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Lemon Herb Crusted Chicken Thighs

March 22, 2015 By Rachel 16 Comments

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This post is all about the wonders of chicken thighs! I’ve noticed that it’s easy for many a household to get into the “chicken breast rut” (which I have done). Because of this I feel many home cooks are missing out. Nowadays, chicken thighs in various forms seem to end up on my menu every week. There are a number of things that I love about this little cut of meat…

My affinity for chicken thighs started with a food budget, as they tend to run a much lower price-per-pound than chicken breasts. In my home, quality meat is really important. It has become general knowledge that meat from animals that have been given antibiotics and hormones is not so good for us.  Maybe lesser known is that meat from animals that are free-range is higher in healthy fats like omega-3’s and 6’s, and has a higher vitamin and mineral content. Unfortunately, quality is often synonymous with pricey. Minimally, I try to purchase meats that are raised without antibiotics or hormones. Even better, I look for “free-range” cuts of meat, and at best I purchase meat at a local organic farm. But as aforementioned, I really do have a food budget, so I often embrace the less expensive cuts of meat – like chicken thighs!

Chicken thighs also tend to be more tender and succulent, especially when marinated and cooked on the bone. This makes them incredibly versatile and a winner with everyone in my family. I can get away with making chicken thighs every week (and even twice a week), because all I do is change the marinade and I’m not feeding my family redundant, boring meals.

Another reason I love chicken thighs is because they help with portion control. If I make a whole chicken breast and set it in front of myself, chances are I’ll want to eat the whole thing. If I make a chicken thigh, I’ll eat the whole thing but it’s a much smaller portion. Thus, I have to exercise less self-control. I also find the portion size of a chicken thigh is good for kids. If I put too much meat on my kid’s plate he’ll eat just that and not want to eat his vegetables. Plus, kids like feeling like adults when they’re given their own, whole chicken thigh, as opposed to pieces of meat pre-cut by Mom or Dad.

Finally, I love chicken thighs because they’re QUICK and EASY! Can you say weeknight meal? Literally, all you do is clean them, throw them in an oven-safe dish, marinate them, and then wait 20 minutes or so while they cook. If you’re a super-duper-planner-aheader, this recipe, along with a lot of chicken thigh recipes, is freezer-friendly. Simply make the marinade and divide your portions among freezer bags and freeze. The night before you’re planning on cooking your thighs, take them out of the freezer and thaw them in the fridge. They’ll be ready to pop in the oven after you get home from work or after a busy day of carting the kids around!

I know – I’ve spent too much time gushing over chicken thighs, but they really are great. I hope you enjoy this recipe, and maybe it will be a great addition to the recipe repertoire of some of the busy home cooks out there reading this blog!

Lemon Herb Crusted Chicken Thighs

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes                    Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 chicken thighs
  • 1/3 C lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp dry rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp dry thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dry crushed red pepper (optional)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 C extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350º F. Rinse off your chicken thighs, remove the skins, and place them into an oven-safe dish. To remove the skin simply place your thumb between the meat and the skin and pull.

removing-chicken-thigh-skin

 

chicken-thighs

2. Mix all your ingredients in a bowl, evenly spread your marinade over your chicken thighs, and then cover your pan with foil.

marinating-chicken-thighs

 

marinated-chicken-thighs

3. Bake covered for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165º F. Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

lemon-herb-chicken

 

lemon-herb-chicken

 

 

Lemon Herb Crusted Chicken Thighs
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
30 mins
 
Lemon Herb Crusted Chicken Thighs is a quick, easy, budget-friendly, and succulent chicken dish. It's also freezer and weeknight friendly!
Author: Rachel Hanawalt
Recipe type: Entrees
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 8 chicken thighs
  • ⅓ C lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • ½ tsp dry rosemary
  • ½ tsp dry thyme
  • ½ tsp dry crushed red pepper (optional)
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • ⅛ C extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350º F. Rinse off your chicken thighs, remove the skins, and place them into an oven-safe dish. To remove the skin simply place your thumb between the meat and the skin and pull.
  2. Mix all your ingredients in a bowl, evenly spread your marinade over your chicken thighs, and then cover your pan with foil.
  3. Bake covered for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165º F. Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
3.2.2929

Nutrition Facts
4 servings per container
Serving size

Amount per serving
Calories 234
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12.8g 16%
Saturated Fat 3.1g 16%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 114mg 38%
Sodium 192.7mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0.3g 1%
Total Sugars 0.6g
Includes g Added Sugars 0%
Protein 52.1g

Calcium 3mg 1%
Iron 9.3mg 52%
Not a significant source of vitamin D, or potassium.

The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

lemon herb crusted chicken thighs

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Filed Under: Entrees, Recipes Tagged With: Chicken, Chicken Thigh, Freezer-Friendly, GAPS, Grain-Free, Herbs, Lemon, Low Carb, Marinade, Paleo, Week Night Meal

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Comments

  1. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says

    March 23, 2015 at 9:52 pm

    Yum. Adding the lemon zest is such a great idea. Lemon always brings freshness to almost any dish!

    Reply
  2. Kate M. says

    April 7, 2015 at 9:28 pm

    Hi Rachel

    I would love to feature your awesome recipe it in a list of freezer-friendly recipes I am writing for Life by Daily Burn.

    The article would simply list the title of the recipe and a little blurb about it, linking back to your blog for the actual recipe. Would it be OK with you for us to feature one of your gorgeous photos above the blurb as well? I’ll be sure to credit the photo and recipe to you and Simple Seasonal.

    Thanks!
    Kate

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      April 7, 2015 at 10:04 pm

      Kate- Feel free to use any of my photos from the recipe. Thanks for the opportunity to be featured on such a large outlet!

      Reply
  3. Heather Kinnaird says

    July 20, 2016 at 1:12 pm

    I am definitely in a chicken breast rut, and will be giving thighs a try really soon!!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      August 10, 2016 at 5:09 pm

      Chicken ruts are an all too common problems. Chicken’s easy and it’s healthy. I love having a few basic marinades in my arsenal to keep things exciting.

      Reply
  4. Jenn says

    January 29, 2017 at 12:26 pm

    When prepping these exclusively for freezing, do you simply prep and marinade. Do you bake them at all before freezing?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      January 29, 2017 at 11:41 pm

      I typically prep, marinade and freeze raw. The night before I want to cook them I put them in the fridge, still in the freezer bag, and on a plate to defrost so that they’ll be ready to cook by dinner time the next day. Happy freezing!

      Reply
  5. Terri says

    February 20, 2018 at 6:03 pm

    This was lovely but personally I found it worked better in my oven to cook about 40 min and at 375. All ovens are different though. Nice combination of seasonings…thank you! 🙂

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      April 4, 2018 at 2:11 pm

      Thanks for the input!

      Reply
  6. FB says

    August 23, 2018 at 11:08 am

    I don’t cook with chicken thighs but would like to try this recipe. Is the bone in or out with this recipe?

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 12:19 pm

      You can make this bone in or bone out. Check out my recipe for Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade for cook times.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Lemon Herb Chicken Crusted Chicken Thighs from Simple Seasonal - Yum Goggle says:
    March 25, 2015 at 11:13 am

    […] GET THE RECIPE […]

    Reply
  2. 13 Healthy Freezer Meals to Prep Now and Eat Later says:
    April 19, 2015 at 9:16 am

    […] 6. Lemon and Herb Crusted Chicken Thighs If you typically go straight for the white meat, hear us out. Dark meat should make its way into your dinner rotation. Chicken thighs are typically less expensive than breasts. Plus, one thigh usually weighs in at about three ounces — the perfect amount for one person. Prep the thighs, add to the marinade and freeze. When you’re ready to use them, defrost overnight and bake until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Photo and recipe: Rachel Hanawalt / Simple Seasonal […]

    Reply
  3. 35 Comforting Chicken Dinner Recipes - Flour On My Face says:
    March 17, 2016 at 12:55 am

    […] Lemon Herb Crusted Chicken […]

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  4. Chicken Thigh Recipes: 24 Ways to 'Paleo Up' Your Chicken says:
    June 11, 2016 at 9:30 am

    […] 14. Lemon Herb Crusted Chicken Thighs […]

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  5. Freezer English Muffin Mini Pizzas says:
    March 2, 2017 at 10:38 pm

    […] Lemon Herb Crusted Chicken Thighs […]

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Hi, I'm Rachel! Welcome to Simple Seasonal, a resource for simple, healthful, and delicious recipes that help you make the most of seasonal produce from your local farmer's market, CSA, or home garden. Simple Seasonal is committed to a whole foods diet. With an occasional cookie... ;)


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