If you’re looking for a delicious one-skillet meal that’s Whole30 and paleo-friendly, look no further than this easy lemon garlic chicken recipe!
This winner-winner-chicken-dinner features crispy-skinned chicken thighs cooked in a zesty and garlicky sauce made with lemon juice, chicken broth, garlic, and fresh herbs. It’s easy to make, bursting with flavor, and perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions. Plus, it’s gluten-free and packed with umami!
No need for a marinade!
The beauty of this dish is there’s no need to whip up a lemon garlic chicken marinade and marinate the chicken for hours before you cook it. You simply salt the chicken thighs and crisp up the skin in the skillet before quickly making a zippy lemon garlic pan sauce that accompanies the chicken as it bakes in the oven. The meat is infused with the sauce while it bakes while the skin stays crispy. Win-win!
Tips for the best lemon garlic chicken
- Pick bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with a lot of skin covering the meat! The skin shrinks as it browns so make sure you have thighs that are covered with a good amount of skin. That way, the chicken thighs will brown beautifully and release from the skillet easily because the extra fat rendered from underneath the skin helps with the browning.
- Use a heavy bottom pan! I like to use cast iron, enameled cast iron, or a clad stainless steel skillet to get a uniform golden brown sear on the skin. Also, make sure the pan is oven-safe, too!
- Remove some of the chicken fat before making the sauce! Although the fat released from the chicken skin is great for browning the chicken, it can make the sauce too greasy. I always spoon off most of it before making the sauce, making sure there’s just enough fat to properly sauté the minced garlic.
- Don’t let the garlic burn! I recommend turning off the heat when you add the minced garlic because you don’t want it to burn and ruin the sauce. You can turn the heat back on after you’ve added the rest of the sauce ingredients to bring to a simmer before adding the chicken back in.
- Taste the sauce before you add the chicken back in! Once the sauce is simmering and ready for the chicken, taste it and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. You want to make sure the sauce is perfectly delicious before the chicken cooks in it!
Ingredients
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: This lemon chicken recipe tastes best with this cut of chicken because the skin gets super crispy while the meat gets juicy and infused with lemony goodness. In a pinch, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts but neither will taste as good! (Also, you’ll need to decrease the cooking time so you don’t overcook the chicken.)
- Lemons
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh thyme: Toss in a few fresh thyme sprigs and remove them after the chicken is done cooking. Fresh rosemary or a couple of bay leaves also work. Want to use dried herbs? Just sub about half a teaspoon of your favorite dried herb.
- Chicken broth
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil: To keep things dairy-free, I replace butter with extra virgin olive oil. Avocado oil also works!
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Minced fresh Italian parsley (optional garnish)
How to make lemon garlic chicken
Heat the oven and prep the chicken
Heat the oven to 450°F with the rack in the middle position. While the oven is heating up, pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel.
Next, sprinkle kosher salt liberally (about 2 teaspoons) on both sides of the chicken pieces.
Prep the lemons
Cut one lemon in half crosswise. Then, cut one of the lemon halves in half lengthwise before slicing it into thin half-moons. Set aside the lemon slices. Next, cut the second lemon in half crosswise and juice the remaining three lemon halves. Measure out 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and set it aside.
Sear the chicken
Heat a 12-inch oven-safe heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add some oil to the pan. Then, sear the chicken pieces skin-side down in the hot pan until nicely browned and crispy, about 5 minutes.
While the skin is crisping, add freshly ground black pepper to the meaty side.
Once the skin is golden brown, flip the pieces over and cook for 2 minutes more.
Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and turn off the heat.
Make the lemon garlic sauce
Spoon off the excess fat in the pan, leaving just enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet.
Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir it around so it gets fragrant but not burned. Then, pour the broth and reserved fresh lemon juice in the pan.
Turn the heat on medium and bring the sauce to a simmer. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Then, tuck in the thyme sprigs and lemon slices. Arrange the chicken pieces back in the pan, skin-side up.
Bake the chicken
Transfer the pan to the hot oven.
Roast the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 175°F. (You have an instant read thermometer, right? Use it!)
Garnish the chicken with a shower of minced Italian parsley, and dig in!
How to save leftover lemon garlic chicken
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More one-skillet crispy chicken thigh recipes
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022)
-
Heat the oven to 450°F with the rack in the middle position.
-
While the oven is heating up, pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Next, sprinkle kosher salt liberally (about 2 teaspoons) on both sides of the chicken pieces.
-
Cut one lemon in half crosswise. Then, cut one of the lemon halves in half lengthwise before slicing it into thin half-moons. Set aside the lemon slices.
-
Then, cut the second lemon in half crosswise and juice the remaining three lemon halves. Measure out 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and set it aside.
-
Heat a 12-inch oven-safe heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil to the pan. Then, sear the chicken pieces skin-side down in the hot pan until nicely browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. While the skin is crisping, add freshly ground black pepper to the meaty side.
-
Once the skin is golden brown, flip the pieces over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and turn off the heat.
-
Spoon off the excess fat in the pan, leaving just enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir it around so it gets fragrant but not burned. Then, pour the broth and reserved fresh lemon juice in the pan.
-
Turn the heat on medium and bring the sauce to a simmer. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
-
Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Then, tuck in the thyme sprigs and lemon slices. Arrange the chicken pieces back in the pan, skin-side up.
-
Transfer the pan to the hot oven. Roast the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 175°F to 185°F.
-
Garnish the chicken with a shower of minced Italian parsley, and dig in!
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 35g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
