This Lemon Paprika Chicken Thighs recipe is so quick and easy to make! Chicken thighs marinated in a lemon and paprika mixture with garlic and thyme. A perfect weeknight dinner idea!
AN EASY LEMON CHICKEN THIGHS RECIPE
I’m definitely resisting the urge to add 12 more adjectives to describe this deliciousness!
But first!
HI-YA! Happy, Happy Sunday!
♥ MOMS, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! ♥
I hope you’re going to be spoiled rotten today! I hope that your dreams about not doing laundry on a Sunday DO come true!
Fingers crossed, I hope you also got a thoughtful gift, or at least something other than a vacuum cleaner or a set of pots and pans.
I myself am hoping for a housekeeper, a nanny, and a trip to the Drake Hotel for brunch.HA!
That’s my RHOBH-influence speaking. But, it would be nice.
Except, I have to admit that I’ve been to the Drake for Brunch countless times and it’s a MUST. If you’re ever in Chicago, make sure to go to the Drake for Sunday Brunch. It’s ah-may-zing!
And, if you’re ever in my hood, make sure to stop by my Mom’s for her Lemon Pepper Chicken. That’s also ah-may-zing!
Then again, in my opinion, this Lemon PAPRIKA Chicken is a tad bit better! It has that extra oomph. You know?
In honor of Mother’s Day, I shared my Mom’s Sausage and Rice dinner with you guys just a few days back, and now I’m sharing something similar to what she makes, but with my own spin on it.
FLAVOR PACKED CHICKEN THIGHS
While my Mom’s Lemon Pepper Chicken is just BE.YOND (it really is, especially if it’s on the grill), I kind of took a different turn and started to reach for the paprika instead. I prepare the chicken all the same, just like she taught me, but adding a bit of my-own to it, ya know?
Even though it seems like this might be kind of boring (I mean it’s chicken. and paprika, and lemon stuff… I know I know….), but what you need to know is that the flavor here is out of this world. Ohhhh the sweet, satisfying bite of that tender, tangy, bit spicy, and garlicky thigh is going to send you over the moon, boo! I’m tellin’ you… it’s incredible. I know, I say that all the time, but chicken just speaks to me. I’ve said it before, if I had to go vegetarian, I’d need chicken to come with me. (Does that even make sense?!? …no…)
So today, if you have no plans for Mom, or if you ARE Mom and no one cooked for you (!!!!!!), grab some chicken thighs, we have a bit of work to do. I promise it’s quick and so easy, you won’t even feel like you spent all your me-time in the kitchen.
But honestly, why are we still talking. I cannot wait until you make this and tell me about it. Please DO tell me!
Enjoy your day, Moms!
Dads, kids, grandpas, etc… make sure Mom enjoys HER day!
♥
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Lemon Paprika Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 bone-in chicken thighs
- 6 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- salt and fresh ground pepper , to taste
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 4 garlic cloves , minced, divided
- 1 cup white wine (use a wine that you like)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place chicken on a cutting board or a large plate.
- Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil over chicken thighs. (not 3 tablespoons over each piece, but over all 6 pieces)
- Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice and 2 minced garlic cloves; rub the mixture evenly over the chicken thighs. You can also combine seasonings in a bowl, mix well, and rub it over the chicken thighs.
- Place in a large bowl or ziploc bag and refrigerate for about 2 hours. IF you don't have that much time, 20 minutes is good, too. But it does taste better after a couple of hours.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet.
- Add chicken and, cooking over medium heat, brown the chicken on both sides; about 6 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Add remaining minced garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for one minute. Do not burn the garlic.
- Carefully add wine to the skillet.
- Stir in parsley.
- Transfer chicken back to skillet and bring to a boil.
- Cover with a lid and continue to cook over medium-low heat for 20 to 22 minutes, or until done, turning the chicken over half way through cooking.
- Add 1/4-cup more wine if it looks too dry when you go to turn over the chicken.
- Remove from heat.
- Transfer chicken to serving dish and spoon sauce over the chicken.
- Serve.
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I enjoyed this tonight for dinner. I used a lime instead of the lemon as I had opened one last night and wanted to use it up. I use paprika with all my meats as everything browns nicely with using it. This was different but very good. Thanks for sharing. My hubby liked the potatos too.
Lime paprika chicken!! That is such a great idea! Thank you for sharing – I will definitely try it. Don’t be surprised if you see that recipe on the blog, soon!! hehe 😀
I would save a step and put the rub into the zip-lock bag, toss in the oiled chicken, and shake and pat it and throw it in the fridge.
I made this recipe today, thank you for sharing! I had rosemary on hand so ended up using that instead of parsley and and I also used the chicken stock I already had. It turned out so good and it was so easy and quick to prepare!
Awesome!! So happy you enjoyed it! Thank you!! 😀
Made the paprika lemon chicken last nite. wish I could send you
a picture. looks just like yours.Next time I will double the spices. I did 6 thighs and it needed a bit more. Added Baby goldlen yukon potatoes to skillet when I turned chicken and finished o them with the 20 minutes. Added a bit more wine and Chervil instead of parsley ’cause that is what I had. It’s a wonner. Next onto the turkey meatball
Love your site….
That’s so awesome to hear!! Thank YOU, Janet! ♥
Hi, your pictures makes me feel hungry!
may i know can i substitute white wine with red wine? will it still taste and look good?
Hi Iry! As long as you use a wine that you like, the taste should be just fine. However, red wine IS going to tint the color of the chicken a little bit, and may end up looking a little wine-stained, if you will. 😀
any alternatives for wine?
Hi Areeba! Yes, you can use chicken broth or even some apple juice. 🙂
I realize I’m late to the game but…. oh my God was this amazing!! Easy enough marinade for boyfriend to prepare and easy enough we could finish cooking it after a long day of work. This is my new number one go-to meal for a weeknight, and I normally won’t even eat chicken on the bone!
HI Jillian!! SO happy to know that you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 😀
Delicious! I cooked up a double batch – this came out so perfect and they make for great leftover lunch! I love that you use chicken thighs which saves a lot of money!
I like this & want to try it but I need the ingredients for say 10 chicken thighs.
Hi Terri! You can just double all the ingredients; that should work out perfectly. I hope you have a chance to try it!
My pleasure 🙂
I have made chicken with paprika sauce before but not with lemons. Love the tangy twist in your delicious version. This looks amazing! Pinned, too.
This looks soooo good! Way to spice up chicken!
I am so with you on the nanny and the housekeeper. And a full time dish washer because of this whole food blogging thing! In my dreams!
Wow Kate, this is a great combination of flavors! I love lemon and paprika for chicken! And I love the color of this chicken too. It looks so tasty.
This looks incredible! LOVE the crispy skin. 🙂
Can I use boneless skinless thighs? This recipe looks amazing! Cant wait to try it!
Hi Niccole! Yes, absolutely, but I would start checking for doneness a few minutes sooner. Thighs are done when temperature is between 165F and 175F.
This recipe looks so good!!! Can it be done with chicken breasts instead?
Hi Catherine! Yes, you can definitely use chicken breasts, but you will have to adjust the time just a bit because chicken breasts do not need to cook as long as thighs. I would flip them around at the 10-minute mark and continue to cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. I hope you have a chance to try it! 🙂
I also wanted to mention that there will be a difference in taste. Chicken thighs are juicier and don’t dry out because there’s more fat and collagen than in chicken breasts. I hope that helps. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Thank you for the fast reply! I think this will be tonight’s dinner. I will update when we try it 🙂
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it!! 🙂
The chicken was really tender!! 🙂 it wasn’t as golden on each side but so delicious. I had limes instead of lemons. So I zested one lime and added its juice. After a few hours in the fridge, I added a few squirts of bottled lemon juice. My family loved it 🙂
That’s so awesome, Catherine!! THANK YOU! Now I want to swap my lemon juice for lime juice. Thanks for the idea! 😀
Wow these turn out beautifully!! Lemon and paprika – what a yummy combo, defiantly some bold flavors!
Haha! There’s no possible way on earth that I could ever become a vegetarian either. I mean, chicken is life! Case-in-point, THIS chicken. Holy moly, this looks insane! Hello, dinner this week. 🙂
What a great combination of flavors! Lemon and paprika for chicken is so classic and delicious. Great recipe!
I love lemon flavours with chicken. Reminds me of crispy skins and delicious sauce with all the right textures. This recipe looks very inviting! Thanks for sharing it with the world, much appreciated! Five stars for awesomeness!
What a gorgeous chicken recipe, Kate! The color of the chicken is great. I bet it tastes out of this world amazing. 🙂
What a gorgeous dish! I love that it’s so simple making clean up a breeze. I’m always looking for different chicken recipes, thanks for sharing! oxox
Your photos are beautiful! This looks super tasty! I’m always on the lookout for good, easy chicken dishes for my personal chef clients. I’ll be making this for them! Pinned, Yummed and Stumbled!
This looks fantastic and marvelous! Thanks for sharing!
I’m blessed, my husband took over laundry about 10 years ago. I have wash & wear in dark colors. He’s all about white. Guess I turned too much stuff to pink.
Recipe looks so yummy. I’m gonna try to make some for me once I change the ingredient ratio’s.
Here’s a thought, maybe a post on dinners for two?
YAY hubby!!! I am laughing at the pink clothes! I just did that to all my white bed sheets. 🙂
I hope you have a great Day!! AND thank you for the suggestion!! I love it when readers tell me what they’re looking for, so I really appreciate your input! xo
In the meantime, you can look at this awesome blog where she cooks and bakes for two: http://www.dessertfortwo.com/
This chicken looks like it would be great for summer with those flavors. Pinned!
Always love seeing good recipes for bone-in chicken. Very economical! I have done a similar recipe for years but it is usually baked. Considering my a/c went out the other day and I have to wait until Wednesday to get it serviced, having stove top ideas might be a good thing. Thanks for sharing. Your photos are lovely too. ~Sue
love the chicken recipe and will make it next week. I am not “Facebook, etc” savie so I don;t know what PIN IT, etc is. have a hard time locating the print icon on your page. so I have to copy it and post elsewhere.
BUT I would not give up your site for anything. YOU MAKE MY DAY.
Happy Mom’s Day to you too…
Janet, I am sending the biggest virtual hug to you!!! THANK YOU so, so, so much!! Have the best day, ever!! XOXO
I can’t wait to make this and tell you about it! It looks outstanding!
Thank you, Maureen!! 🙂