Juicy chicken thighs made with a simple homemade garlic and lemon marinade – tastes better than anything from the supermarket!
When it comes to go-to dinners that work for an everyday weeknight, but are also special enough to serve when you have guests over, I don’t think there’s anything that can compete with these Everyday Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs. It’s basically “meat and three veg”, but levelled up!
When I was a new mum, I struggled with lack of sleep so had low energy. I’d often buy “pre-marinated anything”, throw it in the oven and call it a day. The problem was, I never really loved the flavour of the store-bought stuff. It almost always tasted artificial, was often expensive and the quality of the meat was never the greatest. While there is always room for shortcuts during busy seasons, I quickly discovered that making a homemade marinade was easy, cheaper, tasted 50 times better and took nowhere near as much time as I thought it would – in fact, only a few minutes!
What makes this Mediterranean-inspired chicken dish special is how versatile it is. It can be cooked for friends around the barbecue, pan-fried as part of a deliciously juicy weekend feast, or air fried or oven-baked for a quick weeknight dinner. The marinade literally takes 5 minutes to mix together and the ingredients are inexpensive supermarket staples. Just a simple combination of garlic, lemon, brown sugar, spices, herbs and a not-so-secret ingredient – chicken stock powder (bouillon) – which creates the real wow factor.
The sides are equally flexible. If you’re short on time, you could serve the chicken with a quick supermarket salad and a bag of microwave rice, or you can serve it my favourite way – with a beautiful Greek-inspired village salad, crispy roasted potatoes, flatbread to soak up all the juices and toum (garlic dip, see below for more info). It tastes incredible, but it also looks far more impressive than the effort required to make it.
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breast?
Yes. Although chicken breast takes far less time to cook so you can expect less caramelisation and browning of the marinade.
For chicken breast:
- Pan-fry for 4–5 minutes per side, adding 60 ml (¼ cup) water halfway through cooking.
- Air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 10–12 minutes.
- Oven-bake at 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) for 18–22 minutes.
Cook until the internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F).
What can I serve with Everyday Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs?
Aside from the suggestions in this recipe, you can serve it with:
- Mashed potato
- Oven-fries/freezer chips
- Sweet potato fries
- Steamed rice
- Quinoa
- Lentils
- Steamed vegetables
- Coleslaw
- Potato salad
- Green leafy salad
- Creamy cucumber salad
- Tzatziki
- Hummus
One thing I wouldn’t skip are the extra lemon wedges to serve – that extra squeeze of lemon sets the whole thing off.
How do I know the chicken is cooked through?
The great thing about cooking with boneless, skinless chicken thighs – especially using this method with a dash of water to help everything steamy – is that if you cook them a little longer, they will stay juicy and will not dry out. If in doubt, cook your chicken a little longer and, if you need extra reassurance, get yourself a thermometer. The chicken is cooked when it reaches 75°C (165°F) at the thickest point.
What is toum (garlic dip) and can I make it at home?
Toum is a Lebanese garlic sauce – creamy, punchy and incredibly moreish. You’ll find it near the dips or Middle Eastern ingredients at major supermarkets. If you’re feeling brave, you can make your own – but I warn you: once you do, there is no going back! Toum cuts through the richness of the chicken and adds a garlicky zing that lifts everything on the plate. It’s creamy like mayo but sharper, fresher and has a delicious bite – a total flavour bomb alongside the roast chicken. You’ll want to dip everything in it. And I mean everything!
Here’s a quick version:
- 1 garlic bulb (cloves separated and peeled)
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- 250 ml (1 cup) neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, canola (rapeseed) or sunflower
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cold water
Blitz the garlic and salt in a small food processor until finely minced. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil (like you would with mayo), alternating with lemon juice and water. It’ll emulsify into a thick, fluffy sauce. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
If you enjoyed Everyday Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs, I think you’ll love:
- Chicken Souvlaki Tray Bake Recipe – A simple Greek-inspired tray bake (sheet-pan dinner) with juicy chicken thighs, soft flavour-soaked potatoes and all those classic lemon, garlic and oregano flavours.
- One-pan Greek Chicken and Risoni (Orzo) Recipe – Golden chicken thighs baked over garlicky, lemony risoni in one pan. Comfort food with minimal washing up.
- Baked Greek Chicken Recipe – A fuss-free family dinner made with juicy chicken, simple ingredients and beautiful Mediterranean flavours.
- One-pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe – Chicken thigh cutlets are oven-baked in a creamy, golden, flavourful sauce.
- One-pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Potatoes Recipe – Oven-baked chicken thigh cutlets and potatoes baked in one pan. Minimal prep, then the oven does most of the work.
Everyday Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs
Share Pin Recipe PrintIngredients
- 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chicken stock powder (bouillon) (see note 1)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- 800 g (1¾ lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see note 2 for chicken breast)
- Lemon wedges
- Flatbread
- Toum (see note 3)
- Village salad
- Crispy roasted potatoes
Instructions
- Make the marinade – Combine all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix well to combine.
- Marinate the chicken – Add the chicken to the marinade and toss well using tongs so the chicken is evenly covered. Refrigerate for 2–24 hours for deeper flavour or cook immediately if you are short on time.
- Heat the pan – Heat a large frying pan over medium–high heat. If your pan isn’t non-stick, add a drizzle of olive oil.
- Sear the chicken – Add the chicken and cook for 5–6 minutes on the first side until deeply golden.
- Add water and cover – Flip and add 60 ml (¼ cup) of water to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook for a further 5–6 minutes.
- Finish cooking – Uncover and cook for a further 1–2 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated and the chicken is cooked through. Add more water, 1–2 tablespoons at a time, if the marinade starts to catch on the bottom of the pan.
- Rest and serve – Rest for 5 minutes before serving with the pan juices spooned over the top.
- Preheat the air fryer – Preheat the air fryer to 190°C (375°F). Spray the air fryer basket with oil.
- Arrange the chicken – Arrange the chicken in a single layer, leaving a little space between each piece.
- Cook – Cook for 12–15 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until caramelised and cooked through.
- Rest and serve – Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced).
- Arrange the chicken – Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a lightly greased baking dish.
- Add marinade – Pour over any remaining marinade and add 2 tablespoons of water to the tray.
- Bake – Bake for 22–25 minutes or until cooked through and golden around the edges.
- Optional grill (broil) – For extra colour, grill for the final 2–3 minutes.
- Rest and serve – Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Preheat the grill – Preheat a barbecue or grill plate to medium–high.
- Cook – Cook the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side, or until cooked through and beautifully caramelised.
- Rest and serve – Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve – Serve with warm pita bread, toum, village salad, crispy roasted potatoes and plenty of fresh lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.
Nutrition information
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Watch how to make it
Recipe notes
- Pan-fry for 4–5 minutes per side, adding 60 ml (¼ cup) water halfway through cooking.
- Air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 10–12 minutes.
- Oven-bake at 220°C (425°F) for 18–22 minutes.
- 1 garlic bulb (cloves separated and peeled)
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- 250 ml (1 cup) neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, canola (rapeseed) or sunflower
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cold water
Make Ahead
Marinade – Can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.Chicken – Can be marinated up to 24 hours ahead, making it perfect for meal prep or entertaining. You can also cook the chicken completely and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Leftovers
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. To reheat: Microwave – 1–2 minutes or until heated through.Oven – Cover with foil and heat at 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) for 10–15 minutes.
Air fryer – 180°C (350°F) for 3–5 minutes. The leftover chicken is also fantastic sliced through salads, wraps, grain bowls and sandwiches.
