Honey Lemon Garlic Pepper Chicken Thighs

Pan-fried for that golden skin then baked and finished with the magical sweet, tangy and citrusy sauce, these honey lemon garlic pepper chicken thighs are mouthwateringly delicious. Find step-by-step photos above.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 chicken thighs (skinless, no bone, about 1.3 kilograms - 3 lbs.)
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• Zest of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
• Juice of 1 large lemon (1/3 cup of juice)
• 3 cloves of garlic (finely diced)
• 1/4 cup honey (4 tablespoons)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Heat oven. Preheat the oven to 200 C / 395 F.
2. 2Season chicken. Place the chicken thighs flat on a cutting board close together. Sprinkle with half of the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Turn the meat over and season the other side with the remaining salt, pepper and garlic powder.
3. 3Pan-fry the chicken. You can do this in one or two batches. I like to use two frying pans to speed up the process. Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in each pan over medium-high heat (7-8 on induction). Once hot, add the chicken thighs without overcrowding the pan too much. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown crust forms.
4. 4Prepare the honey lemon sauce. Grate the zest ½ of the lemon, about one tablespoon, and juice the whole lemon. Add both to a mixing bowl. Follow with diced garlic and honey and whisk using a fork until well combined and smooth. Set aside.
5. 5Bake the chicken. Transfer pre-cooked chicken thighs to a large baking tray or dish. Pour the honey lemon garlic sauce evenly over the chicken.
6. 6Note: Leave one of the frying pans uncleaned as we will use it to finish our sauce.
7. 7Place in the hot oven on the middle shelf. Set the timer for 7 minutes. Then, take the tray out and use a spoon to scoop and baste the meat with the sauce. Place back in the oven for another 7 minutes and repeat with the basting. Cook for the final 5 minutes, remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Total of 20 minutes.
8. 8Reduce sauce. Pour the sauce from the baking dish into the used frying pan. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the sauce reduces by half. The flavour will get more intense, sweeter and saltier as the liquid thickens and becomes more glossy. I like to stir in a teaspoon of butter to give it extra shine.
9. 9Serve. Finally, pour the reduced sauce over the chicken and serve. You can reserve some of the sauce to pour over the sliced chicken when once served on individual plates.