Get ready to elevate your weeknight dinner with this baked Keto Lemon Chicken Recipe! Bursting with zesty lemon flavor and featuring tender, juicy chicken thighs, this recipe is sure to become a family favorite.
Do You Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from A Sweet Thyme
With simple preparation and healthy ingredients, this dish is the perfect solution for busy evenings when you need a delicious and hassle-free meal on the table in no time.
This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten's recipe for Tuscan Lemon Chicken in her book Barefoot Contessa Back To Basics. The marinade is one that I use often on all different cuts of chicken and with different cooking methods. This recipe pairs well with my Mushroom and Cauliflower Skillet as well as my Warm Cauliflower Salad.
Jump to:
Whether you're cooking for a family dinner, meal prepping for the week, or hosting a gathering with friends, these lemon rosemary chicken thighs are versatile and adaptable to various occasions and preferences.
I use chicken thighs in this recipe but it's the marinade that is the star. Chicken thighs are a flavorful and more forgiving cut of meat, and baking them reduces the need for added fats compared to frying. The fresh lemon adds a burst of citrusy brightness and vitamin C to the dish.
Overall, this Baked Gluten-Free Lemon Chicken Thigh Recipe offers a winning combination of taste and convenience, making it a great option for anyone looking for a delicious and hassle-free meal.
This recipe has been in our family for many years and is one of the most requested dishes that I make when we are all together along with our Smashed Fingerling Potatoes! I know your whole family will love this too.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients - you will have these on hand most of the time
- Easy Prep - this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you want to whip up a delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Lots of Options - this recipe will give you a lot of options as to cuts of chicken and different cooking methods that will make this a staple in your home.
- Delicious - a delightful combination of zesty lemon with tender and juicy chicken thighs, creating a mouthwatering dish that's sure to tantalize your taste buds
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make these amazing keto lemon chicken thighs:
Ingredient Notes:
- This marinade is best with fresh herbs versus dried herbs but feel free to use dried if you cannot find the fresh herbs in the grocery store.
- I also use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. I like the way the skin gets crispy; however, the marinade works well with any cut of chicken.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Do You Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from A Sweet Thyme
Additions & Substitutions
Though these lemon rosemary chicken ingredients are simple, it is also easy to vary if you want to switch it up.
Additions:
- Spice - add some crushed dried red pepper to the marinade. Or, once marinaded you can add a touch of red pepper to the skin before you bake them.
- Seasonings - you could add some Italian seasoning to the marinade if you wish.
- Honey - if you are a fan of honey lemon chicken, brush some honey on top of the chicken before baking.
- Mustard - if you would like even more tang, add 1 teaspoon of mustard to the marinade.
Substitutions
- Garlic - if you would like to substitute the garlic cloves for garlic powder, you could add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the marinade.
- Rosemary - if you would prefer to not use fresh rosemary, substitute 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary in the marinade.
- Lemon juice - you can use bottled lemon juice; however, nothing tastes as wonderful as fresh lemon juice.
How To Make Keto Lemon Chicken: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: Prepare the marinade by combining the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper in a bowl.
Step 2: Place the chicken either in a plastic bag or a ceramic or glass casserole dish just large enough to hold the chicken. Add the marinade and turn to coat the chicken. Marinate for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. If using a plastic bag, place the chicken in a baking dish skin side up. Pat the chicken skin dry. Sprinkle the skin with salt and pepper. Slice the lemon into thin slices and place the lemon slices around the chicken.
Step 4: Bake until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165 degrees using an instant-read thermometer and the skin is golden brown ( ususally about 45 minutes). Serve.
Recipe Tips
- If you want to make sure your chicken skin gets brown and crispy, brush the skin with some olive oil before baking.
- Make sure you grab any rosemary or garlic still sitting in the marinade and place that on top of the chicken before baking. It will add another layer of flavor.
- Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for this marinade. The flavor will shine through.
- The easiest way to zest a lemon rind is to use a microplane grater.
Confidence Tip
I marinate the chicken the day before I want to bake it. I love the depth of flavor those extra hours give the chicken and meal prep at dinner is simple.
Do I have to bake these thighs?
No. If you prefer to grill them or use your air fryer to bake them, all methods of cooking chicken work with this marinade. Pan-searing your thighs in a cast iron pan and then baking the thighs is wonderful. You can always take the marinade that you used to coat the chicken and turn the marinade into a flavorful tangy lemon sauce!
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
You can easily serve this with a side dish and/or a salad. I love serving this with my Arugula And Beet Salad With Goat Cheese and my Lemon Tahini Green Beans. I also love serving the tangy lemon sauce over brown rice, orzo pasta, or cauliflower rice!
The acid in lemon juice breaks down the muscle fibers, tenderizing the chicken. The oil and other ingredients help lock in moisture, guaranteeing juicy, flavorful chicken.
Chicken marinated in citrus, or vinegar can turn mushy and stringy if left to soak for too long.
Storage And Reheating
- Storage - store your leftover chicken pieces in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Reheating - reheat the chicken either in the microwave or in the oven at a low temperature.
- Freezing - you can freeze the marinated and uncooked chicken in the freezer for up to two months.
Other Main Course Meals:
If you have picky eaters in your household, then this easy weeknight meal will truly be a lifesaver. With minimal effort, you will have a great recipe that is low-carb and gluten-free!
I hope you love this recipe for Baked Gluten Free Lemon Chicken Thighs but you may also want to check out the Chicken With A Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce. If you make this recipe please be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it!
Enjoy, xo!
Keto Lemon Chicken
Do You Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from A Sweet Thyme
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pkg bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest grated, about 2 lemons
- ⅓ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves minced
- ground black pepper
- 1 lemon sliced
Instructions
Chicken Marinade
- Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper in a bowl.
- Place the chicken into either a plastic bag or a ceramic or glass casserole dish large enough to hold the chicken.
- Add the marinade to the chicken and turn to coat. If using a ceramic or glass dish, cover the dish.
- Place the chicken into the refrigerator for 4-24 hours turning occasionally to coat the chicken.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Take the chicken out of the marinade. Place into a 9x13 casserole dish or baking pan.
- Pat the skin dry.
- For extra crispy skin, brush a touch of olive oil on the skin. (optional)
- Sprinkle the skin with kosher salt.
- Bake until a meat thermometer placed in the chicken thigh registers an internal temperature of 165° and the skin is golden brown.
- Serve.
Andi says
I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs, and they turned out perfectly! The marinade kept them moist and flavorful. This recipe is definitely good!
Maeve says
Definitely adding this to my favorite recipes! I really loved the flavors, plus the chicken was so juicy!
Melissa Cooper says
Quick, easy, and flavorful! All you'd ever want in a weeknight meal!
Shane says
The lemon flavor adds a nice twist to the chicken and baking it made the meat so tender and juicy. I serve it with Greek salad and it was absolutely good. My kids couldn't get enough and now they keep asking when we're having it again! lol
Steph says
This recipe is bursting with flavor! The thighs turned out tender, infused with zesty lemon and fragrant rosemary, made it very flavorful. Simple to make, yet so delicious.
Liz says
This was so good! My husband asked me to add this to our regular dinner rotation. Thanks for the recipe!
Anonymous says
This was so good!