Lemon Garlic Chicken is “5 stars!” “easy and delicious!,” blushing with vibrant citrus, zesty, garlic and aromatic herbs. The uber juicy, flavorful chicken can be grilled, cooked in a skillet, OR baked with buttery, golden baby potatoes and crisp-tender broccoli for a complete meal-in-one! Top it all of with guilt free Parmesan Yogurt Herb Dip which readers call “a must!” and “so, so good!”
Watch How to Make Lemon Garlic Chicken
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You’ll love this Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe
There is so much to love about this Lemon Garlic Chicken recipe. Both my husband and I are pretty much obsessed, so obsessed I made it twice in one week – which never happens for a food blogger! Here’s the deets:


Garlic Chicken ingredients
This Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade is the star of the show. It flavors the chicken, flavors the potatoes and flavors the broccoli with a balance of tangy, bright ingredients. It’s adeptly seasoned for a subtle depth of aromatics and herbs. Here’s what you’ll need:

what cut of chicken is best?
This Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade is incredibly versatile and works well with any cuts: thighs, breasts, legs, and even wings. In fact, the marinade would also be fabulous for shrimp, salmon, and pork– it makes EVERYTHING better!
Chicken thighs: are my first choice in this Lemon Garlic Chicken recipe. They soak up the marinade quickly and taste like they have been marinating for hours after only 20 minutes. Additionally, thighs are dark cuts of meat which means they are richer tasting and inherently juicier than chicken breasts.
Chicken cutlets: use 3 chicken breasts sliced through the equator to create six cutlets or 6 small chicken breasts, roughly 5-7 ounces each. The chicken will be pounded to a uniform thickness so it’s super tender, can seep in more of the marinade and will cook more evenly and in the allotted cooking time.

THE VEGGIES
-Potatoes: you’ll need about 1-inch potatoes for this recipe. I suggest baby Dutch potatoes because they emerge buttery tender. You’ll want to cut larger baby potatoes into quarters or halve super small ones. You can cut the potatoes larger if you wish, just bake them longer before you add the chicken and broccoli.
-Broccoli: works perfectly here because it cooks in the same time as the chicken and shines with the lemon garlic flavors.

Garlic Chicken Recipe Substitutions
This Lemon Garlic Chicken recipe is very versatile. Here are a few ways to mix it up:


Garlic Lemon Chicken Sauce Ingredients
This Lemon Garlic Chicken recipe is lemony and garlicy 😉 so I love it with a reprieve of creamy herb sauce/dip to tone down the acidity. I have tried it both with and without a sauce, and it is 10X better with the dip, especially the veggies. You can pick up some store-bought tzatziki or whip up this easy Parmesan Yogurt Herb Sauce. This sauce is extremely flexible so don’t worry if you don’t have all of the ingredients.


How to make Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
Let’s take a closer look at how to make this recipe with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
Step 1: Marinate the chicken thighs. Combine the Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade ingredients in a large sealable bag. Remove 2 tablespoons to use later on the veggies. Add the chicken to the bag, seal, and turn to coat. Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes while you cook the potatoes or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Roast the potatoes. Add the potatoes, 1 tablespoon reserved marinade (not touched by the chicken) and ¼ teaspoon salt to a large, rimmed baking sheet. Toss the potatoes with the marinade until evenly combined then spread into an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Add chicken and broccoli. Add the broccoli to the sheet pan and toss with 1 tablespoon of the reserved marinade. Push the broccoli next to the potatoes in a single layer. Add the chicken in a single layer.

Step 4: Bake chicken. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 17-22 minutes or until your chicken thighs reach 170 degrees F or chicken cutlets reach 165 degrees F.


How to make Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs in advance
You can prep portions of this recipe in advance so the final dish comes together quickly:
-Prep the marinade: whisk the marinade ingredients together in a sealable plastic bag and refrigerate. Don’t forget to remove 2 tablespoons for the veggies before adding the chicken.
-Marinate the chicken. go one step further and marinate the chicken for up to 4 hours.
-Prep the veggies: chop the broccoli into florets and the potatoes into quarters. The potatoes will brown due to oxidation once cut so you’ll want to store them submerged in a bowl of water in the refrigerator. Make sure to thoroughly dry before roasting.

Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe Variations
Can I make grilled lemon garlic chicken?
Absolutely! The Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade is stand-alone fabulous for grilling on an outdoor grill during the summer or an indoor grill pan during the winter. The cooking time is roughly the same for both 5–7-ounce chicken cutlets and boneless, skinless chicken thighs:
- Heat, clean and grease grill to 400 degrees F.
- Grill chicken over direct heat undisturbed for 4-6 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through (An inserted thermometer should read 165 degrees F for chicken breasts, 170 for thighs).
- Let chicken rest 5 minutes before chopping or slicing.
Can I make Lemon Garlic Chicken in a skillet?
Of course! You can use an indoor grill pan or here’s how to make in a skillet:
•Heat 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
•Once very hot, add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until deeply golden on one side.
•Flip the chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-7 additional minutes (depending on thickness), or until chicken is cooked through. I am running a few minutes late; my previous meeting is running over.

Tips for making Garlic Chicken

Garlic Chicken temperature
Chicken thighs should be cooked to 175 degrees F and chicken breasts should be cooked to 165 degrees. Cooking dark meat to only 165 F will yield chewy, rubbery meat because it contains more connective tissue than light meat, but cooking thighs to 175 F, will yield tender, juicy meat as the collagen melts and turns to gelatin. I recommend removing the chicken from the heat source a few degrees under because the temperature will continue to rise once the chicken is removed from the heat.

How to not overcook Lemon Garlic Chicken
Always use a meat thermometer to check for doneness so you don’t undercook or overcook your chicken. A meat thermometer means perfectly cooked, tender, juicy chicken ever time. You can pick up an inexpensive instant read thermometer at the grocery store or Amazon, but a digital meat thermometer is the most accurate.
I am obsessed with this digital probe thermometer. It retrieves temperature precisely to within ±1.8°f (±1°c) and you leave the probes in the chicken while it cooks, whether on the grill, stove, or oven. The digital thermometer allows you to set the desired temperature and an alarm will set as soon as it reaches the set temperature.


How to serve this Garlic Chicken Recipe
Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs area complete meal-in-one if you go the sheet pan route, otherwise you can serve the chicken with any of these side dishes:

This Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe makes great leftovers!
This Lemon Garlic Chicken recipe is scrumptious served with simple sides or is wonderfully versatile and can be served in sandwiches, wraps, salads, etc. Here are just a few ideas:

How to store leftover Garlic Chicken
Store the Lemon Garlic Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

How to reheat Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
-Microwave: chop up or slice the chicken so it reheats more evenly then transfer to a microwave safe dish. Heat for one minute then at 30 second intervals as needed.
-Skillet: reheat the chicken and veggies a skillet over medium low heat until warmed through, with a drizzle of oil or butter.
-Oven: transfer chicken to an oven-proof dish. Cover with foil and reheat at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or just until warmed through.
How to freeze this Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe
These Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs freezer very well:
-To freeze cooked chicken: let chicken cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for 2 to 3 months. Thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
-To freeze chicken in marinade: add the chicken to the marinade, squeeze out excess air and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use, the chicken will marinate as you thaw it in the refrigerator. Cook as soon as the chicken is thawed.

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Garlic Lemon Chicken
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Ingredients
Chicken and Veggies
- 1 ½- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (see notes for breasts)
- 1 pound baby Dutch potatoes, quartered, halved if super small
- 3 cups broccoli florets
Lemon Garlic Marinade
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp EACH salt, pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, onion powder
- 1/2 tsp EACH paprika, ground cumin, dried thyme, sugar
Parmesan Yogurt Herb Sauce (Optional, recommended)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/4 cup finely, freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
- 1 tablespoon minced dill (optional)
- 1/4 tsp EACH salt, ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Combine the Lemon Garlic Marinade ingredients in a freezer size sealable bag. Remove 2 tablespoons to use later for the veggies. Add the chicken to the bag, seal, and turn to coat. Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes while you cook the potatoes or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
- Line a large sheet pan with sides (15×21-inches) with foil and spray with cooking spray for easy cleanup.
- Add the potatoes, 1 tablespoon reserved marinade (never touched by the chicken) and ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss until evenly combined then spread into an even layer. Bake potatoes at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Push the potatoes to one side of the pan. Add the broccoli and toss with 1 tablespoon of the reserved marinade. Push next to the potatoes in a single layer. Add the chicken in a single layer.
- Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 17-22 minutes or until your chicken thighs reach 170-175 degrees F or chicken cutlets reach 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
- Meanwhile, whip up the Yogurt Parmesan Herb Sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
EXPERT TIPS
- Use chicken thighs. For the juiciest, most flavorful chicken with greater caramelization, use chicken thighs.
- ** To use chicken breasts: use 3 chicken breasts sliced through the equator to create six cutlets or 6 small chicken breasts, roughly 5-7 ounces each. Pound the chicken to a uniform thickness so it’s super tender, can seep in more of the marinade and will cook more evenly and in the allotted cooking time.
- Use uniform potatoes. Try and select your own potatoes of similar size instead of grabbing a bag which will often have varying sizes. Quarter all of the potatoes so they are about 1-inch and only halve potatoes that are super tiny. You can cut the potatoes larger if you wish, just bake them longer before you add the chicken and broccoli.
- Don’t forget the spray. Even the marinade has olive oil, the veggies aren’t swimming in it, so it’s important that you grease the foil with nonstick cooking spray otherwise your veggies will stick.
- Bring the chicken to room temperature. If you are making this recipe right away, then the chicken will come to room temperature as it marinates and you bake the potatoes. If you are making this recipe after the chicken has been marinating in the refrigerator, make sure to let the chicken rest on the counter for 20 minutes before cooking.
- Don’t skip the sauce! The yogurt sauce is a key component in this recipe. Its creamy consistency marries all of the ingredients together. Greek yogurt will be tangier and give you more of a Greek vibe and sour cream will be more of a steakhouse dip vibe. If you don’t have all of the herbs for the sauce, just use what you do have. You can also use homemade or store-bought tzatziki.
- Meal prep: Easily turn these Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs into meal prep by dividing the chicken and veggies into sealable containers so they’re ready for on-the go.
Grilled lemon garlic chicken
- Heat, clean and grease grill to 400 degrees F.
- Grill chicken over direct heat undisturbed for 4-6 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through (An inserted thermometer should read 165 degrees F for chicken breasts, 170-175 degrees for thighs).
- Let chicken rest 5 minutes before chopping or slicing.
Skillet Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Heat 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You will likely need to work in batches.
- Once very hot, add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until deeply golden on one side.
- Flip the chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5-7 additional minutes (depending on thickness), or until chicken is cooked through.
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT
- Storage: store the chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- To freeze cooked chicken: let chicken cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for 2 to 3 months. Thaw chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
- To freeze chicken in marinade: add the chicken to the marinade, squeeze out excess air and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use, the chicken will marinate as you thaw it in the refrigerator. Cook as soon as the chicken is thawed.
- To reheat in the microwave: chop up or slice the chicken so it reheats more evenly then transfer to a microwave safe dish. Heat for one minute then at 30 second intervals as needed.
- To reheat in a skillet: reheat the chicken and veggies a skillet over medium low heat until warmed through, with a drizzle of oil or butter.
- To reheat in the oven: transfer chicken to an oven-proof dish. Cover with foil and reheat at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or just until warmed through.
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Doug says
I made this recipe tonight and it was great! I was a bit skeptical about not browning the chicken thighs first but I was happy with the end result. Memo to self about cutting the potatoes a bit smaller—some of mine were definitely on the “al dente” side lol.
Jen says
I’m so glad the chicken turned out great in the end! We live and we learn, I bet your potatoes will be perfect from now on!
Karen says
So yummy!!!!!! Our college daughter is making it on her own after eating it at home. Simple, minimal dishes, great flavor! Thank you!!!
Jen says
Hi Karen! Thank you so much for your sweet comment! It’s so great to know that your daughter will be making quality meals for herself at school and she’ll have a taste of home while away! I’m so glad you all love it!
Emily H. says
I’m so obsessed with this recipe. It’s easy, delicious, and nutritious. The yogurt sauce is a MUST. It also saves very well for meal preps.
Jen says
Thank you so much Emily! I’m thrilled that you love this dish!
Karin says
Did I miss what to do with the sauce?? Is it a dipper or something I drizzle over the meal?
Jen says
Hi Karin! Yes it’s a yummy dip that is great to tone down the acidity of the chicken. You can also use a tzatziki if you would like. I hope you love it! 🙂
Meghan Boles says
Nutrition facts?
Jen says
Hi! You can plug in the ingredients in this nutrition calculator https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator
Emily says
This is such a good recipe! Flavourful, healthy and easy! Loved by the whole family which is a huge win, we have made it a few times!
Jen says
Hi Emily! Thank you so much for your review! I’m so glad that you and your family loved this dish!