There is nothing worse than dry, flavorless chicken and Dutch Oven Chicken thighs with Lemon Sage Butter Sauce is anything but that. Perfectly browned and moist, this chicken dish is bursting with bright lemon, earthy sage, and rich butter flavor.
Chicken thigh meat on the bone is really flavorful and very cost-effective, and I can't seem to find a bad way to cook them. I can add a wide variety of flavors and cook them a myriad of ways.
One of my all time favorite things to do is braise them in a Dutch oven. Braising is a really simple technique that means simmering on low in a flavorful cooking liquid. You can do this with a wide variety of flavors and ultimately it is a very easy technique that becomes a very impressive dinner.
The lemon butter sauce flavored with garlic and sage makes the perfect braising liquid. We are talking, delicious flavor soaking right down to the bone.
If you love chicken on the bone, then try the Simple Whole Roasted Chicken for another affordable family friendly dish.
Make this recipe, because…
The chicken thighs are fork tender and bursting with delicious flavor from the lemon butter sauce.
This is a budget friendly meal with first class flavor. Bone-in chicken thighs are one of the cheapest cuts of meat that you can buy, but it is also one of the most flavorful.
Well browned chicken makes for super delicious chicken skin.
The lemon butter sauce flavors every bit from the skin right down to the bone.
Slow cooking makes the chicken thigh pieces fork tender and super juicy.
Ingredients
Instructions
Step 1
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Clean the chicken thighs by removing excess skin around the edges of the thighs. I find kitchen scissors to be the best tool for this, but a sharp knife will work as well.
Step 2
- Make a dredge by mixing the flour and spices together in a shallow pan.
Step 3
- Dredge the chicken thigh pieces, evenly coating each piece in the seasoned flour.
Step 4
- Heat a Dutch oven or large skillet on medium/high heat.
- Add olive to the hot pan. Place the coated chicken into the hot pan skin side down. Adjust the heat as needed. The skin should sizzle without popping and sputtering.
Step 5
- Brown the chicken on each side. It takes 5-7 minutes on the skin side and 3 minutes on the underside to get well browned pieces.
- Remove the browned chicken thighs from the heat and place them on a plate for later. The chicken is not fully cooked at this point.
Step 6
- Turn the heat down, and add butter to the pan. As the butter melts, it will deglaze or loosen the stuck on bits from the bottom of the pan. Use a wooden spoon to work up all the flavorful stuck on pieces.
- Once the butter is completely melted, add minced garlic and sage and let them brown slightly.
- Next, add the juice from one lemon and ¼ cup of water and mix together.
Step 7
- Place the browned chicken back into the pan skin side up.
- Place fresh lemon slices around the pan and cover.
- Finish cooking in the oven for 40 minutes.
FAQs
Browning chicken thighs is ideal before braising. When you brown the skin, you render away some of the fat and give the skin a beautiful color, extra flavor, and a more tender texture. Unbrowned chicken skin can be rubbery, and that texture can ruin an otherwise good piece of meat
Dredging is just giving a piece of meat a light coating of flour. Adding seasoning to the flour adds extra flavor. The flour helps prevent sticking to the pan and will make the food brown more evenly.
Expert Tips
Do remove the excess skin from around the edges of the chicken. The excess skin can be hard to brown and stay chewy. Neatly trimmed chicken pieces will also make the dish look more like it was cooked in a restaurant, and have more eye appeal.
Mince the garlic and sage, and juice the lemon while the chicken is browning. You want to be able to assemble the sauce quickly because the garlic, sage, and butter can all go from brown to burnt quickly.
This is a quick picture of how I set up my sauce ingredients ahead of cooking. If I have everything ready to go, I can move fast while making the sauce.
If you don't have a Dutch Oven, you can use a deep skillet that can go in the oven. You can even finish this dish on the stove if you prefer. You can cover the skillet and leave on a very low setting to simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Serve these tender, juicy thighs with some of my favorite side dishes...
- Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Italian Stuffed Artichokes
- Roasted Glazed Carrots
- Easy Rice Pilaf
- Mushroom Rice Pilaf
Or try other these Dutch Oven Recipes...
- Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Red Wine
- Easy Pepper Steak with Red Wine
- Chicken Mushroom Marsala
- One Pan Chicken Marbella and Rice
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📖 Recipe
Dutch Oven Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Sage Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken Thighs bone-in with skin
- 2 Lemons one for slices, and one for juice
- 8 Tablespoons Salted Butter one stick
- ¼ Cup Water
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoon Fresh Sage 1 Tablespoon dry
- 1 Cup Flour
- 3 Tablespoons Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Clean the chicken thighs by removing excess skin around the edges of the thighs. I find kitchen scissors to be the best tool for this, but a sharp knife will work as well.
- Make a dredge by mixing the flour and spices together in a shallow pan.
- Dredge the chicken thigh pieces, evenly coating each piece in the seasoned flour.
- Heat a Dutch oven or large skillet on medium/high heat.
- Add olive oil to the hot pan. Place the coated chicken into the hot pan skin side down. Adjust the heat as needed. The skin should sizzle without popping and sputtering.
- Brown the chicken on each side. It takes 5-7 minutes on the skin side and 3 minutes on the underside to get well browned pieces.
- Remove the browned chicken thighs from the heat and place them on a plate for later. The chicken is not fully cooked at this point.
- Turn the heat down, and add butter to the pan. As the butter melts, it will deglaze or loosen the stuck on bits from the bottom of the pan. Use a wooden spoon to work up all the flavorful stuck on pieces.
- Once the butter is completely melted, add minced garlic and sage and let them brown slightly.
- Next, add the juice from one lemon and ¼ cup of water and mix together.
- Place the browned chicken back into the pan skin side up.
- Place fresh lemon slices around the pan and cover.
- Finish cooking in the oven for 40 minutes.
Notes
- Do remove the excess skin from around the edges of the chicken. The excess skin can be hard to brown and stay chewy. Neatly trimmed chicken pieces will also make the dish look more like it was cooked in a restaurant, and have more eye appeal.
- Mince the garlic and sage, and juice the lemon while the chicken is browning. You want to be able to assemble the sauce quickly because the garlic, sage, and butter can all go from brown to burnt quickly.
- If you don't have a Dutch Oven, you can use a deep skillet that can go in the oven. You can even finish this dish on the stove if you prefer. You can cover the skillet and leave on a very low setting to simmer for 30-40 minutes.
Nutrition
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Josette@thebrookcook says
Love this- great minds think alike! I have this same pan- and use it for EVERYTHING. I always make chicken thighs too. This looks delicious.
Diana Reis says
Thank you! I had a chance to stop by your blog. I like your style. I'm thinking of starting a link-up. Would you like me to let you know when I do?
Josette@thebrookcook says
Sure! Thank you!
Cheryl says
I’ve made this about three times and it was incredible each time. I find I need 3 lemons for this. Maybe my slices are too thick.
deliciousbydesignblog@gmail.com says
I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. Could need an extra lemon if the fruit size is small or if you cut the slices a bit thick, but it sounds like you have it just the way you like it!!
The Right says
Wow! It looks, and, hopefully, tastes yummy! Soft tender chicken and thick sour sauce combine perfectly and complement each other.
Christine says
Cooked this tonight and it was amazing!!! I have fresh sage in my garden and was looking for something to use it with and came across your recipe!! Very glad I did. Thank you for sharing
Diana Reis says
Thank you for letting me know you made it!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Yvonne says
Feb 5th 2021 at 7 pm loved and enjoyed this flavorful and juicy recipe my hubby ate in slow motion lol enjoying every bite.. Thank you will definitely make again and again...
Joh says
Is it REALLY 3 tbsp of salt?
Diana Reis says
Yes because it is mixed into the flour and most of it won’t end up directly on the chicken. You can go lighter or season the chicken with the amount of salt you like before dredging.
Laurie says
Really delicious. Cut the salt by half - 3 T !?
Diana Reis says
It does seem like a lot of salt, but since it is in the dredge it doesn't end up all on the chicken. I never add any more salt to the dish after that so it seasons the sauce as well. Cutting by half is great. You may need to check the seasoning on the butter sauce and add a touch of salt, or maybe you won't. I do like things a bit saltier.
Michelle G says
I made this for a large dinner party and it was a big hit. I used about 12 boneless chicken thighs and did not double the dredge ingredients and still had leftover dredge. Alongside I roasted cabbage drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper. It was done at the same time and the chicken braising juices mixed with the cabbage.
Diana Reis says
That sounds amazing. I love cabbage and I'm so glad the chicken was a hit!
Karhy says
What do recommend to serve with as a side?
Diana Reis says
Any rice or potato dish is great on the side. It awesome to have something that will soak up that delicious sauce.
Christina Janich says
O.M.G. Amazing! I substituted 1/2 dry white wine 1/2 water for additional flavor. The dish was restaurant quality. Serve with noodles or rice with a side of greens, it is an easy week night dinner with plenty of left overs for the week.
Diana Reis says
Awesome call on the dry white wine! I love it with wine. I try to make the recipes the best they can be with the simplest ingredients to keep them accessible and budget friendly, but wine is almost never a bad idea. Adding a glass to the cook is even better!
Lisa says
This is the first recipe I've made in my new cast iron Dutch oven. It wade me fall in love with my new pot! I didn't use the lemons, only because I didn't know if it would react to the cast iron. But it came out amazing! This will definitely be put on my meal rotation list. Tastes amazing when reheated in the microwave as well (that's definitely a testimony to the recipe). It's a keeper!
Diana Reis says
You have no idea just how much this comment means to me. I am so glad you loved it. I know you will love using your Dutch oven. I feel super privileged to have written the first recipe you tried in it.
Chris says
Can you verify the quantity of butter (not that more isn't awesome)? The photo looks like a stick that is 4TBSP, or half of a normal stick from a pound package. A stick from a pound is 8TBSP, and that seems like too much. Based on the photo and the lemon next to the butter, that looks like what I would call a half of a stick.
Diana Reis says
Thank you for pointing out that I didn't put the exact measurement. That is one stick from a pound which is 8 Tbsps. It is a short stick. That brand of butter does fatter short sticks instead of long sticks that fill the package. I'm going to update the recipe. You can always cut back the butter a bit if you like or do half and add more until you get it just right. Most people are pretty wild about the sauce. It is rich!
Aaron says
This recipe is the bomb, period. I like to cook really low for another 45 mins on the stove just to get more flavor and thickening.
Diana Reis says
It makes my day to know you enjoyed this recipe! Truly! I love creating recipes and I never stop being so excited and so moved by the people who trust me with their meals.