Crispy Lemon Chicken Thighs
Crispy, pan-seared chicken thighs finished in the oven with bright lemon for a simple weeknight main.
Equipment
- Oven-safe Skillet
- Instant Read Thermometer
Ingredients
- lemon 1 lemon, washed; half sliced thin, half reserved for juicing
- 4 to 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground thyme about 1/4 teaspoon total (light dusting)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Slice half the lemon into thin rounds and set aside; cut and reserve the remaining half for squeezing over the chicken later.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, and about 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme total.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Place the thighs skin-side down in the hot skillet, pressing gently so the skin makes full contact; cook until the skin is well browned and crispy, about 4–6 minutes.
- Flip the thighs, nestle the lemon slices between the pieces in the pan, and squeeze the reserved lemon half over the chicken.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads 165°F (74°C), about 15–20 minutes (longer for very large thighs).
- Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If you don't own an oven-safe skillet, transfer the thighs to a lightly greased baking sheet after browning.
- Serve 2 small thighs per person or 1 very large thigh per person.