Lemon Chicken with Thyme
Chicken is one of the most affordable meats today, and there are literally millions of recipes for its preparation. However, I continue to experiment and seek out new flavors. You’ll definitely enjoy this recipe—it's for incredibly tender, juicy meat with a hint of lemon and thyme, making it an ideal addition to the main dish for dinner that everyone will appreciate!
Cook Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
- Salted butter (melted) 120 g
- Fresh thyme leaves 5-7 stalks
- Сloves garlic (minced) 3-4 pcs
- Lemon (zest) 1 pcs
- Fresh-squeezed lemon juice 75 ml
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- Chicken thighs 6-8 pcs
- Olive oil 2 tbsp
- Fresh lemon 1-2 pcs, to serve
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, thyme, minced garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice - mix well
- Place the chicken in another dish and pour three-fourths of the mixture over the top, reserving the remaining mixture. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and let it sit for a minimum of 30 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C)
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken and discard used marinade. Cook for 5 minutes per side
- Place the fried chicken in a baking dish and pour the remaining marinade over it. You can also add lemon slices on top, then bake everything for 25 minutes
- Transfer the cooked meat to a dish, let it cool for 5 minutes, and serve with your favorite side dish, salad, or simply baked lemons
Notes
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If you prefer a beautiful crust, cook chicken thighs with the skin on (I cooked without it).
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If you prefer leaner meat, cook chicken breast (though thighs are considered fattier and, accordingly, juicier).
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Both garlic and thyme can be replaced with dried versions, but fresh ingredients have richer flavors.
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It’s most convenient to fry the chicken in a cast-iron pan and then bake everything in the oven in the same pan. However, if you don’t have one, you can fry the meat in a regular pan and then transfer it to a baking tray.
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This meat will taste great for more than a day if reheated before serving (though, let’s be honest—there probably won’t be any leftovers after the first cooking).
