Lemon Oregano Chicken
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Lemon oregano chicken thighs: pan-seared until golden, then roasted in a bright lemon-butter-oregano pan sauce. A fast Greek-leaning weeknight dinner with crispy skin and tender meat.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
26 minREADY
38 minThis is what a good weeknight chicken dinner looks like. Bone-in chicken thighs get coated in a garlic-lemon paste, seared skin-side down until the skin crackles golden, then finished in a hot oven while a quick pan sauce of chicken broth, lemon juice, butter, and oregano reduces in the same skillet.
The mash-garlic-with-salt trick at the start is a small move with big impact. Crushing raw garlic against a pinch of salt breaks it down to a paste, so it distributes through the coating evenly instead of sitting in chunks that can burn.
Browning in two batches (not one crowded pan) is the other critical step. Crowding steams the skin instead of crisping it, and the whole point of skin-on thighs is that golden crunch. Give each piece room.
Chef Tips
- Pat the chicken bone-dry before coating. Wet skin doesn’t brown; dry skin does.
- Pour off the browning fat but keep the fond (those dark sticky bits stuck to the pan). That’s where the sauce flavor lives.
- Reduce the broth-lemon mixture by half before pouring over the chicken. Unreduced sauce turns the chicken skin back into soggy territory.
- Use an instant-read thermometer. Pull at 170°F (77°C) for thighs; they’re forgiving but still benefit from accuracy.
Variations
- Swap oregano for fresh thyme, rosemary, or marjoram.
- Add capers, olives, or cherry tomatoes to the pan sauce for a Mediterranean twist.
- Use bone-in chicken breasts or drumsticks; extend the roast time to 25 to 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then whisk together with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Pat chicken dry and coat with lemon-garlic mixture.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter and remaining tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides.
Brown chicken in 2 batches, skin side down, until golden and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes (chicken will not be cooked through).
Transfer, skin side up, to a 4-sided sheet pan.
Pour off fat (and any small burnt pieces) from skillet.
Add broth and remaining tablespoon lemon juice and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in remaining tablespoon butter and oregano, then pour over chicken.
Roast chicken in oven until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
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