Lemon and Herb Chicken Thighs
2 mins prep time
Lemon and herb chicken thighs is the perfect weekday dinner option. Delicious juicy chicken thighs lightly seasoned with Mediterranean herbs, some extra virgin olive oil, and a tangy lemon citrus boost. This recipe uses just a few easy-to-find ingredients to create a flavor explosion that’s sure to please.
Best of all, this easy chicken thighs recipe literally takes less than 2 minutes to prep and pop in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes and you’ve got a delicious chicken dinner ready in under 30 minutes. It’s light and fresh too, so a great chicken recipe for summer or when you feel like something healthier.
Budget-Friendly Recipe | Meat & Poultry Recipe | Easy Recipe | Main Meal Recipe | High Protein | Midweek Dinner | Made in 30 Mins
Serving:
Main 4 servings
Ready in:
30 mins
Skill level:
Easy
Serve with:
Salad, veg, or rice
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How to Make Lemon and Herb Chicken thighs
Ingredients you’ll need
(makes 4 servings)
- 4 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Equipment needed
- 1 baking tray or skillet around 8 x 10 inches (20 x 25 cm)
- Oven
Watch step-by-step recipe video
If you’re looking for this recipe’s video and many other great recipe ideas, why not check out our Spanish Radish YouTube Channel? We’ve got everything from quick and easy tapas recipes, delicious main meals, and incredible Spanish dessert options too.
Method
Step 1 – Season chicken
- Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F
- Add the chicken thighs, olive oil, slices of lemon, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper to a baking tray. Remove the needles from 1 rosemary sprig and add.
- Mix well by hand so each chicken thigh is covered with oil and seasoning.
- Remove the needles from the rest of the rosemary and spread around the pan.
Step 2 – Bake and serve
- Once the oven is hot, bake chicken thighs for 15 minutes, then remove them from the oven and baste with some of the juices in the pan.
- Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until you see the chicken start to become golden on top. (Total cooking time is around 25 minutes).
Low in fat skinless chicken thighs
Yep, that’s right. We opted for skinless chicken thighs to keep this recipe as low in fat as possible. Extra virgin olive oil is also used as it offers the best health benefits compared to any of the other oils or butter.
Can I use skin-on chicken thighs instead?
Absolutely, skin-on chicken thighs will also work well for this recipe. We recommend giving the skin a good rub with some of the seasoning, pan fry the skin-on chicken thighs until the skin begins to golden on all sides, then bake them for around 15 minutes or until cooked through.
If you love cooking with chicken thighs, you should also try this roast chicken thighs in red wine and herbs recipe, this Mediterranean baked chicken thighs recipe, or pollo al horno (oven-baked chicken in sherry).
Mediterranean herbs and spices
To keep this recipe light and fresh, we opted for a simple selection of Mediterranean herbs and some simple spices. Use oregano and rosemary, or thyme will also work for the herbs. For the spices, we use some garlic powder, white pepper, and some sea salt. That’s it! Simple but very effective, and all of these flavors work perfectly with some fresh lemon and olive oil.
Side dish suggestions
Lemon and herb chicken thighs are a great protein source for a main meal. They’re so versatile too and easy to turn into a well-balanced meal with some vegetables and some carbs. Or, leave out the carbs if you’re on the keto diet or just cutting down on your carb intake.
We love to make this with some garlic zucchini or salad and some rice like this easy Mediterranean Yellow Rice recipe. Here are some other ideas for you or choose your favorite go-to sides:
Cooking with Olive oil – The healthy choice
When it comes to olive oil production, there’s no better place than Spain. It’s a staple in the healthy Mediterranean diet, and Spain produces the most olive oil in the world. For many years now, Spain has been the leading exporter of excellent quality olive oil, including the star of the show, extra virgin olive oil.
Like many Spanish kitchens, we at Spanish Radish HQ use good quality extra virgin olive oil extensively in our day-to-day cooking. We use it for frying, drizzle it on salads or bread, or use it in baking as a substitute for butter. The reason? Not only does EVOO taste amazing, it’s really (really) good for you!
Olive oil is high in antioxidants, especially EVOO. Antioxidants are known to help prevent or treat many chronic diseases. Olive oil also contains minerals like potassium, calcium, and iron, and vitamins E and K.
Here’s a comparison table of olive oil versus some other common fats:
| Criteria | Olive oil | Butter | Canola oil |
| Calories per tbsp | 119 | 102 | 124 |
| Cholesterol | 0 | 30.5 mg | 0 |
| Saturated fat content | <15% | > 60% | <10% |
| Oleic acid content | >70% | >20% | >55% |
Nutrition facts
| Serving size: 200g | |
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 230 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 17.2g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat 4.1g | 20% |
| Cholesterol 90mg | 30% |
| Sodium 544mg | 24% |
| Total Carbohydrate 2.7g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 3% |
| Total Sugars 0.6g | |
| Protein 19.4g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 33mg | 3% |
| Iron 1mg | 5% |
| Potassium 313mg | 7% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Lemon and Herb Chicken Thighs (2 mins prep and 25 mins cook)
Equipment
- 1 baking tray or skillet around 8 x 10 inches (20 x 25 cm)
- Oven
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium lemon thinly sliced
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Instructions
Step 1 - Season chicken
- Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F
- Add the chicken thighs, olive oil, slices of lemon, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper to a baking tray. Remove the needles from 1 rosemary sprig and add.4 bone-in skinless chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium lemon
- Mix well by hand so each chicken thigh is covered with oil and seasoning. Remove the needles from the rest of the rosemary and spread around the pan.2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Step 2 - Bake and serve
- Once the oven is hot, bake chicken thighs for 15 minutes, then remove them from the oven and baste with some of the juices in the pan.
- Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until you see the chicken start to become golden on top. (Total cooking time is around 25 minutes).
Video
Lemon and Herb Chicken Thighs – Cooking Tips and FAQs
How long do lemon and herb chicken thighs take to make?
- Prep time: 2 minutes
- Cook time: 25 minutes
- Total time: 27 minutes
What does cooking lemon with chicken do?
Lemon helps to add flavor and will even tenderize the chicken. The acid in lemon also breaks down the proteins in chicken meat, softening it and allowing lots of flavor to soak into the meat.
How should I store any leftovers?
Remove the lemon wedges from the chicken once they have been roasted. If left in the same container, the lemon will continue to release flavor and can cause the chicken to become bitter in flavor. Your lemon and herb chicken thighs will keep for up to 48 hours when stored in an airtight container in the fridge or less if the use-by date is sooner so be sure to check the packet first.
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