Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
These delicious lemon garlic chicken thighs are quickly seared in a skillet and baked in the oven. Juicy chicken, crispy skin – a delicious meal in 30 minutes! Serve them with roasted green beans with potatoes or gluten-free mashed potatoes for a quick family dinner that everyone enjoys.
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Chicken thighs are my favorite chicken cut and just like the marinated chicken skewers or the honey ginger glazed chicken, and my easy chicken tray bake – these baked chicken thigh recipes make a perfect weeknight dinner.
Not a big surprise here that the deliciousness of this chicken dish lies in its lemon garlic marinade. It might, in fact, be the best marinade on my blog. The mixture of garlic, lemon, cumin, and olive oil works its magic, making the chicken deliciously crunchy on the outside and tender and juicy inside.
Why You Will Love This Recipe:
- Budget-Friendly: Affordable, everyday ingredients.
- Kid-Friendly: Crispy chicken skin and mild lemony flavors make it a hit with children.
- Great Leftovers: Cold chicken thighs taste even better the next day, making them perfect for a lunch box.
- Quick to Make: Ready in just 30 minutes, ideal for busy weeknights when there’s no time to cook.
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit with my whole family! It was so easy to prepare. I served it with the Greek salad. Your recipes are always delicious! Thank you.
ada
Recipe Ingredients
To make the baked lemon garlic chicken thighs we will only need a few ingredients. You probably have most of them in your fridge and pantry already.
- Chicken thighs, skin on, bone out. I like to use boneless chicken thighs because they require less cooking time.
- Extra virgin olive oil. We will need it to sear the chicken thighs.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice. Choose an organic or unwaxed lemon if possible.
- Fresh cilantro leaves. We call it coriander in Australia.
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. Leave it out if cooking for kids.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients 👇
Variations & Substitutions
- Not a fan of cilantro? You can use fresh parsley instead.
- While I use chicken thighs to make this recipe you can use any cut of chicken you prefer. If using chicken thighs bone-in or chicken drumsticks, increase the cooking time to 40 minutes.
How To Make Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
Step 1: Make the chicken marinade. Grate the lemon zest, cut coriander (cilantro), and crush the garlic cloves. Put everything in a mixing bowl along with the olive oil, ground cumin, garlic powder, and salt, and mix well to combine.
Step 2: Add the chicken thighs and mix well so that the chicken is fully covered with the marinade. I like to “massage” the chicken to make sure every little bit got the delicious marinade. Refrigerate it in an air-tight container or a ziplock bag for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 200’C (400’F)
Step 4: Heat 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in an OVEN-PROOF frying pan or a large skillet. Place chicken thighs skin down and fry them on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until the skin is nice and golden.
Step 5: Turn the thighs around, skin side up, and cook for another minute or two to seal the other side.
Step 6: Bake it. Transfer the frying pan to the oven and bake the chicken for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
☀️ Top Tip
Please be mindful that the frying pan is VERY HOT. I usually put a kitchen mitten on the frying pan handle so I don’t grab it accidentally. Yes, that happened to me before… Ouch!!
🍽️ Make it Ahead of Time
This recipe is a great meal prep idea. Marinate the chicken and refrigerate it for 2-3 days. Or freeze it in a freezer-safe container. Simply take it out the day before you will cook it and leave it in the fridge to defrost it naturally. The chicken will marinate while it is defrosting. Perfect easy dinner for a busy weeknight. Watch the video below to see how I do it all in one Ziploc bag 😊
❄️ How to Store
Refrigerate: Did you happen to have some leftover garlic chicken? This is great because you can use them the next day to make sandwiches or add meat to a salad. Simply refrigerate the cooked thighs in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze it: Why you will love this recipe:
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Reheat: This chicken is delicious cold, but you can reheat it in the pan or microwave if you use one.
🍴 How to serve
- Serve the chicken thighs hot with roasted greek lemon potatoes and Turkish yogurt dip for a quick classic meal.
- Slice the chicken and place it on top of mixed greens for a fresh and nutritious salad. Try it with Asian slaw salad.
- Use the chicken as a filling for wraps or sandwiches. Add some crunchy veggies and a spread of your choice for a satisfying lunch.
- Toss the chicken with pasta and a light sauce or simply serve it on the side of Easy Creamy Pesto Pasta.
Recipe FAQs
To ensure your chicken thighs are fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature at the thickest part. It should reach 165°F (74°C). Alternatively, you can cut into the thickest part of the chicken; the juices should run clear, and the meat should be white, not pink.
Yes, you can overcook chicken thighs in the oven, but they are more forgiving than chicken breasts. While chicken thighs are naturally juicier and more flavorful, overcooking them can still lead to dryness and toughness.
Rubbery chicken is a sign of overcooking. As the chicken cooks too long, it loses moisture, causing the protein fibers to tighten and become elastic, resulting in a rubbery texture.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried this Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Baked Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
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Ingredients
- 6-8 chicken thighs skin-on, bone-out
- 4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon zest of 1/2 lemon
- 4 tablespoons Lemon juice approximately 1/2 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons Freshly chopped cilantro leaves coriander
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes leave out if cooking for kids
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Make the chicken marinade: Grate the lemon zest, cut coriander (cilantro), and crush the garlic cloves. Put everything in a mixing bowl along with the olive oil, ground cumin, garlic powder, and salt, and mix well to combine.
- Add the chicken thighs and mix well so that the chicken is fully covered with the marinade. I like to “massage” the chicken to make sure every little bit got the delicious marinade. Refrigerate it in an air-tight container or a ziplock bag for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 200’C (400’F)
- Heat 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in an OVEN-PROOF frying pan or a large skillet. Place chicken thighs skin down and fry them on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until the skin is nice and golden.
- Turn the thighs around, skin side up, and cook for another minute or two to seal the other side.
- Bake it. Transfer the frying pan to the oven and bake the chicken for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Marinating Time: Marinate the chicken thighs for 30 minutes, or overnight for the best flavor.
- Meal Prep: This recipe is ideal for meal prep. Marinate and freeze the chicken in a freezer-safe container. Defrost in the fridge overnight for a quick dinner.
- Storage: Let cooked chicken cool to room temperature before storing. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat to 165°F (74°C).
- Cooked Chicken Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 170-175°F (77-79°C) for full doneness.
- Great Lunch Option: This lemon and garlic chicken is perfect for lunch. Serve it over mixed greens, quinoa, or brown rice. It’s also great in salads, wraps, or sandwiches
These easy-to-make baked chicken thighs are one of our all time favorites. We have them at least a couple of times every month because everyone in our family loves it.
So easy to make and absolutely delicious. Loved it
Thanks Lou!
This recipe looks simple and tasty.
Thanks, Wennie!
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit with my whole family! It was so easy to prepare. I served it with the Greek salad. Your recipes are always delicious! Thank you
Thank you, Ada! So happy to hear you enjoyed it!!