Lemon Rosemary Chicken

This lemon rosemary chicken is a simple yet incredibly flavorful recipe for weeknights. It’s bright, juicy, and tender chicken that goes well with everything from potatoes to rice and vegetables of all kinds.

I never get tired of baked chicken dinners, and this lemon rosemary chicken is one of my most reliable weeknight favorites. It’s bright, herby, and full of flavor, with fresh lemon and rosemary giving the chicken a clean, cozy taste that feels both simple and special. Best of all, everything happens in one baking dish, which makes cleanup blissfully easy.

I toss bone-in chicken thighs with a quick marinade of lemon juice, olive oil, melted butter, garlic, salt, and rosemary right in the baking dish, then let the oven do the rest. The chicken turns golden and juicy, with crisp edges and a fragrant, citrusy finish. A sprinkle of parsley and a few lemon slices at the end are all it needs before heading to the table.

This is the kind of dinner that fits seamlessly into real life. I’ll serve it with fluffy rice or mashed potatoes and whatever vegetables I have on hand, then use the leftovers the next day in grain bowls or tucked into sandwiches. It’s easy, flavorful, and exactly the sort of recipe I come back to again and again.

Make ahead and leftovers

Can I prepare this dish ahead of time? Yes, this is a great dish to prepare the night before. Simply toss the chicken with the marinade and place the baking dish into the fridge overnight (but not more than 24 hours). When you’re ready, bake it as directed.

How long do leftovers keep in the fridge? Store any leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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Lemon Rosemary Chicken Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

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This lemon rosemary chicken is a simple yet incredibly flavorful recipe for weeknights. It's bright, juicy, and tender chicken, and it goes well with everything from potatoes to rice and vegetables of all kinds. It's easy to make and prepare with just 10 minutes of prep!

4

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ cup lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons EACH: olive oil and melted butter
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary (see notes)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ 2 ½ lb bone-in chicken thighs (see notes)

Instructions 

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a measuring cup or small bowl, mix the lemon juice, olive oil, melted butter, rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic.
  ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons EACH: olive oil and melted butter, 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon EACH: sea salt and pepper, 4 cloves garlic
  
• Place the chicken thighs into a baking dish and pour the sauce over the top. Mix the chicken around so that each piece is coated in the sauce. Arrange the chicken top side down then bake the chicken for 20 minutes.
  2 ½ lb bone-in chicken thighs
  
• Turn the chicken so that it is top side up then continue to bake it for another 30-40 minutes, until it is cooked through and golden brown.
  
• Serve the chicken with some minced parsley and lemon slices.
  

Video

Notes

Chicken: This recipe is delicious with both skin-on and skinless chicken thighs. The nutritional information is calculated with skinless thighs. 

Rosemary: You can substitute 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

If using boneless chicken breasts, reduce the cooking time to 25-30 minutes.

If using boneless chicken thighs, reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes. 

In the pictures, I served this with seared lemons, but regular sliced lemons work well, too. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 322kcal (16%), Carbohydrates: 2g (1%), Protein: 33g (66%), Fat: 20g (31%), Saturated Fat: 6g (38%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 177mg (59%), Sodium: 779mg (34%), Potassium: 446mg (13%), Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.4g, Vitamin A: 217IU (4%), Vitamin C: 7mg (8%), Calcium: 24mg (2%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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