Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
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These Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs will have you licking your fingers between bites! You’ve got sweet, tart, savory and everything in between – in every bite! Perfect with a side of rice and veggies for a busy weeknight meal.
What You Will ❤️ About Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken
- TikTok Famous – These Chicken Thighs are TikTok famous and I had to make them!
- Juicy & Crispy – Just how you want your chicken!
- Flavor Bomb!!! Every bite has a PUNCH of flavor with lemon pepper seasoning and lemon juice in the honey garlic sauce.
Ingredients for Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
This dish is so damn delicious – with sweetness and tart and pepper and so much more in every bite! Here’s what you need:
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- Chicken Seasoning
- 2 tsp Lemon pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 2 tsp Onion powder
- 3 tsp Smoked paprika
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
- Honey Garlic Sauce
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 3 tbsp Honey
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Water
- 2-3 tbsp Lemon juice from 1/2 lemon
Recipe Variations
- More Lemon – these have a definite lemon flavor – but if you want more – you can always add in a little lemon zest!
- Vegetables – because you’re roasting for 40 minutes or so – you could easily add some heartier vegetables to the pan and brush with the sauce. Things like broccoli, carrots or potatoes would be great.
- Spicy – add red pepper flakes to the sauce or swap the paprika for chili powder to add some spicy notes
How to make Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are super forgiving because they’re always juicy. But this seasoning rub adds a ton of unique flavors – then topping with the glaze layers on that honey and lemon for even more yum!
- In a small bowl, combine lemon pepper seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika. Mix in oil.
- Spread this mixture on chicken thighs and be sure to rub some of the spice rub underneath the skin. Let the chicken marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge or up to overnight.
- After the thighs have marinated, preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set an oven safe rack over the pan. Coat with nonstick spray and place the thighs on the rack skin side down. Bake for 20 minutes.
- After 15 min – in a saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt a couple tablespoons of butter. Add minced garlic, honey, soy sauce, water and lemon juice and whisk thoroughly to dissolve the honey. Let the sauce gently simmer until it has slightly thickened. Add lemon slices and simmer for 1 min longer.
- Remove the thighs from the oven. Flip the thighs and top with lemon slices. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of sauce over each thigh. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Remove and serve with remaining sauce
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Tips, Tricks & FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass storage ones) in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes (recommended).
Yes! You could easily use bone-in or boneless chicken breasts for this recipe. You may just need to adjust the cooking time. Bone-in Chicken Breasts may take 5 min longer than thighs and Boneless chicken breasts should take the same time. Be sure to always check chicken with an instant read meat thermometer.
Sure! These will cook VERY quickly and still be tender & Juicy. You’ll probably only need to bake for 15-20 minutes total or air fry for 10 minutes. Always temp check to 160º and let rest for five minutes.
Yes! They’ll just need 8-10 min per side but the rest of the instructions are the same.
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What to Serve with Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Cheesy Cauliflower Rice
- Apple Goat Cheese Salad
- Texas Roadhouse Green Beans
- Chili’s Loaded Mashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Cheddar’s Broccoli Cheese Casserole
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Chicken Seasoning
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 4 tsp lemon pepper
- 4 tsp garlic powder
- 4 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 6 tbsp olive oil
Honey Garlic Lemon Sauce
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice juice from 1/2 lemon
- lemon slices from 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix lemon pepper seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Mix in olive oil.2 tbsp smoked paprika, 4 tsp lemon pepper, 4 tsp garlic powder, 4 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp coarse sea salt, 2 tsp black pepper, 6 tbsp olive oil
- Spread this mixture on the chicken thighs, making sure to rub some of the mix underneath the skin. Let the chicken marinate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- After the thighs have marinated, preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set an oven safe rack over the pan. Coat with nonstick spray and place the thighs on the rack skin side down. Bake for 20 minutes.
- After 15 min – in a saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt a couple tablespoons of butter. Add minced garlic, honey, soy sauce, water and lemon juice and whisk thoroughly to dissolve the honey. Let the sauce gently simmer until it has slightly thickened. Add lemon slices and simmer for 1 min longer.3 tbsp butter, 2 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp water, 2 tbsp lemon juice, lemon slices
- Remove the thighs from the oven. Flip the thighs and top with lemon slices. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of sauce over each thigh. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until the thighs reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Remove and serve with remaining sauce and top with lemon slices
