Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs Recipe
Succulent juicy chicken thighs basted with a sticky honey garlic sauce with a hint of fresh lemon juice and lemon pepper seasoning. Filled with the right amount of spice and flavors. This recipe is so simple to make. The chicken thighs are baked in the oven to perfection.
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 Chicken thighs Bone-in or boneless
- Olive oil
- Cooking spray
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Seasoned black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 tsp Onion powder
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- Lemon slices to garnish
Honey Garlic Sauce:
- 1/2 Cup Honey
- 1 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 3 to 4 Cloves Minced Garlic or Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Ginger Paste
- 1 Lemon Fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Lemon pepper seasoning
- Small piece of butter optional
Instructions
- Clean & prep the chicken beforehand. Make sure to Pat dry with a paper towel. Add the chicken to a bowl and drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the chicken.
- Season the chicken with the dry seasonings, then cover the bowl with a lid or aluminum foil. Allow the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge. (Overnight is good too)
- Preheat the oven to 375°F to 380°F degrees.
- Next, take a baking pan or sheet pan that has a wire rack and line the pan with aluminum foil to catch the chicken drippings. (Easy clean up)
- Place the cooking rack on top of the aluminum foil lined in the baking pan/sheet.
- Spray the cooking rack with cooking spray. Then, add the chicken on top of the wire rack.
- Place the chicken into the oven. (Note: allow the chicken to cook uncovered.)
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the chicken has fully cooked. The skin will be crispy, and the juices should run clear. (cooking time will vary)
- Tip: Properly cooked chicken should reach 165 degrees, so use a thermometer to check for doneness.
- Once the chicken is done, remove from the oven and set aside to make the sauce.
- Over medium to medium high heat, add a small piece of butter to a pan or skillet and allow it to melt.
- Add the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger paste, fresh squeezed lemon juice & lemon pepper seasoning.
- Blend everything together & allow the sauce to come to a slight boil. Lower the heat if you need to and continue to stir the sauce.
- Allow the sauce to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. The sauce should be smooth and easy to stir.
- Do a small taste test & make any adjustments if needed for the honey garlic sauce.
- Next, brush the sauce over the chicken. Make sure the chicken is nicely coated with the sauce.
- Place the chicken under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to get a little crispier.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and turn off the stove/oven.
- Serve with any remaining sauce and garnish with fresh lemon slices. Enjoy!