Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

This recipe serves four.

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 chicken thighs (skin on, bone in)
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
• 6 shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
• 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large oven-proof skillet, heat the butter on medium-high until it bubbles.
3. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Add the chicken, skin-side down and cook until it is well-browned, about 7 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side, about seven minutes more.
4. Remove the chicken from the fat in the pan and set it aside on a platter, tented with foil to keep warm.
5. Add the shallots to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are browned, about five minutes.
6. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for one minute.
7. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest, using a spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
8. Stir in the chicken stock. Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up and stir to coat the chicken with the juices. Spread the lemon slices in an even layer across the top and add the thyme sprigs to the pan.
9. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken cooks through and the juices run clear, about 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and bring it to a simmer on the stovetop. Reduce the sauce by half, about five minutes.
10. Remove the thyme sprig before serving. Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned over the top.

Variations and Serving Suggestions

Serve with a side of rice with the sauce spooned over the rice. You can also add other foods to the pan when you cook the shallots to change the flavor such as:

• 2 cups of asparagus spears
• 1 cup of green olives, halved
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• Replace the thyme with a sprig of rosemary