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Lemon chicken thighs baked with garlic, herbs and fresh lemon in a rustic French baking dish

Lemon Chicken Thighs

Jill Colonna
Lemon chicken thighs baked with fresh lemon, garlic, herbs, white wine and just a touch of honey. Tender chicken with a crisp, caramelised skin and delicious with rice, vegetables or a simple salad.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Marinating time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Light Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine French
Servings 4 people
Calories 353 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken thighs with skin (about 300g each)
  • 2 large lemons unwaxed/organic
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • 2 tablespoon tarragon freshly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon runny honey (e.g. Acacia)
  • 150 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine or Sherry
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon milled black pepper and sea salt

Instructions
 

  • If the chicken thighs are large, cut them in half at the joint or ask your butcher to do this for you. Place them skin-side up in a large ovenproof baking dish.
  • Finely grate the zest from both lemons directly over the chicken, gently lifting the skin in places and tucking a little zest underneath for extra flavour.
  • Squeeze over the juice from both lemons. Add the crushed garlic cloves, half of the chopped tarragon, olive oil and honey. Turn the chicken over so it is coated well in the marinade.
    Leave to marinate covered for about 30 minutes then preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan/Gas 7).
  • Turn the chicken again, and return skin-side up. Pour over the wine and season with salt and black pepper.
  • Bake for about 40 minutes until the skin is deeply golden, crispy and the chicken is cooked through.
    Halfway through cooking, spoon the pan juices over the chicken. If you prefer the skin to stop browning too much, cover with a heavy lid towards the end of cooking.
  • Scatter over the remaining chopped tarragon and serve immediately.

Notes

Other herbs: Tarragon gives a gentle anise flavour that works beautifully with lemon, but you can also use fresh thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley or chives.
Marinating tip: 30 minutes to two hours max. is ideal. Avoid leaving chicken in lemon marinade overnight, as the acidity can affect the texture.
Serving suggestions: serve with any of the following:
Freezing: Freeze cooled cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 20gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 238mgPotassium: 447mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 247IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 2mg
Keyword lemon chicken thighs, lemon chicken thighs oven
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