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Juicy lemon garlic chicken bakes right in the same pan as tender-crisp asparagus in this easy sheet pan dinner recipe. Everything is coated in bright and garlicky lemon butter and so full of flavor. Ready in 30 minutes!
If you love the sound of that, you’ll also enjoy my garlic butter chicken and rice, this ultimate sweet-and-savory Instant Pot honey garlic chicken thighs, and our juicy and crispy air fryer chicken thighs.
This recipe for savory lemon garlic chicken is a sheet pan riff on my baked lemon chicken. I’ve traded chicken breasts for thighs and roasted them in the same pan as tender-crisp asparagus for the ultimate all-in-one meal.
These garlicky lemon chicken thighs come together in a snap and taste SO delicious! They’re extra juicy, coated in a savory and zesty lemon butter sauce. I love the earthy flavors of asparagus in this recipe, but you can really customize it with any of your favorite veggies. It’s an easy and healthy sheet pan meal that is quick, tasty, and perfect for busy weeknights. All you need is a side of fluffy, low-carb cauliflower rice!
Why I Love This Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe
- Super flavorful. Lemon and garlic go together like peanut butter and jelly, if you ask me. I can’t get enough of this crispy golden chicken smothered in a bright, garlicky butter sauce flavored with plenty of fresh lemon and herbs.
- All-in-one. Bake your chicken thighs and vegetables all in the same pan. Protein? Check! Side dish? Check! Plus, there’s hardly any clean-up. You could even make a la scala chopped salad while the chicken is cookin’.
- Healthy and low-carb. The lemon garlic chicken recipe is light and packed with protein, with the option to make it keto-friendly. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below, I give a quick overview of the key ingredients you’ll need to make this easy lemon garlic chicken recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for a full ingredient list and detailed instructions.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless skinless chicken thighs cook quickly and come out super juicy. Skin-on chicken thighs will also work if you prefer.
- Asparagus: Our co-star for this sheet pan dinner! You’ll need about one pound of fresh asparagus, with the woody ends trimmed off. If you’d like to make this with another vegetable, be sure to choose veggies with similar cooking times. See the section later on for easy variations.
- Garlic and Seasonings: We’ll season our lemony garlic butter with freshly minced garlic cloves, paprika, and onion powder, with dried thyme and basil.
- Lemon: Trust me, you want to use real, freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Skip the bottled lemon juice for this one! One lemon should give you about 2-3 tablespoons of juice. You can use an additional lemon to slice up for a garnish.
- Sweetener: I use honey for its natural sweetness. If you’re making this recipe keto-friendly, skip the honey and opt for your choice of sweetener to taste.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Chicken
Whip up a flavorful, all-in-one dinner in just 30 minutes with this easy sheet pan recipe with juicy chicken thighs and tender asparagus. Let’s get started!
- Prepare the chicken and veggies. While the oven preheats, arrange your chicken thighs and trimmed asparagus on a baking sheet pan. For even easier clean-up, remember to line the pan with parchment paper!
- Make the butter sauce. Next, whisk minced garlic, seasonings, lemon juice, and honey into melted butter to make the sauce. Use a pastry brush to brush the mixture liberally over the chicken and veggies.
- Bake. Place the whole pan into the oven at 425ºF for about 20 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through and the asparagus spears are fork-tender, take them out and serve! I like to garnish mine with fresh lemon slices and chopped parsley.
Recipe Tips
- Should I cover my chicken when baking? There’s no need to cover the chicken for this sheet pan recipe. Baking the chicken and asparagus uncovered lets it crisp up nice and golden on the outside.
- Cooking time. Exact baking times may vary and will depend on the size and thickness of your chicken thighs. Most boneless skinless chicken thighs are cooked after 20 minutes at 425ºF. The best way to tell if your chicken is done is to check it with an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
- Let the chicken rest. Yes, your kitchen will smell amazing and it’s tempting to dig right in! However, for best results, rest your chicken thighs for 5-10 minutes before serving. Resting lets all the juices redistribute, for ultra-juicy and tender chicken.
- Use different vegetables. Feel free to customize this easy sheet pan recipe with any vegetable your heart desires. To make things easy, I like to roast vegetables with similar cooking times. Bell peppers, green beans, sweet potato, zucchini, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and carrots all share similar baking times.
- Root vegetables. If you’d like to cook slower-roasting vegetables (like potatoes and carrots or squash) alongside your chicken, that’s totally doable, too. Make sure to put them into the oven first. You can then add your chicken when there are 20-23 minutes left in the cooking time.
- Use bone-in thighs. Bone-in chicken thighs take a bit more time in the oven. Aim to bake at 425ºF for 25-30 minutes instead. In this case, I recommend adding the asparagus to the pan only after the first 5-10 minutes, so that it doesn’t overcook.
Variation Ideas
- Different seasonings. Season your garlic butter with any combination of herbs and spices you’d like. Try rosemary, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, or a chicken seasoning blend.
- Different sauce. In place of lemon garlic butter, bake your chicken thighs with honey sriracha sauce or make honey mustard chicken.
- Chicken breasts. Instead of thighs, make this sheet pan dinner with baked chicken breasts if that’s what you have on hand.
- Parmesan. Grate over fresh parmesan cheese to make parmesan lemon chicken and asparagus.
- For an Instant Pot variation, try my Instant Pot lemon butter chicken thighs.
Serving Suggestions
A ginormous side salad and warm crusty bread are my go-to sides for this dinner. In the summer, I serve this lemon garlic chicken with a flatbread pizza. You could also pair lemon garlic chicken with a side of jasmine rice or one-pot mushroom rice. Crispy smashed potatoes or mashed potatoes (or make creamy mashed cauliflower) sound just as amazing!
We love this sheet pan dinner paired with salads of all kinds. My top choices are this heirloom tomato salad and my Mediterranean Cobb salad. Stuffed Tomatoes, too!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store completely cooled chicken thighs and asparagus airtight in a container or resealable bag. Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days or keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it all in the fridge before reheating.
Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or the oven at 350ºF until hot throughout. Microwave is okay to use, too.
More Chicken Dinner Ideas
- Chicken Puttanesca
- Marry Me Chicken
- Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs with Rice
- Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken
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Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice,
- 1 tablespoon honey, If on Keto or eating low carb, use a sweetener and adjust to taste
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- lemon slices, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 425˚F and line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
- Prepare the chicken and veggies. Arrange the chicken thighs and asparagus on the sheet pan and season it all with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Make the lemon garlic sauce. Place the butter in a mixing bowl and melt it in the microwave. Pull the melted butter out of the microwave and whisk in the garlic, paprika, onion powder, thyme, basil, lemon juice, and honey.
- Brush the sauce over the chicken and asparagus. Grab a pastry brush and brush the buttery mixture all over the chicken thighs and asparagus.
- Bake. Cook for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the asparagus is tender.
- Serve. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish the lemon garlic chicken with parsley and lemon slices, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This was so good! I used olive oil instead of butter and substituted some of the asparagus with green beans as I don’t have a full lb of asparagus. I also used fresh thyme from the garden. The lemon juice and garlic were key, but I think lemon and white wine would taste marvelous too. Great, easy recipe!
Your substitutions sound fantastic! Fresh thyme from the garden must have added a wonderful flavor. I love the idea of using lemon and white wine too—definitely worth trying. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank YOU! 🙂
This was soooo good! Will definitely have to add it to our line up!
I’m thrilled to hear that! Adding it to your lineup is the best compliment. Enjoy! 🙂
Great all in one dinner! Quick, easy and very flavorful. Popped in same foil wrapped corn on the cob which cooked for the same length of time. Perfect!
Can I use chicken thigh with bone and skin?
Yes, you can, but they will take longer to cook. I suggest to give the chicken a headstart in the oven and add the asparagus to the pan about 10 minutes later.
Excellent flavor….love sheet pan meals! My new “fast food”! Added a little more garlic (can never really have too much!) and thin slices of carrots. Like spring on a plate!
That’s great!! I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Love all the flavors in this dish! Perfect weeknight meal!
Looks like a fabulous dinner! Everything I love in one place, so excited to make this!
So easy and flavorful! I’ve gotta try this ASAP