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    Home » Recipes

    Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs are flavorful and easy to make.

    This recipe uses the best aromatics you can infuse in chicken; garlic and lemon.

    chicken thighs with lemon wedges on cast iron skillet
    Garlic, honey, lemon and pepper are a winning flavor blend

    These 2 ingredients yield and incredibly delicious chicken thigh and the addition of honey and pepper compliments the dish perfectly.

    For this recipe we need skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. But feel free to use chicken breast if you'd like or to remove the skin and bone from the thighs.

    Ingredients to marinate chicken thighs

    In this recipe we use a lot of aromatics to infuse the chicken thighs with flavor.

    • Garlic: Aromatic and honestly, chicken's best friend. It diminishes the strong poultry flavor/smell.
    • Lemon: In this recipe we use lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning and lemon zest for an extra lemony zing.
    • Honey: Honey allows for a balanced flavor and helps caramelized the chicken for lovely texture and flavor.
    • Lemon pepper: This seasoning enhances the lemony flavor in this recipe but you can substitute it for additional lemon zest and ground pepper (fresh if possible).
    • Paprika: Adds color and smokey flavor to the chicken thighs.
    • Onion powder: to round up the seasoning and add another aromatic layer to the recipe.
    paprika, onion powder and lemon pepper seasoning in a bowl
    paprika, onion powder and lemon pepper seasoning

    How long to cook a chicken thigh

    The best answer to this question is to get a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature of your chicken to know that is fully cooked.

    How long to cook a chicken thigh is going to depend on a lot of factors, the most important ones are how big your chicken thighs are and what cooking method you are using.

    Times and cooking temperatures vary significantly, so a food thermometer is your best bet to get a precise cooking time.

    Using a meat thermometer ensures that your chicken is cooked to perfection. The ideal meat temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Chicken thighs with marinade on a sheet
    Marinating the meat yields amazing flavor

    Chicken thighs make a great inexpensive dinner. They are cheaper than chicken breast and way more flavorful.

    It is also more difficult to overcook chicken thighs than chicken breast so the end result is a more flavorful dish with less hassle.

    This Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thigh yields a crispy chicken skin and juicy and tender meat.

    You can pretty much customize this recipe to your liking. I first saw it on royaleats tiktok. You can easily swap or omit ingredients according to your liking.

    Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs on a cast iron skillet with lemon and parsley
    The honey helps create a glossy sauce

    Difference between chicken thighs and chicken breast

    There are some significant differences between chicken thighs and breast. Chicken thighs are considered "dark meat" while chicken breast is "white meat".

    The texture of chicken thighs is more dense than the texture of chicken breast, that is why chicken breast is ideal to shred while thighs are better whole or chopped.

    Chicken thighs are more moist than chicken breast and they are more flavorful.

    Chicken thighs can withstand higher cooking temperatures and are more difficult to over cook or dry out while chicken breast are easily overcooked.

    Chicken breast are a leaner cut of meat, therefore considered a healthier choice when fat is a concern.

    Chicken thighs are higher in fat and cholesterol so if you are on a low fat diet, use chicken breast instead.

    If you like this Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs, you may also like this garlic shrimp recipe.

    Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

    Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

    Isabel
    This recipe is easy to make and full of flavor
    4.92 from 35 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 335 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 Chicken Thighs
    • 4 Garlic cloves minced
    • 4 Tablespoons Honey
    • 1 Lemon Juice and Zest
    • ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika Trader Joe's is my favorite brand
    • 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoons Lemon pepper seasoning or extra lemon zest and freshly ground pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Onion powder
    • ½ cup chicken broth
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions
     

    • In a bowl mix all the minced garlic, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and lemon pepper seasoning
      4 Garlic cloves, 4 Tablespoons Honey, 1 Lemon, ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons Garlic powder, 2 teaspoons Lemon pepper seasoning, 1 teaspoon Onion powder, Salt to taste
    • Mix well into a uniform paste
    • Rub the chicken thighs with the paste, making sure to get under the skin of the chicken
      4 Chicken Thighs
    • Marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours
    • Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high heat and place the chicken thighs skin side down. Brown for 1 to 2 minutes on high and flip them
    • Use the chicken broth as needed to deglaze the skillet
      ½ cup chicken broth
    • Reduce the heat to medium low and cook the chicken thighs until internal temperature reaches 165 farenheit
    • Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or a salad.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 335kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 19gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 198mgPotassium: 357mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 224IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword chicken thigh
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Comments

    1. Alexa

      July 12, 2022 at 11:40 pm

      Was not thrilled with this recipe, to be honest. I find lemon juice gets bitter when cooked for that long and you'll never get a good sear with so much liquid. I'd brine the chicken ahead of time to keep it juicy, dry it off, dry rub with seasoning, and sear. Then flip, add chicken broth, and then finally add the lemon juice and honey at the end. You get a much fresher taste.

      Reply
    2. CFinnegan

      January 29, 2023 at 3:06 am

      2 stars
      I must’ve missed something- I didn’t get a paste - the marinade was very watery. I used one lemon. Also I didn’t know if I was supposed to cook with the lid on or off

      Reply
      • Isabel

        January 31, 2023 at 3:05 am

        Sorry it didn't turn out how you expected. Letting the pan sauce reduce is key to making it less watery. I will post a video on this recipe soon and I hope you give it another try.

        Reply

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