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If you love chicken dinners, try this easy boneless chicken thighs recipe with lemon and garlic! The thighs come out seasoned and juicy, using a mix of pan searing and baking. An easy dinner idea done in 30 minutes with minimal ingredients—we’d call that a win!
Why we love this recipe
If you’re a chicken thigh fan, have we got the trick for you! This chicken thighs recipe is our family favorite—it’s beyond simple with only a handful of ingredients that make the chicken shine. It comes out seasoned and juicy with a combination of pan searing and baking, and trust us: everyone will be floored with the flavor!
We like making this using boneless chicken thighs, but bone-in works too. When people ask us what kind of easy dinner ideas we love as cookbook authors, we often say chicken thighs! They’re economical, easy to cook, and SO DELICIOUS. Our entire family gobbles this up when we make it, and it’s great for weeknights or impressing at a party.
Featured reader comment
“We had this chicken thigh recipe tonight and it was delicious and easy to prepare! I would use this spice mix and cooking method for any type of chicken. The chicken cooked exactly in the time suggested and was so moist but had a nice crisp finish!” -Cheryl
First of all, why chicken thighs?
What’s the big deal with chicken thighs? If you’re not a convert yet, you will be after trying this recipe! Two reasons:
- Many chefs and experts say chicken thighs are the best cut of chicken, because they’re fattier than chicken breasts, giving them a more intense, rich flavor than white meat.
- They’re also very economical, making them a great option for an inexpensive dinner.
Ingredient notes for this chicken thighs recipe
Here’s what to know about what you’ll need:
- Boneless chicken thighs: The best type for this chicken thighs recipe is skin-on or skinless boneless chicken thighs. You can also make this recipe using bone in chicken thighs, just cook a few more minutes when baking until the temperature is reached.
- Olive oil: This is our healthy cooking oil of choice! It’s perfect for sautéing chicken thighs at high heat.
- Lemon: There’s no zesting or juicing involved: just bake the chicken on top of lemon wedges to infuse the flavor.
- Garlic: There’s no mincing either; simply peel and smash garlic cloves and throw them in to infuse flavor while baking.
- Seasonings: You’ll need garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and salt. This is a play on our standard chicken and fish seasoning blends, and it’s a simple way to make the protein taste incredible!
Tip for cooking chicken
Chicken is done when the internal temperature measures 165°F on a food thermometer that is inserted at the thickest point. Make sure that you insert it in what appears to be the thickest point, because the temperature can vary widely based on where you insert it.
Ways to make it into a meal
Since this chicken thighs recipe is cooked in a skillet but finished in the oven, we find the best ways to accessorize it are with a stovetop grain or vegetable and a salad. You can certainly roast a vegetable as well, but having the chicken in the oven at the same time will affect the cook time. Here are a few ideas:
- Grains and pasta like quinoa, orzo, couscous, white rice, lemon rice, or garlic butter noodles
- Vegetables like sauteed broccoli, peas with lemon, sauteed broccolini, sauteed kale, or boiled potatoes
- Salads like arugula salad, Mediterranean salad, strawberry salad, kale salad, apple salad, or chopped salad
Storing leftovers
This chicken thighs recipe stores refrigerated up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, or repurpose it in tarragon chicken salad, chicken pasta salad, grilled chicken salad, or chicken orzo soup.
More chicken thighs recipes
If you love chicken thighs as much as we do, there are so many different and fun ways to cook them! Here are a few of our top easy chicken dinner recipes starring thighs:
- Make our fan favorite crispy baked chicken thighs
- Try super simple pan fried chicken thighs
- Opt for one-pot chicken and rice, or fire up the grill for grilled chicken thighs
- Mix up seasonal chicken thighs with peaches
Dietary notes
This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
Frequently asked questions
Chicken thighs are more flavorful and forgiving than chicken breasts, meaning they stay juicy even if cooked a little longer. The higher fat content also helps them crisp up beautifully when pan-seared.
That said, you can use chicken breast in this recipe too! Make sure to butterfly the chicken breast before making the recipe, then cook slightly less time in the oven, just until the chicken comes to temperature.
Absolutely! Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs will add even more flavor to the dish. Just keep in mind that they will take a bit longer to cook.
You can cook the chicken ahead of time and refrigerate until serving, but it’s best to cook them fresh for optimal flavor and texture. Gently reheat on the stovetop before serving.
Easy Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
If you love chicken dinners, try this easy boneless chicken thighs recipe with lemon and garlic! The thighs come out seasoned and juicy, using a mix of pan searing and baking. An easy dinner idea done in 30 minutes with minimal ingredients—we’d call that a win!
Ingredients
- 4 large boneless chicken thighs, about 1 pound, skin optional, excess fat removed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, stir together the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and Italian seasoning. Place the chicken thighs on a cutting board and sprinkle the seasoning mix on all sides of the chicken thighs.
- Add the olive oil to an oven-proof skillet and heat over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs smooth side down and cook without turning, until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the chicken to a plate. Place the lemon rounds evenly on the bottom of the skillet and add the smashed garlic on top. Place the chicken thighs on top of the lemons and garlic, seared side up.
- Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes until cooked through and the internal temperature measures 165°F on a food thermometer when inserted at the thickest point. Remove from the oven and serve warm, with juices from the pan spooned over the top. Leftovers store up to 4 days refrigerated.
Notes
Chicken thighs are more flavorful and forgiving than chicken breasts, meaning they stay juicy even if cooked a little longer. The higher fat content also helps them crisp up beautifully when pan-seared. That said, you can use chicken breast in this recipe too! Make sure to butterfly the chicken breast before making the recipe, then cook slightly less time in the oven, just until the chicken comes to temperature.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chicken
- Diet: Gluten Free
Tried it tonight with chicken breasts and buttered noodles. Sauteed it and n my crockpot and switched to slow cook while making noodles. Very yummy and easy to make. 😋
We had this chicken thigh recipe tonight and it was delicious and easy to prepare! I would use this spice mix and cooking method for any type of chicken. The chicken cooked exactly in the time suggested and was so moist but had a nice crisp finish!