Baked Honey Lemon Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken and golden potatoes roasted in a sweet, tangy honey lemon glaze for an easy all-in-one weeknight meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 oz each)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 lb 5 oz baby potatoes, halved
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, cut into wedges
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce & Seasoning
05 - 1/4 cup honey
06 - 2 lemons (zest and juice), plus extra slices for garnish
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
09 - 1 teaspoon paprika
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish or sheet pan with olive oil.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.
03 - Place the chicken thighs and halved baby potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Scatter the onion wedges and minced garlic over and around the chicken and potatoes.
04 - Pour the honey lemon mixture evenly over the chicken and potatoes. Toss gently to coat everything. Arrange lemon slices on top if desired.
05 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, basting the chicken with pan juices once or twice during roasting, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the potatoes are golden and tender.
06 - Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The honey lemon sauce doubles as a marinade and a finishing glaze, so you get deep flavor with almost zero extra effort.
- Chicken thighs stay juicy even if you forget about them in the oven for a few extra minutes, which makes this wonderfully forgiving.
02 -
- If you crowd the pan the potatoes will steam instead of roast, so give everything breathing room or use two pans.
- A quick two to three minute blast under the broiler at the end transforms the chicken skin from good to shatteringly crisp, but watch it like a hawk because honey burns fast.
03 -
- Pulling the chicken out of the fridge 20 minutes before roasting lets it cook more evenly and prevents the outside from burning before the center is done.
- Save any leftover pan juices and drizzle them over rice or crusty bread the next day because that liquid gold should never go to waste.