Easy Lemon Chicken Thighs

This easy lemon chicken thighs recipe bursts with flavor thanks to fresh lemon, oregano, thyme, garlic, and mustard. You can swap thighs for chicken breast or drumsticks, but the juicy thighs are our favorite!

Watch the Video

Lemon Chicken Thighs Recipe Video

You’re going to love these lemon chicken thighs with herbs! They’re packed with flavor, so many of our readers rave about this recipe (check out the reviews below!).

Our simple technique gives you perfectly cooked chicken thighs—golden and crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. We love using skin-on chicken thighs, but this recipe is super versatile. It works well with skinless thighs, chicken breasts, and bone-in or boneless cuts.

The Secret to Perfect Chicken Thighs

The secret to perfect, juicy, and tender chicken thighs is to sear them on the stovetop before finishing them in the oven.

This simple sear-and-bake method keeps our chicken thighs juicy and tender. It’s so versatile that we use it for other delicious recipes – check out these Chimichurri Chicken Thighs.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Thighs

This chicken thighs recipe delivers the best flavor thanks to a mix of lemon, oregano, thyme, garlic, and mustard. It’s so easy, you’ll want to make it all the time!

Sear them first: We rub chicken thighs with a flavorful mixture of mustard, lemon, and oregano, then sear them skin-side down for crispy, golden perfection. (If you don’t have skin-on thighs, add some extra oil to the pan.)

Searing chicken thighs, skin-side-down for golden brown skin

Finish in the Oven: A splash of chicken stock and lemon juice goes in the pan, then it’s off to the oven for tender, flavorful chicken. Finishing our chicken thighs in the oven this way keeps them juicy. This also starts our delicious pan sauce!

Placing a  pan of lemon chicken thighs into the oven to finish cooking

Make a delicious gravy: To finish, we simmer the pan juices with flour and butter, creating a rich, lemony gravy to spoon over our chicken thighs.

Our Tips for Baking Chicken Thighs

We bake our chicken thighs at 400°F. This higher temperature helps them stay juicy and tender without drying out.

We sometimes use 425°F (like in our Sheet Pan Baked Chicken Thighs), but we skip the initial sear in that recipe, so the higher temperature works better.

At 400°F the chicken thighs take 25 to 35 to finish cooking.

What to Serve With Chicken Thighs

These chicken thighs have an amazing, creamy pan sauce – perfect for soaking up! We love pairing it with homemade mashed potatoes or savory mashed sweet potatoes for a satisfying meal.

Fluffy homemade biscuits, garlic bread, or pita bread are also delicious for dipping into that lemony sauce.

I also love adding extra veggies to my plate and especially enjoy a side of quick sautéed cabbage or sautéed green beans. They’re the perfect complement to the chicken thighs. Adam also LOVES these with our fermented sauerkraut.

Juicy Flavorful Lemon Chicken Thighs

How to Store and Reheat

Cool leftover chicken thighs, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.

To reheat, place on a rimmed baking sheet or in an oven-safe skillet and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Thaw frozen chicken thighs overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you cover chicken thighs when baking? We like crispy skin, so we rarely cover our chicken thighs. This lets them get golden brown and delicious!

How can you get more flavor in chicken thighs? Spice rubs are the answer! This recipe’s herb and mustard blend is so flavorful.

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350°F or 400°F? For juicy chicken, we prefer hotter ovens – around 400°F to 425°F. This cooks them quickly without drying them out. (For low-and-slow cooking, 300°F is better.)

Can I use boneless chicken thighs? What about chicken breasts? Absolutely! Both work great. Just add a bit of oil to the pan if your chicken is skinless.

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

Chicken thighs with golden brown skin cooked in a lemon and herb sauce

Easy Lemon Chicken Thighs

  • PREP
  • COOK
  • TOTAL

These lemon chicken thighs are juicy, flavorful, and super easy! You will love the spice rub made with lemon, oregano, thyme, garlic, and mustard.

We prefer bone-in, skin-on thighs for the best flavor and tenderness, but chicken breasts or drumsticks work, too. For skinless chicken, just add a bit of extra oil.

Makes 4 servings

Watch Us Make the Recipe

You Will Need

1 ½ pounds chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon for rub and 2 teaspoons for sauce

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon for rub, 1 tablespoon for cooking

1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice, from 1 large lemon

1 ¼ cups (300ml) low-sodium chicken stock, see chicken stock recipe

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Directions

  • Prepare Chicken
  • 1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204° C).

    2Make the rub for the chicken thighs. Combine mustard, one teaspoon of lemon zest, oregano, thyme, salt, and one tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl. Use your fingers or a brush to coat the chicken with the mustard rub on both sides.

    3In another bowl or measuring jug, combine the remaining lemon zest (2 teaspoons), lemon juice, and the chicken stock. Set aside.

  • Cook Chicken
  • 1Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large oven-safe skillet or frying pan over medium heat.

    2Add the smashed garlic, then cook for one minute or until you can smell toasted garlic and the garlic has browned around the edges. Remove and discard the garlic, but leave the garlic oil.

    3Place the chicken thighs, skin-side down, into the hot garlic-infused oil and cook for two to three minutes or until the skin has turned golden brown.

    4Flip the chicken, then add the lemon juice mixture from before. Stir, then slide the pan into the oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 175°F.

  • To Finish
  • 1Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the chicken thighs to a plate, and loosely cover it with aluminum foil.

    2There should still be liquid in the pan. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.

    3Use your fingers to mix butter and flour in a small bowl, making a dry, crumbly paste.

    4Whisk the flour and butter into the lemony sauce. The sauce will thicken slightly and look glossy. Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan, then serve.

Adam and Joanne's Tips

  • Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We omitted salt from the calculations since you will need to add to your tastes. We assumed four servings.
Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/4 of the recipe / Calories 319 / Protein 22 g / Carbohydrate 5 g / Dietary Fiber 1 g / Total Sugars 1 g / Total Fat 24 g / Saturated Fat 7 g / Cholesterol 127 mg
AUTHOR:  Adam and Joanne Gallagher

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179 comments… Leave a Review
  • S March 5, 2024, 5:14 pm

    Can you make in advance and reheat next day?

    Reply
    • Joanne March 8, 2024, 7:57 pm

      Hi there, Yes! I’ve updated the article with reheating instructions. I like to reheat in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

      Reply
  • Diane klauber November 10, 2023, 4:18 pm

    I have shared this recipe with so many people. I need it for a group of ladies and everyone loved it. Just made it last night and he might’ve myself how good it was. No changes to it at all-love it!

    Reply

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