This lemon chicken recipe makes juicy, bone-in chicken thighs with the Mediterranean flavors of white wine and artichokes for an easy chicken dinner ready in 30 minutes.
In This Post
Easy chicken dinners are always at the top of FoodieCrush readers’ most requested recipe list. Healthy, flavorful, and fast to make slides right along into that list too. Guess what friends? I’m right there with you. And if a chicken dinner doesn’t make the flavor grade, what’s even the point? I’m happy to report, that this lemony chicken thighs with artichokes recipe ticks all those fill-in-the-blank boxes and then some. While this skillet lemon chicken recipe is an easy one to make, there are definitely a couple of tips to follow for success every time. I enlist the same method I use for my basic chicken thighs recipe, adding the oil and the chicken thighs to a cold skillet, before turning on the heat to medium-high. Bringing the chicken to temperature as the heat of the pan rises helps reduce the chance of the skin shrinking from the meat. Let’s skillet to it.
How to Cook Chicken Thighs
This chicken dinner is a cinch to prep and make.
The flavor is in the skin and bone. This dish calls for bone-in chicken thighs with the skin still on, lending flavor and moisture to the chicken as it cooks. If you’re not a fan of the crisped skin, you can always remove it before eating, or follow the directions for prepping boneless, skinless chicken breasts like I do in my Easy Chicken Piccata.
Season simply. There’s no need for a marinade or an egg/milk/flour dredge to make things messy.
All we need is salt and pepper and a little oil. So much of the flavor will come from the chicken itself.
It’s really that simple, quick and easy.
see more: 25 Lightened-Up, Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipes
Start the chicken thighs in a cold skillet. This is the same technique used with frying bacon.
Why cook chicken thighs in a cold pan?
Starting the chicken thighs skin side down in a cold skillet reduces the chance of the chicken skin seizing and shrinking like it would when plopped into a pre-heated pan or oil.
Start on the stove finish in the oven. Searing the chicken on the stove not only produces a nicely bronzed skin before baking in the oven, but it also creates all those flavor bits left in the pan for the simple sauce. That’s what’s called the frond.
I finish the chicken thighs in the oven on a wire rack over a baking sheet so the air circulates and cooks all around the thighs. This step leaves me time and space to work on the sauce.
see more: 31 Days of Weeknight Chicken Dinners
Flavor Builder: The Lemon Artichoke Sauce
The simple Mediterranean flavors of lemon and artichoke really pump up this chicken skillet meal. A dash of white wine doesn’t hurt either.
- I LOVE meyer lemons for their slight sweetness and extreme juiciness, so when they’re in season they’re my choice. Otherwise a regular juicy lemon will do. (see more meyer lemon recipes here.)
- Use canned and quartered artichoke hearts in water instead of marinated artichokes—there’s no need for the extra oils or spices.
- When choosing the white wine for this recipe, choose a dry white you’d be willing to drink. I keep boxes of white and red wine in my pantry for cooking dishes that call for a cup here and there so a whole bottle doesn’t get wasted.
- A dab of butter gives the sauce body and mellows the wine and lemon flavors together.
- If you wish for a creamy sauce, add 2 tablespoons of cream or half and half then simmer slowly to thicken.
see more: 50 Favorite Mediterranean Diet Recipes
Why Use a Cast Iron Skillet
This Mediterranean chicken dinner recipe proves why a cast iron skillet can be your kitchen’s secret weapon.
In this recipe this 12-inch cast iron skillet does double duty. I prefer cast iron for recipes like this because they conduct heat so well, so the chicken browns more evenly and is less resistant to scorching the pan and burning all the little flavor bits.
The skillet skillfully sears the chicken thighs before transitioning to become a winey, lemony sauce-making machine.
The result is chicken with crispy bronzed skin nestled in a light but flavor-filled sauce that’s ready to spoon over rice or pasta and straight into the old pie hole.
What to Serve with This Chicken Dinner to Make a Meal
- Plain white rice or Easy Lemon Rice Recipe
- Roasted Asparagus With Browned Butter
- The Best Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Couscous with Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta
- Easy 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini
- Easy Green Beans with Browned Butter Almondine
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Lemon Chicken Thighs with Artichokes
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs , (about 2 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 15 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts in water , drained
- 1 lemon , thinly sliced and seeded
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley , minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the oil to a cold, 12-inch cast iron skillet, followed by chicken thighs (skin-side down), before turning on the heat to medium-high. Sear until the chicken releases from the pan and is golden brown, about 8 minutes. (Bringing the chicken to temperature as the heat of the pan rises helps reduce the chance of the skin shrinking from the meat.) Transfer the chicken skin-side up to a sheet pan lined with foil and topped with a baking rack. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and internal temperature is 160°F. Tent with foil and rest for 5 minutes and the temperature to come up to 165°F.
- While the chicken is baking, set aside all but one tablespoon of the oil from the skillet and cook the chopped onion until it softens, stirring occasionally about 3-4 minutes. Add the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the butter until melted. Add the drained artichoke hearts and sliced lemons and cook until warmed and sauce reduces, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, sprinkle with the parsley and spoon with the sauce. Serve with steamed rice or pasta.
Nutrition
More Easy Skillet Chicken Recipe Ideas
- 30-Minute Caprese Chicken Recipe
- 30-Minute Creamy Mushroom and Leek Chicken Breasts
- Asian Glazed Orange Chicken
- Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne with Broccoli
- Easy Chicken Breasts with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Craving more life balance, less stress, and better health? Check out my Nourished Planner, the daily planner to help create simplicity and under-schedule your life.
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Dee
Haven’t tried it yet. It doesn’t say to drain the artichokes. Should I add the artichoke water to the pan?
Hayley
Hey Dee! Yes, you should drain the artichokes first (no need to keep the water). We’ll update the recipe for clarity. We hope you enjoy!
Mimi Hargate
I’m making this tonight. Googled “chicken thighs with artichoke hearts and this came up, can’t wait. Sounds delicious.
Torie
Do you put 1tbs of oil in the skillet before you put the chicken in skin side down? It’s listed in ingredients but doesn’t say when to use it. I’ve got everything out to make this, sounds wonderful!
Hayley
Hi Torie! We’re sorry for the confusion. Add the oil to a cold, 12-inch cast iron skillet, followed by chicken thighs (skin-side down), before turning on the heat to medium-high. Sear until until the chicken releases from the pan and is golden brown, about 8 minutes. (Bringing the chicken to temperature as the heat of the pan rises helps reduce the chance of the skin shrinking from the meat.) Enjoy!
CKL
I was trying to use what I had and made this with boneless thighs and marinated artichokes which I drained. I used a little more butter than called for also. This was absolutely so delicious – definitely adding to the regular rotation! Served over quinoa with green beans
Metrobird
Very good recipe. I made it today as I had all the ingredients on hand. Used frozen lemon slices, which I always have in the freezer.l I separate the slices with little parchment paper squares, which makes it easy to separate the slices. I used Cento 8-10 whole artichoke hearts, they are very small and delightful. I used chicken thighs because I had them in the freezer and started defrosting them in the fridge last night. In the morning, I started looking for a recipe online, just for inspiration. Wow, this tastes great! I’m eating it now, with long-grain brown Basmati rice and a glass of Pinot Grigio, as I had them at home. Now I’m glad I got up this morning! Terrific flavor!
K
Yum! Perfect use what you got and avoid the grocery due to pandemic recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it K.
Ellen
We just made this for dinner tonight. We had all of the ingredients in the house (this is during Covid-19) so that was helpful! We did not have artichoke hearts but artichoke bottoms which gave the sauce more to bites into. Very easy directions and loved the cold pan tip! We never knew! Anyway, thank you! Loved it! Terrific flavor!
So glad you liked it Ellen, and glad it fit in with what you had in your pantry.
triptidas
hellow………
sonambansal
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sonambansal
Hiiiiii nice post
sonambansal
Hiiiii nice post
Donna
I just finished cooking the dish and look forward to digging in later. But I wanted to say a big thank you for the “start with a cold pan” tip!! I love chicken thighs but haven’t achieved the crispy skin because no recipe has included that information. Thank you!!
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thanks Donna! I am glad you liked it!
juhi
gud recipi thank you fore sharing
Jann Jones
What can I substitute for the white wine?
Tracy Roddy
Chicken broth :)
Molly
Vermouth &/or chicken broth
Mahi Thakurji
Very Good Chicken Recipe Ideas
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Thanks Mahi!
Sabrina
love chicken thighs vs chicken breasts, so much more flavor, nice flavors here too with lemon and artichoke hearts, thank you for this recipe
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
I definitley agree with you there Sabrina! I hope you try and love this one!
Sudip Barick
Very very beautiful post. I like chicken recipes very much. I’m hungry to see your post.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush
Hope you love this one!
Geek squad
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sophie
nice post. it looks so yummy.