Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs (Print Version)

Marinated lemon and cracked black pepper chicken thighs, roasted until skin crisps; finished with parsley and lemon wedges.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

→ Marinade

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - Juice and zest of 2 lemons
04 - 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped)
08 - 1 teaspoon honey (optional, for balanced sweetness)

→ Garnish

09 - Fresh parsley, chopped
10 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, cracked black pepper, sea salt, minced garlic, thyme, and honey until well combined.
03 - Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and toss thoroughly to ensure even coating. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour for deeper flavor penetration.
04 - Place the chicken thighs skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Pour any remaining marinade over the thighs.
05 - Roast in the center of the oven for 35 minutes, or until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the internal temperature registers 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part of the thigh.
06 - Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute evenly throughout the meat.
07 - Transfer the rested chicken thighs to a warm serving platter. Scatter with freshly chopped parsley and accompany with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade doubles as a pan sauce so nothing gets wasted and every bite carries that bright, peppery punch.
  • Bone in, skin on thighs are practically foolproof, they stay juicy even if you lose track of time by a few minutes.
02 -
  • If you crowd the pan the thighs will steam instead of roast, give each piece at least an inch of breathing room.
  • Testing with a thermometer instead of guessing changed my results completely and eliminated the fear of serving underdone poultry.
03 -
  • Zest the lemons before juicing them because a halved, squeezed lemon is frustrating to zest cleanly.
  • Let the chicken come to room temperature for fifteen minutes before roasting so it cooks evenly from edge to center.

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