Lemon Pepper Baked Chicken
This lemon pepper chicken recipe is a quick, flavorful dinner that’s perfect for busy nights. Juicy, bone-in chicken thighs are generously seasoned with a zesty blend of lemon pepper, garlic, and Cajun spices, then baked to golden perfection. With fresh lemon, garlic, and buttery pan juices, this dish pairs beautifully with rice or potatoes for a comforting, crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 pieces)
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium, made with Better Than Bouillon
- 2 tbsp butter sliced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small white onion sliced
- 2 small lemons zest of 2, juice of 1, and 1 sliced
Seasoning Blend
- 2 tbsp avocado oil for drizzling
- 1.5 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp adobo seasoning
- 1 tbsp lemon pepper
- 1/2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp oregano
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously season the chicken thighs with garlic powder, onion powder, adobo, lemon pepper, Cajun seasoning, oregano, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with avocado oil to help the seasonings stick.
- Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs in a baking dish. Top with sliced onion, lemon slices, minced garlic, and butter.
- Pour 1 cup of chicken broth into the baking dish to keep the chicken moist and create a flavorful base for basting.
- Bake the chicken uncovered at 400°F for about 50 minutes.
- At the 25-minute mark, begin basting the chicken with the juices from the pan. Repeat this 1–2 more times throughout the cooking process to ensure juicy, flavorful chicken.
- Serve the chicken over rice or potatoes and drizzle with the flavorful pan juices for a complete meal.
Notes
You can use a mix of chicken cuts, but dark meat like legs and thighs work well. I prefer using bone-in, but if you substitute for boneless, you'd need to adjust the amount of seasonings and cook time accordingly.
The chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part, but for more tender thighs, aim for 175°F.
To crisp up the skin, broil for 2–3 minutes at the end of cooking.