredients, measurements, and directions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Chicken thighs- I used bone in skin on chicken thighs but you can use boneless chicken thighs.

Lemon

Lemon Pepper seasoning- Or a combination of lemon zest, black pepper, and onion granules.

Paprika- Use smoked paprika or regular Paprika.

Italian seasoning

Garlic granules

Salt

Olive oil- I used extra virgin olive oil. This can be substituted for regular olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or any neutral flavor oil.

How To Make Lemon Baked Chicken Thighs

Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.

Cut the lemon into slices.

Dry the chicken thighs with paper towels.

In a small bowl, mix the lemon pepper seasoning, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic granules, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Brush the lemon seasoning mix all over the chicken thighs ensuring that the chicken thighs are well coated in the marinade.

What To Serve With

Here are some side dishes that can be served with lemon chicken thighs:

Cream cheese mashed potatoes, air fryer diced potatoes, air fryer red potatoes

Jollof rice, Instant pot Spanish rice, Jamaican rice and peas, Yellow rice

Spicy pasta, Spinach Pasta, veggie pasta

Fried plantain, boiled sweet potatoes, pan fried sweet potatoes

No yeast bread, easy soft bread, bread rolls

Boiled Zucchini, Mediterranean roasted vegetables, air fryer baby carrots

How To Store

Let the chicken thighs cool completely, remove and discard the lemon slices, then pack the thighs in a Ziploc or an airtight container, label, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

It can be reheated from chilled or frozen.

To reheat in the oven - arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking paper lined tray. Put it in the oven and bake at 200C for 8 minutes (12 minutes if frozen) or till heated through.

To reheat in the microwave- Arrange the chicken on a microwave-safe plate, cover, and heat in the microwave on high settings for 1 minute then at 30-second intervals till it's warmed through to your desire.

Tips For Making Chicken Thighs Lemon Pepper

• Dry the chicken thighs with paper towels before seasoning so the seasoning isn't watered down and for crispy skin.
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best but you can use bottled lemon juice if that's what you have.
• If you have the time, let the chicken thighs marinate for 30 minutes before cooking.
• Let the chicken come to room temperature before cooking. Don't bake it from cold.
• Don't undercook. Ensure the internal temperature is at least 165F at the thickest part.
• Don't overcook as this can make the chicken dry out.
• Cook at a high temperature of 400F or 425F.
• When cooked, sprinkle some lemon pepper seasoning on the chicken for extra lemony flavor.
• Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before you cut into it so the juice has time to redistribute inside.