Lemon Chicken Skillet
Published 8/8/2022
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This Lemon Chicken Skillet is seasoned with delicious spices, seared and then cooked with couscous and broccolini for a flavorful one-pot meal.
Go-To Weeknight Meal
This lemon chicken skillet is one of my go-to weeknight meals! Clean-up is easy, my toddler loves it, and it’s packed with amazing flavor. Plus, it will feed the whole family. What could be better?!
Why you’ll love it!
One-pot meal = easy clean-up!
Easy ingredient substitutions if you don’t have everything on hand.
Ready in 45 minutes!
Feeds a crowd.
Lemon Chicken Skillet Ingredients
- Chicken thighs + marinade: You’ll start this recipe by marinating the chicken thighs in this amazing lemon chicken marinade with Dijon mustard, honey, smoked paprika, dried dill, white onion, garlic cloves, and olive oil.
- Israeli couscous: We love making this chicken skillet with couscous, but have tested it with orzo and it works great, too!
- Lemon: Can’t have a lemon chicken without the lemon! We’re using both lemon slices and fresh lemon juice.
- Chicken broth + white wine: The bright flavor of the white wine pairs nicely with this dish! Chicken broth will also add great flavor while providing the liquid the couscous needs to cook.
- Broccolini: Don’t skip the veg! Broccolini pairs nicely with this dish, but broccoli or asparagus are great alternatives, too.
- Butter: Trust us on the butter. It adds amazing flavor to this skillet.
- Crumbled goat cheese: You’ll garnish your chicken skillet with crumbled goat cheese right before serving.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Skillet
Preheat oven + prepare chicken marinade
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Combine dijon mustard, honey, smoked paprika, dried dill, white onion, garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl (large enough to marinate chicken thighs) and stir. Add chicken thighs and toss to combine, and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Sear chicken thighs
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large, oven-safe skillet and heat over medium-high heat. When the olive oil is fragrant, add the chicken thighs and the remaining marinade and sear on each side for 3-5 minutes. For the last minute of searing, add the butter and lemon slices to the skillet.
Toast Couscous
Remove chicken and lemon slices from the skillet, and add dried couscous, and cook until toasted, about 2-4 minutes.
Deglaze the pan + Add broccolini
Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Use a wooden utensil to scrape the brown bits from the bottom. Then, bring to a boil and add the chicken broth, lemon juice and broccolini.
Add chicken thighs back to skillet
Add chicken thighs and lemon slices back to the skillet and season with salt and pepper.
Bake Chicken Skillet
Place the skillet into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF – 165ºF.
Let rest + enjoy!
Remove from the skillet from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow any liquid that is left over to absorb into the couscous. Fluff the couscous and top with fresh dill and crumbled goat cheese.
Try it!
Thermoworks Thermapen
We swear by using a meat thermometer when cooking any cut of meat. The Thermapen is our go-to meat thermometer that works every time.
Easy Ingredient Swaps
Make this lemon chicken skillet your own by subbing out any of the following ingredients 1:1 for the recommended swap:
Bone-in chicken thighs –> Boneless chicken thighs
White wine –> Chicken broth + lemon juice
Pearl couscous –> Orzo
Broccolini –> Broccoli florets, peas or asparagus
Lemon Chicken Skillet Top Tips
Don’t Skip the Sear: It’s important to sear the chicken so it is browned at the beginning. Have no fear, the chicken will continue to cook in the delicious sauce later.
White Wine Substitutions: If you’re looking to replace the wine, feel free to use chicken broth and a bit of lemon juice to emulate the bright flavor of white wine.
Using Other Cuts of Chicken: Feel free to substitute the chicken thighs for either boneless chicken thighs or breasts. Be mindful that this will alter the cook time, and base the doneness on internal temperature of the chicken by using a meat thermometer.
Storage
Let the lemon chicken cool completely. Then, transfer it into a large airtight container. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days.
If you’re planning to freeze this lemon chicken skillet, we recommend cooking it all the way through first and then freezing it. Wait to add the crumbled goat cheese til after you reheat it.
To thaw & reheat: let the lemon chicken thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, bake in a covered dish at 350ºF for 20-30 minutes or until warm in the middle. The cook time will depend on the amount of lemon chicken you are reheating.
Lemon Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ large white onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil, separated
- 2 lbs. chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- 1.25 cups Israeli couscous, dried
- 1 medium lemon, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup dry white wine, we used sauvignon blanc
- 8 oz. broccolini
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ⅓ cup goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Combine dijon mustard, honey, smoked paprika, dried dill, white onion, garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl (large enough to marinate chicken thighs) and stir.
- Add chicken thighs and toss to combine. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large, oven-safe skillet and heat over medium-high heat. When the olive oil is fragrant, add the chicken thighs and the remaining marinade and sear on each side for 3-5 minutes.
- For the last minute of searing, add the butter and lemon slices to the skillet.
- Remove chicken and lemon slices from the skillet, and add dried couscous, and cook until toasted, about 2-4 minutes.
- Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Use a wooden utensil to scrape the brown bits from the bottom. Then, bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and broccolini and bring to a boil.
- Add chicken thighs and lemon slices back to the skillet and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the skillet into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF – 165ºF.
- Remove from the skillet from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow any liquid that is left over to absorb into the couscous.
- Fluff the couscous and top with fresh dill and crumbled goat cheese.
Tips & Notes
- We’ve tried this recipe with orzo, it also works great.
- If you use boneless chicken thighs, the cook time may be less. Make sure to monitor the internal temperature.
- If you don’t have broccolini, feel free to use broccoli or a cup of chopped kale.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.
This chicken dish is seriously so flavorful. It’s my 2 year old’s favorite dinner right now!
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