Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs (2024)

Published: Sep 9, 2022 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. 2 Comments

Honey garlic lemon pepper chicken thighs are as sweet and zippy as their name sounds. They're tender and juicy and loaded with sweet and tangy flavors.

Chicken thighs are one of my favorite proteins to make. They're always tender and juicy thanks to their slightly higher fat content, and their rich flavor works well with so many flavors.

This recipe takes that rich, tender cut of chicken and combines it with some of my favorite sweet and tangy flavors to make a main course that everyone loves.

Why This Recipe Works

• Simple Ingredients: It only takes a handful of ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store.
• Simple to Make: It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps to make.
• A Classic Protein: Chicken is one of those proteins that almost everyone loves, and it pairs well with almost anything.

Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

The thing that makes chicken thighs so great is that they're full of flavor, but it's a mild flavor. Chicken thighs are rich and almost buttery, in my opinion, but their mildness lends to pairing them will all kinds of great flavors.

This recipe combines the sweetness of honey with the saltiness of soy sauce and the tangy, zippy flavor of lemon pepper seasoning to create a rich, flavorful recipe that melts in your mouth.

If you're a fan of chicken skin I can't wait for you to try this recipe.

Ingredients

It only takes a handful of simple ingredients to make this recipe. You'll find them all easily at your local grocery store. There's nothing fancy here, it's all about simplicity.

• Chicken Thighs: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs deliver rich chicken flavor.
• Honey: Honey is a classic sweetener that pairs well with the other ingredients.
• Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a salty kick of flavor.
• Minced Garlic Cloves: Honey and garlic are a classic combo.
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning: Lemon pepper seasoning adds a tangy, zippy flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the honey.
• Garlic Salt: Garlic salt adds a bit more flavor to the dish.
• Lemon, Divided: Fresh lemon juice adds even more zip.

How to Make Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

Aside from how delicious this recipe is, the best part about it is how easy it is to make. Even beginning cooks can make this recipe with ease.

Step 1: Prep

Preheat your oven, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Sauce

Combine the honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and juice from half a lemon in a large mixing bowl and whisk them together. Then, place the chicken thighs in the bowl and mix until coated. Marinade for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Bake

Cut the other half of the lemon into 6 thin slices and place each slice on top of each chicken thigh and bake the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes cooking time.

Step 4: Serve

Enjoy every bite!

Equipment

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

Substitutions and Variations

• Chicken Thighs: You can use chicken breasts in place of thighs if you like.
• Lemon Pepper: If you don't have lemon pepper seasoning, just add extra lemon juice and cracked pepper.
• Heat: Consider adding a teaspoon of cayenne, jalapeno powder, smoked paprika, hot sauce or sriracha.
• No Garlic Salt: Use 1 teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon salt.

What to Serve with Honey Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

These delicious chicken thighs have a sweet and tangy flavor profile that makes them pair well with almost anything you can think of. From rice to vegetables, you can't go wrong with your choice of sides.

• Cheesy Broccoli Rice
• Red Red Rice
• Broccoli Cornbread with Cheese
• Instant Pot Asparagus
• Cheesy Sweet Corn Casserole

As you can see from the cross-section of recipes above, there's really nothing that you can't pair with this delicious recipe. Choose any of these or your own favorites!

Expert Tips

This is an extremely easy chicken recipe, using only a few ingredients to make and taking only a few easy steps. However, even easy recipes do have their little tricks, and I'm sharing those with you today.

• Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature is 170 degrees F.
• Rotate your baking sheet at the 20 minute mark to promote even cooking.
• While you can make this recipe without marinating the chicken, you'll get the most flavor by letting it sit in the honey lemon pepper mixture for at least 30 minutes.
• Let your chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

FAQ

More Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes

• Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
• Easy Honey Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Fried Chicken Thighs