Lemon Garlic Chicken
This lemon garlic chicken is one of those recipes that never fails me. The lemon keeps it fresh and bright, while the garlic and herbs make it deeply flavorful. It's perfect for meal prep, as leftovers are delicious.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 10-12 chicken legs
- 4-5 slices lemon
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
For the Marinade:
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 whole lemons, fresh, zested
- ⅓ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, or dried
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or dried
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Hand-whisk together all marinade ingredients in a large bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Towel-dry chicken legs and use a fork to pierce holes throughout chicken pieces. Add to the large bowl with marinade. Turn to coat well and let sit in marinade for 1 hour at room temp.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425F, with rack on lower middle position. In a large baking dish, place chicken legs in a single layer.
- Evenly distribute marinade over the chicken. Arrange onion and lemon slices in between and around chicken pieces.
- Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, basting with juices from the pan after 30 minutes. Baste every 10 minutes thereafter, until chicken is done and nicely browned.
- Let rest at room temp 5 minutes before serving. Serve chicken with juices poured over the top.
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry before marinating. This helps the marinade cling better and ensures the skin roasts up golden and crisp.
- Don’t skip the basting. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken a few times while baking to keep it juicy and flavorful.
- Roast in a single layer. Crowding the pan can cause the chicken to steam instead of brown.
- Feel free to adjust the spice level. Add more red pepper flakes for heat or leave them out for a milder flavor.
- Save the pan juices. Drizzle them over rice, potatoes, or roasted vegetables for a simple, flavorful sauce.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in fridge.
- This recipe is part of our Chicken Recipes Collection.
- We love serving it with family favorite sides like our Easy Roasted Vegetables or Parmesan Roasted Potatoes.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1242mg | Potassium: 596mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 393IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg