While this site has plenty of love for a quick pan seared chicken breast, thighs have become a go-to around here. They cook up juicy every single time, and they do it fast.
When my foodie nephew was coming for dinner, I wanted something that would impress without making either of us work too hard. One pan, straightforward technique, and easy cleanup after. After years of developing chicken recipes, I promise this lemon garlic version is a winner.
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For a heartier meal, these lemon baked chicken thighs are exceptionally good over butter garlic pasta.
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What you’ll need
In addition to the boneless chicken thighs and pantry seasonings, I have a couple of ingredient and equipment callouts to keep in mind to successfully make this sauce.
Dijon mustard. I like Honeycup Sharp Mustard. It’s almost a thick sweet paste and adds a little sugary pop to the sauce.
Flour. Just a bit to thicken the milk and make the sauce creamy.
Milk. I use 2% milk. Fat free could work but the sauce will likely not be as rich.
Lemon. Adds a touch of acid and brightness.
Before getting started
- This is a classic one pan meal. The browning of the chicken and sauteing of the onions in the residual fat contribute to making a really layered and flavorful sauce.
- I mentioned chicken thighs cook quickly without drying out. And they are very forgiving so when the recipe says cook for 15-20 minutes, there is no need to stress on time. They’ll stay juicy and moist if the pasta or rice you’re making takes longer to cook.
- The recipe and images in the step-by-step instructions below show the option of spinach being added to the dish. It relaxes and wilts into the sauce without any crazy effort on the cook’s part.
How to make lemon garlic chicken thighs
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Lemon and Garlic Baked Chicken Thighs
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lb boneless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons paprika, smoked or sweet up to you
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 T flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 T spicy Dijon mustard, I use Honeycup
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, optional
Instructions
- Preheat an oven with the rack in the center to 400°.
- Season both sides of chicken with 2 tsp each of garlic powder, thyme, oregano and paprika and 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.1 1/4 lb boneless chicken thighs, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons oregano, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat skillet with olive oil. Saute seasoned chicken until browned on each side about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate.1 Tablespoon olive oil
- To the skillet, add the butter. Once shimmering, saute the onions over medium-high heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic. Add 2 T flour. Cook 2 minutes.1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion, 2 teaspoons garlic, 2 T flour
- Whisk in the chicken broth and the lemon juice / zest, followed by the Dijon mustard. Rapidly stir till thickened over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Pour in 1 cup milk, mixing until creamy and bubbling. Taste and correct for seasoning as needed.1 cup chicken broth, 1/2 lemon, 1 T spicy Dijon mustard, 1 cup milk
- Nestle the browned chicken in the pan and spoon over the sauce.
- If using the spinach, sprinkle over the chicken the last 5 minutes of cooking. Cover the pan and finish baking until a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the chicken reads 165° and the spinach is wilted.2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
- Serve with basmati rice or garlic butter pasta.
