Description
Juicy baked chicken thighs coated in a bright lemon garlic Parmesan crust, finished with roasted lemon slices and fresh parsley for a crisp, zesty weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or set a rack on top of the sheet.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together Parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper, and melted butter until combined.
- Pat chicken thighs dry, then toss in the Parmesan lemon mixture until evenly coated.
- Arrange chicken on the baking sheet with space between pieces. Place lemon slices on top and around the chicken.
- Bake 22 to 25 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
- Optional: Broil 1 to 2 minutes at the end for deeper browning, watching closely.
- Rest 5 minutes, spoon pan juices over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Notes
- Patting the chicken dry helps the Parmesan crust bake up crisp.
- Do not crowd the pan, space helps browning instead of steaming.
- Reheat leftovers in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 10 to 12 minutes to keep better texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 170 mg