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    Home » Chicken and Poultry

    Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs (with Crispy Skin)

    Published: Aug 25, 2022 · Modified: Sep 29, 2024 by Diana Reis · This post may contain affiliate links

    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    These roasted chicken thighs have perfectly crisp skin and tender, juicy meat that practically falls off the bone. They are super easy to make and are packed with flavor from lemon pepper seasoning.

    close up of finished chicken on white plate and cloth back drop

    Bone-In skin-on chicken thighs are the unsung hero of the home kitchen. They are one of the easiest, most budget friendly proteins you can make. You can do a million and one things with them and they are practically impossible to dry out. 

    The easiest thing you can do is roast them. Roasting means you are going to use some high heat to crisp up that delicious fatty skin. Skip the extra olive oil, the thigh is self-basting and the natural fats from the skin drip down into the meat leaving it extra juicy.

    It takes just a few simple steps.  A little trim around the edges, a little lemon pepper seasoning, and some oven time and you can have the most tender, juicy chicken thigh meat you’ve ever had. 

    Serve Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs with a Roasted Kale Quinoa Salad, Green Beans with Bacon, or Easy Rice Pilaf for a balanced and delicious meal. 

    Jump to:
    • Make this recipe!
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Diana’s Tips for Success
    • Top tip
    • Substitutions
    • Storage and Reheating
    • Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Make this recipe!

    Contents hide
    Make this recipe!
    Ingredients
    Instructions
    Diana’s Tips for Success
    Top tip
    Substitutions
    Storage and Reheating
    Related Recipes
    📖 Recipe
    Chicken Thighs with Lemon Pepper Seasoning
    Chicken Seasoning

    It delivers tender, juicy chicken thighs with perfectly crispy skin.

    It takes just a few minutes to prepare and then all of the magic happens in the oven. This leaves you completely hands free to work on the side dishes making it perfect for busy weeknights.

    It’s cheap! Chicken thighs are one of the least expensive proteins, and one of the most flavorful. 

    Ingredients

    oven lemon pepper chicken thigh ingredients on cutting board

    Bone-In Chicken Thighs and a dry rub are all you need for this recipe. I’ve given a recipe for my favorite homemade dry rub in the recipe below. You can use mine or your favorite.

    Lemon Pepper Seasoning- This is a combination of black pepper and dry lemon zest. It has a great zing and a little bit of warmth.  Granulated onion, garlic, and paprika top off the perfect chicken seasoning. 

    Instructions

    Step 1: Trim Chicken Thighs

    • In a small bowl, mix lemon pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, paprika, and salt together to make your dry rub. 
    • Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a sheet pan with parchment or foil to save on clean up time.
    • Trim the skin on each thigh using a sharp knife or kitchen shears.
    step 1- skin about to be trimmed from chicken

    There is usually some skin wrapped around the underside of the thigh that is not attached to the meat. This piece doesn’t tend to crisp up well because it is sitting down in the cooking juices. For the best results, remove this extra skin before roasting.

    Step 2: Season and Roast

    • Season chicken thighs on both sides and place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet skin side up.
    • Cook them in a preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°.
    chicken pieces on baking tray fully seasoned

    Diana’s Tips for Success

    • Let the chicken sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to take the chill off.
    • Season very well. Coat both the underside and skin side of the chick thighs. 
    • There is no need to add any cooking oil. The skin from the chicken has plenty of fat and will get very crispy.

    Top tip

    Take the time to trim the skin. A nicely trimmed thigh will cook up with perfectly crisp skin all over.

    • Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the thigh pieces. The chicken thighs may reach the finished temperature of 165° before 45 minutes are up. However, let the chicken continue to cook. The fat from the skin will drip into the meat and baste it as it cooks leaving you with more tender, extra juicy meat. 
    • Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature to be sure the chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat.

    hero shot cooked chicken thigh pieces on plate

    Substitutions

    • The technique for roasting this cut of chicken is the most important thing to learn. I really like the lemon pepper seasoning, but any of your favorite dry rubs can be used.
    • You can use this roasting technique on other skin on chicken pieces. Legs, leg-thigh quarters, and bone-in chicken breasts with skin are all great roasted. 
    • Chicken leg pieces can be cooked exactly the same way as the thighs and can even be on the same baking tray.
    • The larger leg-thigh quarters and breast pieces need to be on their own try and will take longer to cook.

    Storage and Reheating

    These delicious, crispy chicken thighs are great leftover and reheat well in the microwave.

    Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Related Recipes

    • Dutch Oven Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Sage Butter Sauce
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    • Italian Grilled Chicken

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    📖 Recipe

    square feature photo roasted chicken thighs on white plate line with lettuce

    Chicken Thighs with Lemon Pepper Seasoning

    Tender chicken thighs are perfectly seasoned with zest lemon pepper seasoning and roasted to perfection with an extra crispy skin.
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course, Main Dish
    Cuisine: American, American Classic, Greek/ Mediteranean, Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 People
    Calories: 189kcal
    Author: Diana Reis

    Equipment

    • Baking Sheet
    • Parchment Paper or Foil

    Ingredients

    • 6 Chicken Thighs bone-in, skin-on

    Chicken Seasoning

    • 1 Teaspoon Granulated Onion or onion powder
    • 1 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic or garlic powder
    • 1 Teaspoon Lemon Pepper
    • 1 Teaspoon Paprika
    • 1 Teaspoon Dry Parsley

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a sheet pan with parchment or foil to save on clean up time.
    • Trim the skin on each thigh using a sharp knife or kitchen shears.
    • Season both sides of the chicken thighs and place them on a lined baking sheet.
    • Cook them, skin side up, for approximately 45 minutes.

    Notes

    Diana's Tips For Success
    • There is usually some skin wrapped around the underside of the thigh that is not attached to the meat. This piece doesn’t tend to crisp up well because it is sitting down in the cooking juices. 
    • Take the time to trim the skin. A nicely trimmed thigh will cook up with perfectly crisp skin all over.
    • Season very well. Coat both the underside and skin side of the chick thighs. There is no need to add any cooking oil. The skin from the chicken has plenty of fat and will get very crispy.
    • The chicken thighs may reach the finished temperature of 165° before 45 minutes are up. However, let the chicken continue to cook. The fat from the skin will drip into the meat and baste it as it cooks leaving you with more tender, extra juicy meat.
    Substitutions
    • You can use this roasting technique on other skin on chicken pieces. Legs, leg-thigh quarters, and bone-in breast pieces with skin are all great roasted.
    • Chicken leg pieces can be cooked exactly the same way as the thighs and can even be on the same baking tray.
    • The larger leg-thigh quarters and breast pieces need to be on their own try and will take longer to cook.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 407mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 286IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Comments

      4.84 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Cyndy says

      August 26, 2022 at 11:26 pm

      Perfectly easy and so delicious - loved the poultry rub too. I added a dash of cayenne too! A great weeknight dinner idea.

      Reply
    2. MacKenzie says

      August 27, 2022 at 2:50 am

      5 stars
      My family loved these chicken thighs. They were so moist and flavorful on the inside and crispy on the outside. I served with a side of broccoli for a complete healthy meal. Can’t wait to make again!

      Reply
    3. Gina says

      August 27, 2022 at 3:06 am

      5 stars
      Crispy skin is a weakness and thighs are my favorite pieces of chicken. This recipe is certainly a keeper. Delish!

      Reply
    4. Tara says

      August 27, 2022 at 5:03 am

      5 stars
      Crispy skin with tasty flavoring - this recipe is so yummy! Will definitely make it for dinner again.

      Reply
    5. Charla says

      August 27, 2022 at 6:10 am

      What a delicious chicken recipe and I can almost here the crunch from over here.

      Reply
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    I’m passionate about the family dinner table. Connecting with each other at the end of the day over a good meal creates strong family bonds and healthy long-lasting relationships. I want to help families and friends build those relationships.

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