Honey garlic lemon pepper chicken thighs are as sweet and zippy as their name sounds. They're tender and juicy and loaded with sweet and tangy flavors.
Chicken thighs are one of my favorite proteins to make. They're always tender and juicy thanks to their slightly higher fat content, and their rich flavor works well with so many flavors.
This recipe takes that rich, tender cut of chicken and combines it with some of my favorite sweet and tangy flavors to make a main course that everyone loves.
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple Ingredients: It only takes a handful of ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store.
- Simple to Make: It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps to make.
- A Classic Protein: Chicken is one of those proteins that almost everyone loves, and it pairs well with almost anything.
Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
The thing that makes chicken thighs so great is that they're full of flavor, but it's a mild flavor. Chicken thighs are rich and almost buttery, in my opinion, but their mildness lends to pairing them will all kinds of great flavors.
This recipe combines the sweetness of honey with the saltiness of soy sauce and the tangy, zippy flavor of lemon pepper seasoning to create a rich, flavorful recipe that melts in your mouth.
If you're a fan of chicken skin I can't wait for you to try this recipe.
Ingredients
It only takes a handful of simple ingredients to make this recipe. You'll find them all easily at your local grocery store. There's nothing fancy here, it's all about simplicity.
- Chicken Thighs: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs deliver rich chicken flavor.
- Honey: Honey is a classic sweetener that pairs well with the other ingredients.
- Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a salty kick of flavor.
- Minced Garlic Cloves: Honey and garlic are a classic combo.
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning: Lemon pepper seasoning adds a tangy, zippy flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the honey.
- Garlic Salt: Garlic salt adds a bit more flavor to the dish.
- Lemon, Divided: Fresh lemon juice adds even more zip.
How to Make Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
Aside from how delicious this recipe is, the best part about it is how easy it is to make. Even beginning cooks can make this recipe with ease.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat your oven, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Sauce
Combine the honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and juice from half a lemon in a large mixing bowl and whisk them together. Then, place the chicken thighs in the bowl and mix until coated. Marinade for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Bake
Cut the other half of the lemon into 6 thin slices and place each slice on top of each chicken thigh and bake the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes cooking time.
Step 4: Serve
Enjoy every bite!
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Aluminum foil
- Baking sheet
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken Thighs: You can use chicken breasts in place of thighs if you like.
- Lemon Pepper: If you don't have lemon pepper seasoning, just add extra lemon juice and cracked pepper.
- Heat: Consider adding a teaspoon of cayenne, jalapeno powder, smoked paprika, hot sauce or sriracha.
- No Garlic Salt: Use 1 teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
What to Serve with Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
These delicious chicken thighs have a sweet and tangy flavor profile that makes them pair well with almost anything you can think of. From rice to vegetables, you can't go wrong with your choice of sides.
- Cheesy Broccoli Rice
- Red Red Rice
- Broccoli Cornbread with Cheese
- Instant Pot Asparagus
- Cheesy Sweet Corn Casserole
As you can see from the cross-section of recipes above, there's really nothing that you can't pair with this delicious recipe. Choose any of these or your own favorites!
Expert Tips
This is an extremely easy chicken recipe, using only a few ingredients to make and taking only a few easy steps. However, even easy recipes do have their little tricks, and I'm sharing those with you today.
- Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature is 170 degrees F.
- Rotate your baking sheet at the 20 minute mark to promote even cooking.
- While you can make this recipe without marinating the chicken, you'll get the most flavor by letting it sit in the honey lemon pepper mixture for at least 30 minutes.
- Let your chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
FAQ
You can store this chicken in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.
They're cheaper than chicken breasts and they have more flavor. They're a fattier cut of meat which means they offer a more intense, rich flavor.
Place a cooking rack over a baking sheet. Then, bake the thighs on the rack at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.
More Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes
Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Aluminum foil for easy clean up
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 lemon divided
Instructions
- Place honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and juice from half the lemon in a large mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients together.
- Place chicken thighs in the large bowl and mix until they are coated with the honey garlic mixture.
- If time allows, let thighs marinade covered, inside your fridge, for 30 minutes prior to baking.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray.
- Place chicken thighs on the lined baking sheet.
- Slice remaining half of lemon into 6 slices. Place one slice on each thigh.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160ºF.
- Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
- marinade chicken inside your fridge whenever possible
Sue says
Delicious!!! I was generous with the marinade so thickened it with a cornstarch slurry to serve with the chicken over rice. Will make again! Thanks for posting!
Karin and Ken says
As always you’re most welcome! I try my best. Take care. Karin
Alyssa says
I think this is my favorite chicken ever. So good everything. All the ingredients compliment each other so well. The honey garlic with the lemon and pepper. Genius!
Karin and Ken says
Im so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know. You just made my day. All the best. Karin
Marg says
Recipe was easy and tasted great. Perfect for weeknights Kids loved it and so did we You can’t go wrong with this recipe
Karin and Ken says
I could not agree with you more! Great minds think alike! 😉 Hopefully you find some other recipes you enjoy just as much! All the best. Karin