Honey garlic lemon pepper chicken thighs combine sweet honey with the tangy, slightly hot flavor of lemon pepper to create chicken thighs that are tender and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

As a mom with a busy family, I'm a huge fan of recipes that are delicious, easy, and affordable. That's why I love this recipe so much. It's super fast and easy to make, and chicken thighs are just about the most affordable meat out there.

Growing up, my mother cooked chicken thighs all the time, and it wasn't until I became a mom that I understood why. It was a combination of everything I just mentioned. When you can stretch a dollar and make the whole family happy with a great meal... well, it doesn't get better than that.

Delicious Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

I drew my inspiration for these delicious chicken thighs from my honey garlic meatballs. I was going to make simple honey garlic chicken, but I had just picked up some lemon pepper seasoning, and I thought the combination would be delicious. I was so right! This has quickly become one of my family's favorite chicken recipes.

Speaking of chicken recipes. If you're a fan of cooking with chicken, you need to try my crock pot BBQ chicken drumsticks, easy crispy chicken salsa wraps, or delicious buffalo chicken dip that's perfect for parties.

These honey garlic lemon pepper flavor combination used for these chicken thighs pairs well with all kinds of delicious dishes. My personal favorites are things like roasted potatoes, green beans, and soft, fluffy rolls.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It's affordable, enabling you to make a family dinner that keeps you on target with your grocery budget.
• It's so quick and easy that you'll be in and out of the kitchen in no time.
• It uses simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store.
• It's a family-friendly dish that even the kids will love!

Ingredients

This is a simple recipe that only uses simple ingredients. You'll easily find everything you need at your local grocery store.

• Bone-In Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs are tender, juicy, and affordable. A great combo
• Honey: Honey is a great natural sweetener that adds so much flavor to any dish.
• Soy Sauce: Adds a nice kick of tangy, salty flavor.
• Mince Garlic: For a big kick of flavor that's perfect with the honey and lemon pepper.
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning: A classic mildly-warm and tangy flavor that's the perfect counterpoint to the honey.
• Garlic Salt: Adds a bit more salt and garlic flavor.
• Lemon: This adds even more lemon flavor and garnishes the chicken while it cooks.

You'll find the full ingredient list complete with quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

• 1: Place honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and juice from half the lemon in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk ingredients together.

• 2. Place chicken thighs in the large bowl and mix until they are coated with the honey garlic mixture. Marinate the chicken thighs for 30 minutes if time allows.

3. Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. Place chicken thighs on the lined baking sheet. Slice the remaining half of the lemon into 6 slices, and place one slice on each thigh.  

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160ºF. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes prior to serving.

Substitutions and Variations

• Chicken legs or breasts: Chicken legs or breasts can be used for this recipe as well.
• Pork chops: The flavors in this recipe work incredibly well with pork chops.
• Pineapple juice: For a tropical twist, add pineapple juice in place of lemon juice.

If you like recipes like this honey garlic lemon pepper chicken thighs recipe, then check out these air fryer buffalo chicken wings.

What to Serve with Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are a classic main dish that pairs well with a huge variety of sides. I absolutely love cooking with them because they leave so many options open to me when I serve them. I love to serve them with mashed potatoes and these brown sugar roasted carrots, but there are so many other things you can serve with them. Some favorites include:

• Summer Pasta Salad
• Crispy Fried Red Tomatoes
• Air Fryer Cabbage
• Instant Pot Asparagus
• Air Fryer Potato Wedges
• Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

Equipment

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Baking sheet
• Aluminum foil

Storage

Refrigerator: Store this chicken in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Freezer: You can store these chicken thighs in the freezer for up to 6 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.

Reheat: Place the thighs on a rack over a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until the skin is crispy and the thighs are heated through.

Tips:

• Marinate the chicken for about 30 minutes if at all possible. It adds so much more flavor to the meat.
• Always spray your foil with nonstick spray so the chicken comes away easily.
• Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes so the juices can reabsorb into the meat rather than leaking out when the thighs are cut.

FAQ

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