Lemon Garlic Rosemary Braised Chicken Thighs are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside for an unforgettable main dish the whole family will love. Simple to prepare on any busy weeknight, and fancy enough for a special occasion. Serve it with rice and roasted veggies for a complete meal.
Looking for an all-star chicken recipe that can easily be prepared any night of the week?
These tender braised chicken thighs are easy to make, have amazing texture, and are so flavorful for an impressive main dish.
One of my favorite parts about this easy recipe is it results in a great deal of food. Perfect for leftovers, and a great recipe for meal prep! Keep it on regular rotation to nail your protein intake!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this braised chicken thighs recipe. You likely already have most of the ingredients on hand! Let’s discuss the details.
Ingredients for Braised Chicken Thighs:
Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs: The star of the show. I like using bone-in chicken because the crispy skin is so tasty and the texture of the meat is phenomenal. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Avocado Oil: We need a high temperature cooking oil for searing the chicken. I use avocado oil due to its omega-3 fatty acid content and the fact that it has a high smoke point.
Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic adds a big blast of flavor.
Fresh Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest: The zesty portion of the recipe. Be sure to zest the lemon before squeezing out the juice.
White Wine: Optional but recommended, a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, adds intoxicating flavor. Swap it out for chicken stock if you prefer.
Fresh Rosemary: A bright herb flavor, fresh rosemary is what gives the chicken classic rustic flavor.
Ground Ginger, Onion Powder, Paprika, Sea Salt, Black Pepper: The seasonings. This combination of spices brings lovely flavor to the chicken.
How to Make Braised Chicken Thighs
Add all ingredients for the chicken (except for the lemon slices) to a large zip lock bag. Seal the bag and shake well. Refrigerate to marinate for at least 20 minutes, up to 12 hours.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and 2 to 3 tablespoons of avocado oil. Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes until it becomes sizzling hot. Note: you can use a Dutch oven too.
Place chicken on the surface skin side down in the hot pan and sear 3 to 5 minutes in a single layer (about 4 thighs at a time), until skin is golden brown and appears crispy. Flip to the other side and brown chicken thighs for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat for the remaining chicken. Note: save the chicken marinade for braising liquid.
Once all chicken has been browned, scrape the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan, leaving them in the skillet for more depth of flavor.
Transfer all of the chicken thighs back to the skillet including the juices from the marinade. Arrange lemon slices on top of chicken.
Cover the skillet with foil, and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. I prefer chicken thighs at 180 to 205 for the best texture and flavor. To check the internal temperature, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thighs.
Serve chicken with your choice of side dishes, and enjoy!
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Recipe Tips:
- Allow the marinade to drip off of the chicken thighs before searing them in a skillet. You want the skillet to be free of marinade initially when browning the chicken.
- If you have the time, caramelize sliced onions for even bigger flavor.
- For crispy chicken skin, remove the foil and broil the chicken for a few minutes at the end of cooking, until the skin reaches your desired level of crisp.
Serving Suggestions:
Looking for side dishes to enjoy with your chicken thigh recipe? Here are some of my favorite pairings.
- Homemade Rice Pilaf
- Lemon Garlic Rosemary Rice
- Cauliflower Rice
- My Easy Go-To Stir Fry Vegetables Recipe
- Pesto Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Avocado, and Kale
- Orange-Ginger Roasted Carrots
- Crowd-Pleasing Roasted Vegetables
This is a marvelous meal prep recipe for preparing ahead of time and eating on throughout the week. The leftovers are perfect the next day for work lunches too.
Looking for more healthy chicken recipes to keep the novelty alive? Here are some of my favorites.
More Chicken Recipes:
- Asian Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Korean BBQ Chicken Rice Bowls
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
- Chicken Satay Bowls
- Tequila Lime Chicken
Enjoy this delicious recipe!
Lemon Rosemary Braised Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs 8 thighs
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp sea salt to taste
- 1 whole lemon sliced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine such as sauvignon blanc*
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for except for the lemon slices to a zip lock bag. Seal and shake well. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, up to 12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add just enough oil to lightly coat the surface.
- Once hot, place chicken on the surface skin-side down and sear 3 to 5 minutes in a single layer (about 4 thighs at a time), until skin is golden-brown and appears crispy. Flip to the other side and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat for remaining chicken.
- Once all chicken has been browned, transfer all of it back to the skillet including the juices from the marinade. Arrange lemon slices on top of chicken, cover the skillet with foil, and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. I prefer chicken thighs at 180 to 205 for the best texture and flavor. To check the internal temperature, insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the thighs.
- Serve with your choice of side dishes.
I know cast iron is thicker but with how heavy they are we don’t want to break the glass top on our stove. Can you use a regular pan for this? Would it alter cook time?
Hi Tara! I haven’t tried it using a regular pan, but I believe it would work. The chicken may turn out less crispy but other than that, the cook time should be the same. If it’s easier to bake them in the oven, you could try this recipe instead: https://www.theroastedroot.net/lemon-garlic-baked-chicken-thighs/ You could add rosemary and use skin-on chicken thighs if you prefer them over boneless. Enjoy!!
Is the cooking time the same if I’m using boneless chicken thighs? Thanks
Hi Jessica! For boneless skinless thighs, would bake the chicken for 20 minutes. Chicken is considered cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, so you can check using a meat thermometer if you’d like! Enjoy! xo
Can you use a Dutch Oven to cook this in?
Hi Kate! Yes, absolutely! Follow the exact same instructions, but with your Dutch oven. I’ve done this in the past, too! xoxo
If I used orange juice and orange slices for the marinade, how would that alter the taste?
Hi Andrew,
It will make the chicken a little sweeter with less tang. I believe it will still taste great, although there will be slightly less flavor since lemon juice is pretty acidic. Let me know if you try it!
This has become a favourite for my hubby and I. We have made it half dozen times. It is 5 star!
That’s so great to hear, Patricia!! Thanks so much for the sweet note. I hope you and your husband are staying well during this trying time! xoxo
I’ve made a dish like this and added Thyme, Baby Potatoes, and Carrots cut into small pieces as big as the Baby Potatoes. Also, I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of Almond Oil.
Also some Black Pepper, that and ginger are the best when cooking chicken.
Ooh la la! That sounds great! Thanks for sharing, Joshua! xo
Nor the lemon slices….
Oops! Thanks for catching…added!
how long to you marinate the chicken? Would it be ok overnight?
Hi Rachel,
At least 20 minutes for marinating. Up to 12 hours, so overnight works 😀
Hey Julia!
This recipe looks great but I don’t see the rosemary listed in the ingredients.
Oops! Thanks for catching that! Added!