The bright flavor of the lemon garlic chicken compliments the thigh meat. Make it a full meal with potatoes prepared on the same tray and a quick side of green beans.
What kind of chicken should I use?
I highly recommend using bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. Because it is baked for a relatively long time (30-45 minutes), the bone and skin help it to stay moist. Even if you prefer not to eat the skin, leave it on while cooking and remove it before eating. It acts as the tender meat’s protection from the heat of the oven.
If you choose to use boneless skinless thighs, put the potatoes in the oven for about ten minutes before adding the chicken. Only bake the chicken and potatoes together for 25 minutes.
You could also use chicken breasts but will need to be very careful not to dry out the meat.
If you choose to use chicken breasts, let the potatoes cook for about 20 minutes before adding the chicken. Cook the full tray of potatoes and meat for 15-20 minutes.
When you take the chicken out of the oven, regardless of the type of chicken you choose, the internal temperature should be 155F. Allow it to sit for a few minutes and it will continue cooking until the chicken reaches a safe 165F internal temperature.
How do you marinate chicken?
The ingredients for the marinade for this lemon garlic chicken is:
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Dijon mustard
Mix the ingredients together and cover the chicken with the marinade.
Let the chicken sit in the marinade for at least 20 minutes while you prepare the veggies. For that amount of time, it can sit on the counter.
You could also prepare this part of the meal in advance. Your chicken can marinate for up to 24 hours. This bit of meal prep can help make your weeknight meal run smoothly.
What goes with lemon garlic chicken?
I like potatoes and green beans with this meal. However, you could cook the chicken independently and make different sides to change up your meal routine. Try a few of these sides:
- Roasted carrots
- Asparagus
- Kale
- Butternut squash
- Broccoli Rice
- Herbed rice
Storing and reheating lemon garlic chicken
This recipe makes a big tray of potatoes and chicken. But if you aren’t feeding a crowd, you can store the leftovers for up to four days in the refrigerator.
That means this lemon garlic chicken makes a great meal prep recipe. Divide it into single-serving containers and you have lunches for several days ready to go. Your chicken, potatoes and green beans can all be stored in the same container.
Just pop it in the microwave for a minute to reheat everything or what I like to do: put it in a pan, place a lid on top and turn the heat to medium-low for about 10 minutes.
Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs - see notes for other pieces
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- sea salt
- pepper
- 1 lemon
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups baby potatoes
- 12 oz green beans
- parsley
- extra lemon for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken marinade by peeling and finely chopping the garlic. Zesting the lemon. Juicing the lemon. And then adding and mixing the chopped garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and dijon mustard in a large bowl.
- Add chicken thighs to the marinade and use your hands to cover the thighs well in the marinade. Then let it marinade on the kitchen counter for 20-30 minutes or place in the fridge if you prefer.
- In the meantime, wash and dry 2 cups of baby potatoes and preheat the oven to 400F.
- Add the marinated chicken thighs to an ovenproof dish in one layer and drizzle the rest of the marinade left in the bowl over the chicken, then add baby potatoes around the chicken thigh all in one layer. Make sure no chicken or potato is stacked on each other.
- Bake for a total of 35-45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads at least 165F internal temperature without touching the bone.
- In the meantime, wash and dry green beans, add them to a small ovenproof dish (no problem if they're stacked), drizzle a little bit of olive oil over them and sprinkle with sea salt, then use your hands to coat all beans and place the beans in the oven at about the 25-minutes chicken thigh baking mark so all three (chicken thighs, potatoes, beans) are cooked at hot at the same time.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley over the chicken and potatoes, add some lemon wedges for garnish if you like and enjoy!
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Gina says
I made this for my family last night…I doubled the recipe because I have 5 hungry kiddos! It was so good! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. I love how easy and healthy these meals are!
Lubna says
Thank you for the recipe. I haven’t tried it yet but am wondering if the green beans can be added to the same dish as the chicken and potatoes at the recommended 25 minute mark. Would save cleaning up another dish :)
Lorena Grater says
Hi Lubna, yes that should work just fine.
Vanessa says
I made this tonight and it was really good and so easy. The skin on my chicken was not crunchy. I washed the chicken and did not pat them dry so I’m wandering if that is what I did wrong. It was still yummy though. Can this recipe be doubled?
Lorena Grater says
Yes, if the skin is wet it won’t crips but if you want to wash your chicken you can always turn on the broiler at the end to finish crisping up the skin at the end. The closer you put the chicken to the broiler the better. You can move the rack to the top rail and then slide the baking sheet underneath for about 2-3 minutes. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn. Yes, you can easily double the recipe.
Lyn says
Looks great and I want to try tonight! When cooking boneless skinless thighs how long should they cook? I believe your note only mentioned breasts. Thanks!
Lorena says
It depends on the size but the ones I buy at Costco I usually cook in 25 minutes. Make sure their internal temperature is 165F to pull out of the oven to be 100% certain. You may have to roast the potatoes a couple of minutes alone and then add the chicken because 25 minutes in the oven won’t be enough for them to cook through.
Sharon says
Awesome your recipes are healthy and so simple :))
Lorena says
Thank you :)
Trish Stewart says
I used a large dish and added carrots and onions to it and drizzled the marinade over all. It was all cooked at the same time. Very much like yours, just with added veggies and it was delicious. I was thinking that the next time I made it I will play with it a little adding fresh rosemary, or thyme and maybe a 1/2 tsp on honey.
Lorena says
sounds heavenly Trish!
Myriam says
I like the recipes.👌
Yvonbe says
Sound good. Nice to have all food veg meat etc finish at one time