Baked Garlic Chicken Thighs With Lemon
For garlic lovers, these baked garlic chicken thighs are a dream come true.
The meat becomes soft and juicy as it cooks, and the garlic roasts to creamy perfection. It’s sure to be on your table over and over again. The best part? The house smells heavenly.
One Pan Baked Garlic Chicken Thighs
This easy recipe is made in a single skillet, so you won’t have a ton of dishes to do. Just make sure your skillet is oven-proof (it doesn’t have to be cast iron as long as it can safely be in the oven), and you’re good to go!
In the absence of a good pan, you can also use a rimmed baking sheet. Just be aware that you may not need to cook them for the full amount of time called for in the recipe.
Bone-In, With Skin Vs. Boneless Skinless
This recipe uses boneless, skinless, chicken thighs. You can certainly use the bone-in variety if you wish. You can also use the type with the skin still on. And yes, you can even substitute completely with chicken breasts. The choice is yours. use your favorite.
How Long To Bake Chicken Thighs?
How long you cook chicken thighs, will depend on your oven and the thickness of the chicken pieces. The thicker the pieces, the longer they cook.
Also, know that the thickness of your pan matters as well. You’ll cook longer in a cast iron pan than you will in a stainless steel pan.
Optional Garnish Ideas
Try garnishing this with:
- Fresh parsley
- Any fresh herbs you prefer
- Fresh oregano
- A cream-based sauce of your choosing.
- A drizzle of olive oil at serving
- An extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- A drizzle of honey
About The Ingredients
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs – Trimmed to your liking
1 medium head of garlic – Minced. This is approximately 15-20 garlic cloves.
1 medium lemon – Sliced. These should be approximately a 1/4 inch thick
½ tsp. salt – I used pink Himalayan salt, but you can use whatever type of salt you normally season your food with.
½ tsp. ground black pepper
How To Make Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs
Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice a lemon and mince a full head of peeled garlic.
Oil a cast-iron skillet (or another type of oven-safe skillet).
Place the raw chicken thighs into the oiled skillet.
Brown the chicken thighs, seasoning them on both sides with salt and pepper as you do.
Add the minced garlic to the pan, between the chicken thighs.
Place the lemon slices over the chicken thighs.
Bake for approximately one hour, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 F. on a meat thermometer at the thickest parts of the thighs. Remove the lemon slices and scoop some of the garlic over each breast. Serve while still hot with a lemon slice on the side for squeezing the juice out if desired.
Storage, Freezing, And Reheating
How To Store Baked Garlic Chicken Thighs
These should be stored in an airtight container. Keep them in the fridge for up to three days.
Can I Freeze Baked Garlic Chicken Thighs?
You can! If packed well, these will freeze for up to 4 months.
How To Reheat Baked Garlic Chicken Thighs
From Fridge – You can reheat these briefly in a microwave, or simply place them back into the oven at 350F. for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also heat these in an air fryer at 390F. for about 3-5 minutes. Lastly, you can reheat these in an oiled skillet on the stovetop.
From Freezer – Thaw these in the fridge overnight. Once fully thawed, reheat using any method mentioned above.
What To Serve With Baked Garlic Chicken Thighs
The flavors of this dish will pair well with many, many side dishes. Here are some suggestions.
If You Eat Low Carb
If You Eat Grains
If You Need Veggies
More Healthy Chicken Thigh Recipes
Recipe Supplies
For this recipe, you’ll need an oven-safe skillet, a cutting board, a good knife, and a metal spatula. Click any of the images here to be taken to that product on Amazon. (Affiliate links)
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Baked Garlic Chicken thighs
Baked Garlic Chicken Thighs With Lemon
CLICK TO WATCH THIS RECIPE IN ACTION!
Equipment
- 1 large oven-safe skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (trimmed to your liking)
- 1 medium head of garlic (minced)
- 1 medium lemon (sliced)
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice a lemon and mince a full head of peeled garlic.
- Oil a cast-iron skillet (or another type of oven-safe skillet).
- Place the raw chicken thighs into the oiled skillet.
- Brown the chicken thighs, seasoning them on both sides with salt and pepper as you do.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan, between the chicken thighs.
- Place the lemon slices over the chicken thighs.
- Bake for approximately one hour, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 F. at the thickest parts of the thighs. Remove the lemon slices and scoop some of the garlic over each breast. Serve while still hot with a lemon slice on the side for squeezing the juice out if desired.
Can this be prepared in the instant pot after browning?
Jennifer – I don’t see why not! The only difference may be less of a garlic flavor because the chicken won’t *roast* in the garlic. But in theory, it should work.