Valentina's Corner
Recipe for simple, juicy, Baked Lemon Butter Chicken Thighs. Thighs smothered in lemon butter juices. The easiest butter chicken recipe you can make. With under 10-minute prep time, these thighs will become a regular in your kitchen.
Serve with a side of Mashed Potatoes and a side Salad.
butter chicken thighs recipe-
Baked thighs are a favorite protein to use for dinner. Especially for me because they are so easy to prepare. Just five minutes of prep work and into the oven for cooking. Since they are a favorite in the house, I started to experiment with different ways to prepare thighs and this recipe came to life.
The chicken thighs are coated with a lemon buttered and herbs spread, topped with paprika and garlic seasoning. This butter chicken recipe is so so simple. With every tender bite you take, you taste the lemon butter juices.
What side can I serve with baked thighs?
Mashed potatoes, rice, and pasta are all great side choices to enjoy with these butter chicken thighs.
tips for oven baked chicken thighs:
- The butter mixture is a little hard to rub on the chicken if the thighs are wet. Pat the thighs dry, the mixture will spread onto the chicken easier. Use a butter knife to apply the butter on the thighs.
- The butter needs to be room temperature or else it will not spread.
- Be sure to use a rimmed baking pan so that the juices from the thighs don’t spill over in the oven – not good. I used an 8″x8″ casserole dish for this recipe and it worked great!
How long should I cook chicken in the oven?
- The cook time will vary depending on the size of your chicken thighs. Do not over bake the thighs because you will lose the flavor and juiciness of the chicken. Test readiness of the chicken thighs with an internal food thermometer, it should register 165F.
can I substitute chicken thighs?
Chicken breast-
You can use chicken breast instead of thighs. Although the thighs turn out really tender and juicy, the chicken breast will be just as delicious if not overbaked. The baking time for the chicken breast may differ than the thighs, depending on the side of the breast or tenders.
Bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs-
Another substitute is bone-in and skin-on thighs. The bones help retain the juices and give the thighs flavor. Baking time will take longer. Cover dish with foil for first half of the cooking, uncover and finish baking.
lemon butter chicken recipe-
This lemon garlic chicken recipe is great to serve for dinner or even for a quick lunch dish. Sometimes when we have chicken thighs for dinner and there are leftovers, I like to make a simple salad and add the leftover chicken thighs to the salad.
Try these other CHICKEN recipes:
- Baked Tender Chicken Thighs Recipe– Marinated thighs with the combination of garlic with Italia seasoning and paprika.
- Tender Grilled Chicken Thighs– Seasoned thighs grilled to perfection topped with lime juice.
Baked Lemon Butter Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, boneless skinless
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice
- 1½ tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Combine butter, lemon juice, and dry Italian seasoning together and mix.
- Pat chicken thighs dry. Coat thighs with the lemon butter spread.
- In a small bowl combine the paprika, pepper, salt and garlic powder.
- Generously coat thighs with the seasoning.
- Bake at 400°F for 35 minutes or until golden.