Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs Recipe – Tender and juicy on the inside, these grilled Chicken Thighs are your new dinner routine! Marinated with fresh cilantro, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, chili pepper flakes, seared boneless chicken thighs come out perfectly juicy and tender every time. You can serve this easy chicken thighs recipe with a side of rice, cauliflower rice, tortillas, and roasted veggies for a complete dinner ready in 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Ingredients list for the lemon chicken thighs recipe
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons chili pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
Tips for the Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs recipe
Sear boneless chicken thighs for a tender and juicy chicken dinner full of flavor! Here are a few tips to make this recipe for chicken thighs even better:
- Use a large skillet to cook the chicken thighs. Ideally, you’ll be using a skillet that can comfortably fit all of your chicken thighs in one batch. We recommend a cast-iron skillet because it better holds and diffuses the heat, but stainless steel will be ok too.
- Give your skillet some time to warm up a bit, so that when the marinated chicken thighs hit the pan, you’ll get that nice brown sear.
What to serve with the Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs?
Just keep things simple and serve the chicken thighs with a crisp salad, or serve with rice, cauliflower rice, roasted veggies, or even shredded in tacos!
Can we use another cut of chicken?
While we recommend chicken thighs because dark meat (like legs or thighs) tends to stay moist and flavorful, this recipe also works with chicken breasts. You can slice the chicken breasts horizontally before marinating them to make them thinner.
How and how long to keep the Chicken Thighs leftovers?
You can keep the Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs for up to 2 days in an airtight container in your refrigerator. You can also freeze them and keep them for 3 months. Thaw the chicken thighs overnight in your refrigerator.
Directions
1. To make the Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs: In a medium bowl, combine cilantro, 4 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, chicken bouillon, chili powder, chili pepper flakes, cumin, salt, and pepper. Divide the mixture into two.
2. In a gallon-size Ziplock bag or large bowl, combine the chicken thighs and half the marinade mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken thighs from the marinade.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs to the grill pan in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC), about 4-5 minutes per side.
4. Serve the Garlic Lemon Chicken Thighs with the remaining lemon-garlic-cilantro mixture on the side immediately. Enjoy!
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Reviews
See what readers thought — or share how it turned out for you.
How did it turn out?
Delicious! I marinaded mine for 24 hours and baked it after browning in a pan. It is perfect juicy and the flavor is so yummy!
This was amazing! I made it for a large group and everyone agreed it was delicious. Definitely will make again!
Yummy! So easy and very flavorful, marinated for 6hours.
The best thing about this recipe is that it is easy & you probably have ingredients on hand. I let it marinade 7/8 hrs. I cut the recipe in half for six thighs. I cut back on the salt, it just seemed like a lot. Also fried in a pan, I’m sure it’s even better on a grill. A keeper for me!
This was delicious but we found it a bit salty. I even left out the chicken bouillon powder. I don't think this picture goes with the recipe because chili powder turns marinades red, especially with 4 teaspoons of it in this recipe.
