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Easy to make and full of flavor, these Pan Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs are sure to please even the pickiest in your family! Pan fried for a crispy skin outside, then finished in the oven for the most tender, juicy meat inside.
Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
My kids aren’t huge meat eaters, especially my daughter. It takes a lot to get her to eat even a few pieces of chicken; and steak? Forget about it. But when I made my Pan Roasted Herbed Chicken a couple months ago, she literally gobbled it down! I’ll admit I ate two pieces, it was THAT good.
And friends, let me tell you, this Lemon Garlic version was even better! The acidic bite from the lemon and the slight kick from the garlic were magnificent and the rosemary gave a nice floral note. These recipes call for you to leave the skin on, and it crisps up giving the most wonderful texture to the chicken. Of course leaving the skin is all about flavor, and there’s tons of it in this dish!
If you prefer to save a few calories and not eat the skin, you don’t have to, but let it cook with the skin on to give that nice juicy flavor.
How to Make Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs
Pan Roasted Chicken is easy to make, and in just a couple of steps.
- First combine the marinade mixture in a bowl and pour it over the chicken in a zipped bag. Let it marinate for 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge.
- Heat up some olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet (I prefer cast iron). You want a pan that will sear nicely and is also oven safe.
- Place the chicken, skin side down, in the skillet just long enough to render some the fat and brown the skin. It’s going to continue cooking in the oven and the skin will get nice and crispy as it finishes.
- Flip the chicken over and brown the other side, then pour in a mixture of chicken broth and lemon juice and slide the skillet into the oven.
- As it comes out of the oven, spoon those pan juices over the chicken. The result is a mouth-watering chicken that your family will be begging you to make again and again!
Serving Suggestions
Chicken goes with just about anything, but the lemon and garlic flavor infused into these pan roasted chicken thighs definitely pairs well with these side dishes:
- Roasted Red Potatoes – super easy to make with a simple seasoning.
- Oven Roasted Parmesan Garlic Potatoes – creamy gold potatoes, roasted with fresh garlic and olive oil then coated with parmesan cheese is perfection.
- One Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta – A simple, one pan pasta that makes a delicious side or main course.
- Garlic Green Beans – Ready in just a few minutes, this is an excellent, flavorful and healthy side dish any night of the week.
Of course, you could always just keep it super simple with a copycat Olive Garden Salad and garlic bread.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- I don’t recommend marinating longer than 2 hours. The acid from the lemon can actually begin to “cook” the chicken.
- You can use this marinade with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts if you like. Brown quickly on the stove top, then finish in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the meat registers 165 degrees on a digital meat thermometer.
- Spoon the pan juices over the chicken just before serving for a little something extra.
- Store leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
Eat more chicken!
- Fried Chicken Thighs
- Whole Roasted Chicken
- Baked Chicken Breasts
- Crockpot Orange Chicken
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Caprese Stuffed Chicken
- Smothered Chicken and Mushrooms
Pan Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs about 6-8 thighs
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup lemon juice + 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 3 garlic cloves minced
Marinade
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken in one gallon zippered bag and our the marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. (If you're in a hurry, you can reduce marinade time as needed).
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Whisk together 1 cup chicken broth, ¼ cup lemon juice, and minced garlic and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet (cast iron is preferred) over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and sear until both sides are nice and browned, about 3 minutes per side.
- Pour chicken broth mixture around the chicken into the pan and add rosemary sprigs between the chicken pieces. Do not pour over the chicken, just around it.
- Roast chicken in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until juices are clear.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Adapted from Damn Delicious.
