Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

These Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs are super easy to make and full of flavor. They have easy prep time and in about 30 minutes, you will have a satisfying lemon pepper chicken dinner for the whole family.

In my opinion, chicken thighs are the best cut of meat. I love to air fry them, and in fact, if you have an air fryer, you could follow the directions for my air fryer chicken thigh recipe using these seasoning to make air fryer lemon pepper chicken thighs.

Bone-in chicken thighs are economical, delicious, and versatile. I keep them in the freezer at all times. In this version using lemon pepper, we cook them in a tall pan on the stove top to avoid the mess pan frying chicken can cause. I like to use my Staub oval dutch oven for this recipe, but really any dutch oven will do. Using a dutch oven really cuts down on the grease splatter when cooking lemon pepper chicken.

Lemon pepper is such a versatile and classic seasoning combination. I love lemon pepper on chicken, and I also used it on my lemon pepper salmon recipe.

My favorite part about this recipe is you don't even need to buy any lemons! No lemon juice or lemon zest needed in the recipe.

Pair this dish with your favorite side dish. My family likes to keep it simple with potatoes, green beans, or rice. I like salads for a low-carb option.

Ingredients needed

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this lemon pepper chicken thigh recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For a printable recipe, see the recipe card below.

6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs - I've noticed lately that chicken thighs come with a lot of excess skin.  You will want to some of this away because it will be hard to get all of that flabby skin crispy.  Once you trim it, you could cook it separately and make a chicken skin chip.  

2 tablespoons avocado oil - This is my preferred cooking oil but feel free to use olive oil if you like.

2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning - I am to loyal to any one brand of lemon pepper seasoning.  I used McCormick.  

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

How to make lemon pepper chicken thighs

This section explains how to make this lemon pepper chicken recipe, step by step. For a full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.

Step 1 - Heat the oil in a large, deep dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs on a platter or cutting board.

Step 2 - In a small mixing bowl, combine the garlic powder, oregano, lemon pepper and salt. Season the skin side of your chicken thighs with the spices.

Step 3 - Season the other side of your chicken thighs using the remainder of your seasonings. Cook the chicken thighs on the skin side in a single layer for a few minutes, or until the skin releases from the pan.

Step 4 - Flip your lemon pepper chicken thighs every few minutes to make sure they are cooked evenly on both sides. Cook for about 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165F.

Tips for the best lemon pepper chicken thighs

• Use an internal meat thermometer to determine when the chicken is finished instead of time. Time will vary based on how big your pieces of chicken are so it is best to use a meat thermometer for safety. You want the internal temperature of your lemon pepper chicken thighs to me 165F
• A big pot or dutch oven will greatly cut down on the grease splatter when making your lemon pepper chicken. You can use a skillet if you do not have a large pot. A big dutch oven is such a great investment for your kitchen. I use it so often!
• I like to keep flipping my chicken thighs to ensure that the skin doesn't burn, but I still get a nice crispy skin.

More chicken thigh recipes

• Creamy spinach chicken thighs
• Crock Pot BBQ chicken thighs
• Tuscan Chicken Thighs
• Keto Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
• Keto Crispy Chicken Thighs
• Air fryer chicken thighs

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Recipe Card