Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

These baked lemon pepper chicken thighs are simply marinated with seasonings, lemon and olive oil. They are quickly pan seared until lightly browned and crispy and then roasted in the oven to juicy perfection!

Why this recipe is just so good....

• Easy recipe: only needs a handful of simple ingredients for maximum flavor! Marinating the chicken really helps infuse the savory lemon flavor in the marinade into the meat.
• The thighs are pan seared on the stovetop and finished in the oven. This technique guarantees crispy skin and juicy chicken.
• You can also use this recipe for meal prep. Chicken is fairly inexpensive and a low calorie, high protein choice to prep ahead.
• To meal prep: make the marinade, season the thighs and freeze them in the marinade in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and bake. If the raw chicken had previously been frozen, they can be refrozen, however the flavor and texture may be affected. The USDA does not recommend refreezing meat that has been defrosted in the microwave.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients needed to make Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs:

• Bone in chicken thighs, with skin
• lemon pepper seasoning
• olive oil
• lemon juice
• garlic seasoning
• chicken seasoning

Ingredient Notes

• Instead of the chicken seasoning try some paprika, onion powder and celery salt.

• You can make your own homemade lemon pepper seasoning by mixing together: lemon zest from 2 fresh lemons, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
• If you love lemon flavors try my Lemon Pepper Pork chops, Lemon Herb Shrimp or Blackened Grouper with lemon herb sauce.

How to make Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

Pat dry the thighs with a paper towel. In a small bowl, stir the seasonings together and press onto the chicken and also gently lift the skin and rub the seasoning underneath.

Mix olive oil and lemon juice. Place chicken in a bowl, casserole dish or plastic storage bag. Pour the lemon juice and oil over the thighs.

Let marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet or other oven safe large skillet over medium-high heat.

Drain marinade from chicken thighs and place skin side down in the skillet.

Pan sear the thighs for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Flip chicken over. Put thin lemon slices on top of chicken and place skillet in preheated oven and finish baking the chicken about 15-20 minutes. The thighs are done when an internal meat thermometer registers 165°F.

FAQ

Recipe Tips

• If your chicken thighs have too much excess skin, you can trim it off with kitchen shears.
• When searing the chicken, don't move the thighs for at least 5 minutes once they are in the pan. The skin may stick to the pan.
• Use a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone to test for doneness.
• Your meat thermometer is the best way to check if the chicken is done. However if you don't have one, try cutting into the center of the thighs to see if the meat is white and the juices are clear. They should not be pink, if they are cook for another 5-10 minutes. I don't like to use this method since you are loosing the juices, but can be done in a pinch.
• Let the thighs rest for about 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.

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