Roasted Chicken Thighs Lemon (Printable)

Tender chicken thighs roasted with bright lemon and fragrant thyme for a simple main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2.6 lbs)

→ Marinade & Seasonings

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - Juice of 1 lemon

→ Garnish

09 - Extra lemon wedges
10 - Fresh thyme sprigs

# How to Make It:

01 - Set the oven temperature to 425°F.
02 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place them in a large bowl.
03 - Combine olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl, mixing thoroughly.
04 - Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and toss until evenly coated.
05 - Place the chicken thighs skin-side up on a baking sheet or roasting pan, ensuring they are spaced apart.
06 - Cook in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until the skin is golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and lemon wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The skin gets impossibly crispy while the meat stays tender and juicy underneath.
  • You can throw it together in 10 minutes, then walk away while the oven does the work.
  • It tastes like you spent hours thinking about dinner, but you actually didn't.
02 -
  • Don't skip the drying step or your skin will steam instead of crisp, and that's genuinely disappointing when you're this close.
  • If your oven runs cool, you might need an extra 5 minutes, so check earlier rather than later to avoid overcooking the meat.
  • The lemon zest should be finely grated and go into the marinade, not just scattered on top—it distributes the flavor more evenly.
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold chicken straight from the fridge, so take it out 15 minutes before roasting.
  • If your pan has any dry spots after roasting, pour a splash of water in there and scrape up all those browned bits to make a quick pan sauce for drizzling.

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