Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs are tender, juicy, and delicious! These baked chicken thighs are seasoned to perfection with a blend of lemon, pepper, garlic, and smoky seasonings, and pair great with rice, veggies, or a salad for an easy weeknight dinner.

Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

Hey everyone! Hope you are having a good week so far.

Today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite chicken recipes with you – Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs.

These baked lemon pepper chicken thighs are super tender and juicy, full of a delicious lemon pepper and garlic flavor, and bake to a golden, crispy perfection in the oven.

They’re also super easy to prepare and great for a weeknight dinner.

We love pairing these baked lemon pepper chicken thighs with a side of rice and vegetables or diced up on a salad or pasta.

These chicken thighs are actually my husband’s favorite kind of chicken and he loves it when I bake up a huge batch on a Sunday so he can eat the leftovers all week long.

The lemon pepper flavor is just so yummy and unlike boneless skinless chicken breast which can sometimes get a little dry after a few days, these chicken thighs stay nice and juicy and the whole family will love them!

More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:

• Healthy Grilled Chicken Breast Marinades
• Easy Chicken & Stuffing Casserole
• Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
• Skinny Chicken Taco Pinwheels

Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

So what makes these lemon pepper chicken thighs so delicious?

Well for starters, the fresh lemon, cracked black pepper, and a blend of smoky and savory seasonings, all combine to make one incredibly tasty seasoning.

Second, the fact that these chicken thighs are oven roasted and baked to a tender, golden perfection.

By baking the chicken thighs on a wire rack like this, you’ll not only drain off any excess fat, but it helps crisp up the outside of the chicken while keeping the inside nice and tender and full of flavor.

These chicken thighs are seriously so juicy and yummy and because we use both lemon pepper seasoning and fresh lemons, the flavor is undeniably good!

Recommended Kitchen Tools/Ingredients:

• Mixing Bowls
• Large Baking Sheets
• Wire Rack
• Pre-Cut Parchment Paper
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray

How to Make Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs:

1. Cut/Trim Your Chicken Thighs

To make these yummy baked lemon pepper chicken thighs, grab 2-3 pounds of chicken thighs (about 8-10 thighs) and trim off any excess fat.

You can also cut the thighs into smaller pieces, if desired. This is definitely the most time consuming part of the entire recipe, but definitely worth it.

2. Coat with Oil/Lemon Juice

Next in a large bowl coat the chicken thighs with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Season Your Chicken

Now it’s time to add the rest of your seasonings including lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, and Italian seasoning.

This lemon pepper seasoning is my absolute favorite as it’s super flavorful and salt-free! 

Sprinkle all of the seasonings liberally over the chicken coating it on both sides.

I provide an estimate of how much I use in the recipe box below, but I pretty much always just eyeball it and it comes out perfect every time!

Feel free to play around with the seasoning ratios based on your own personal preference. 🙂

4. Prepare Your Pans

Next line a large baking sheet like this with parchment paper and place a wire roasting rack in the center of the pan.

Spray with non-stick spray and place the chicken thighs on the roasting rack, ensuring the sides don’t touch each other.

5. Bake In the Oven 

Place chicken thighs in a preheated oven at 400 degrees and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

6. Let Rest for 5 and Enjoy

Once fully cooked, let the chicken thighs rest for 5 minutes to lock in all the juices before serving and enjoy!

P.S. If you have leftover chicken, shred it up and use it in my Easy Chicken and Stuffing Casserole for a fun and delicious twist! 

Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Kindly Unspoken
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Oven Baked
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs are tender, juicy, and delicious! These baked chicken thighs are seasoned to perfection with a blend of lemon, pepper, garlic, and smoky seasonings, and pair great with rice, veggies, or a salad for an easy weeknight dinner.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2–3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2.5 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2.5 tbsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning (This one’s our favorite)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

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Instructions

1. To make these yummy baked lemon pepper chicken thighs, grab 2-3 pounds of chicken thighs (about 8-10 thighs) and trim off any excess fat. You can also cut the thighs into smaller pieces, if desired. This is definitely the most time consuming part of the entire recipe, but definitely worth it.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
3. Next in a large bowl coat the chicken thighs with olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Now it’s time to add the rest of your seasonings including lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle all of the seasonings liberally over the chicken coating it on both sides.
5. Next line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire roasting rack in the center of the pan. Spray with non-stick spray and place the chicken thighs on the roasting rack, ensuring the sides don’t touch each other. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
6. Once fully cooked, let the chicken thighs rest for 5 minutes before serving and enjoy!

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Notes

• You can also use this recipe on boneless skinless chicken breasts, but may need to lessen the baking time by 5-10 minutes, depending on the size/thickness of your chicken.
• Store leftover chicken in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.

Keywords: lemon pepper chicken thighs, baked lemon pepper chicken thighs, oven lemon pepper chicken, baked chicken thighs, chicken, chicken thighs, dinner, lemon pepper chicken

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Hope you enjoyed today’s recipe for Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs! Do you love lemon pepper flavoring like our family does? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by! – Cara

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