Ever in the mood for roasted chicken but don’t want to go to the full effort? Us too! We have a remedy. Say hello to your NEW weeknight go-to: Lemon & Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs! All the tender meat, crispy skin, and satisfaction of roasted chicken, with much less work and half the time!
These chicken thighs are perfect for weeknights or meal prep yet elegant enough to be the centerpiece at a dinner party. Our favorite kind of recipe! Just 7 ingredients and 30 minutes required. Let us show you how it’s done!
How to Make Lemon & Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs
The first step in our journey to flavorful roasted chicken thighs is combining some dried herbs and spices! Italian herbs (basil and oregano) combine with garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper for a perfectly balanced and super savory blend.
Next the spices generously coat the chicken thighs, and they go right in the pan. No waiting or marinating necessary! The thighs start skin side down for extra crispy goodness.
After both sides of the chicken thighs have their stovetop time, it’s garnish o’clock! Sliced lemons and fresh herbs add moisture and flavor as well as major gorgeousness. We eat with our eyes first, after all!
Then, at last, it’s time for a quick trip to the oven and they’re ready to enjoy.
We hope you LOVE these roasted chicken thighs! They’re:
Crispy
Tender
Juicy
Savory
Versatile
& Quick + easy
They make an elegant entrée for a small dinner party or holiday gathering yet are simple enough for a weeknight meal.
What to Serve with Roasted Chicken Thighs
We love pairing them with roasted potatoes and pesto, but they go well with almost anything!
Try them with one or more of any of these sides:
- Perfect Roasted Carrots (Quick & Easy)
- Instant Pot Chickpeas
- Easy Pan Roasted Vegetables
- Creamy Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup (1 Pot!)
- Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella
- Lemony Risotto with Fresh Herbs & Garlic
- Lentil Mushroom Stew over Mashed Potatoes
More Hearty Entrées
- Easy Shakshuka (with Fresh or Canned Tomatoes)
- Pinto Bean & Veggie Green Enchilada Bake
- Easy Gluten-Free Lasagna (Dairy-Free!)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Lemon & Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 (6-8 oz. each) bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (pasture-raised, organic when possible)
- 2 tsp dried Italian herbs (or sub 1 tsp dried basil + 1 tsp dried oregano)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced into rounds
- 3-4 Tbsp fresh hardy herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage // removed from thick stems and torn a bit // optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and place a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet) on the stovetop.
- In a small bowl, combine the Italian herbs, sea salt, red pepper flakes (optional), black pepper, and garlic powder. Then season the chicken thighs on both sides with the seasoning mixture. They should be seasoned well and evenly coated.
- Heat the skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add the olive or avocado oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs and sear on each side for about 3-4 minutes, or until a golden brown crust has formed.
- Turn off the heat and add the lemon slices on top of the chicken and some around the bottom of the skillet. Also add your herbs of choice at this time: Rosemary, thyme, and/or sage (optional).
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature is ~170 degrees F (making sure the thermometer doesn’t hit bone to get an accurate reading).
- Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan for ~5 minutes before serving. We like to serve ours with roasted potatoes and our easy dairy-free pesto. Also, baking the chicken with the olive oil and lemon makes a really delicious, juicy sauce that can be served on the side to pour over the chicken and potatoes!
- Best when fresh, though leftovers can keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot. Not freezer friendly.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with olive oil and without optional ingredients.
Kimberly says
My mom is a picky eater so I convinced her to try this simple recipe. I’ve always had luck with the recipes on here. Ultimately, we both LOVED this recipe and we couldn’t get over how much flavor was in this chicken with just a few ingredients. This is now a highly requested entree from my mother now when I cook for us. Thank you for this lovely recipe.
Yay! We’re so glad to hear it, Kimberly. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Sydney Van Stralen says
Hi! Could I make this recipe using chicken breasts instead?
Hi Sydney, yes, that should work well! If they are skinless they might not crisp up the same way in the pan, and they might cook faster or slower in the oven depending on their size. Let us know how it goes!
Martina says
I go back to this chicken recipe again and again! I often make it with skinless and boneless chicken and it’s still superb!
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Martina. Thank you for sharing! xo
Hannah says
Can this be made with boneless thighs? I have bad luck with bone-in chicken and thought I’d ask.
Hi Hannah, we haven’t tested it that way, but it might work. However, they won’t develop the same crispy skin and will be more prone to drying out, so we’d recommend cooking for slightly less time on the stovetop, adding more oil as needed, and checking them sooner in the oven. Let us know if you try it!
Christina says
I made this, and the chicken came out really tough! I am new to cooking meat, so not sure what went wrong. Any ideas why it might have happened? I didn’t have a skillet that I could put in the oven (there was rubber on the handle), so I had to transfer the thighs to a baking tray for the oven part. Maybe that’s why? Aside from that though, lovely flavours and easy-to-follow recipe!
Hi Christina, sorry to hear that! It sounds like either it overcooked or it could be the variety of chicken you’re using (we recommend pasture-raised, organic when possible). If your chicken thighs were smaller in size, that could also cause them to cook faster. One other thought – if they seemed undercooked instead, transferring to a cold pan may be the issue. You could try preheating your pan in the oven to make sure it’s warm. Hope that helps for next time!
Hannah says
Quick, easy, and delicious!! Will definitely make again.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Hannah. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Melinda says
This is the best dinner I’ve ever made, hands down. I just made it and ate all four thighs. It was so freaking tender and juicy. This recipe will be in heavy rotation- thank you!
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Melinda!
Atara Dahan says
Why did you stop with the professional-looking videos that made all your food look so good?
The newer videos work on tiktok maybe, but much less appealing to the eye and doesn’t make your food look as good. Also harder to understand the idea of the recipe.
Please bring them back…
Thanks for the feedback, Atara!
Rita Pita says
Wow! I’m pretty new to eating chicken after years of being vegetarian, so I’m just starting to compile go to recipes, and this will for sure be at the top of the list! Easy and delicious. The most moist chicken I’ve made in the oven ever. The herbs and lemon had me saying, “holy moley this is so good” between every bite. Followed the recipe as is and I wouldn’t change a thing, it was that good!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Rita. We’re so glad you enjoyed!
Christina says
Delicious. The seasoning was absolutely perfect and the chicken was so moist. I just switched my diet and I’m so glad I found this recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Christina! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Lauren Roberts says
This was so good!! I added asparagus and chopped Swiss chard to the top before putting it in the oven. After 10 minutes I took it out tossed everything with honey and sesame oil. Put it on top of rice. I’m addicted. I did boneless and skinless chicken. Thank you!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Lauren! We’re so glad you enjoyed them!
Jounayet Rahman says
This was fantastic!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Veganista says
Not related to post but I thought your blog was only for vegan recipes. Surprised to see a chicken recipe here!
Hi, we’ve never exclusively had vegan recipes on the site, but did share mostly plant-based recipes at some points in time. We began introducing some more non-vegan recipes in 2019 to better reflect the varying dietary needs and preferences of our team and audience. If you’d like to see only our vegan content, you can subscribe to our vegan-only email list (sign up for the email list and click the subscriber preferences at the bottom of the email) as well as visit our recipe page and select “special diet” “vegan.”
sherry says
I do love a chicken thigh! so tasty.
Renee says
Do you think I could swap lime slices and maybe cumin and paprika for spices? I don’t have any lemons and wasnt sure if the same herbs would compliment. Thanks!
Hi Renee, we think that would be delicious! You’re right, the flavor profile will change, but we imagine they will be tasty!
Becky Petrie says
Hello,
Does this work with skinless, boneless chicken thighs?
Thanks,
Becky
Hi Becky, we haven’t tested it that way, but it might work. However, they won’t develop the same crispy skin and will be more prone to drying out, so we’d recommend cooking for slightly less time on the stovetop, adding more oil as needed, and checking them sooner in the oven. Let us know if you try it!
Jounayet Rahman says
I tried this and it was awesome 🙂
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Jounayet. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo