Lemon-Garlic Chicken

Article by Layla Khoury-Hanold

Katie Lee Biegel’s garlicky lemon chicken is a make-ahead, crowd-pleasing dish that’s fancy enough for a dinner party or a cozy family Sunday supper. All you have to do is marinate the chicken in the same dish you cook it in, then pop it in the oven about 45 minutes before eating. With Katie Lee’s easy recipe, you’ll learn how to make a flavorful marinade, the trick to achieving crispy, caramelized chicken skin and how to build savory depth as the chicken bakes.

How to Make Lemon Garlic Chicken Like a Pro

Choose skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces for the most flavor. Bone-in chicken is more flavorful and the skin is key to achieving the chicken’s crisp exterior. Katie breaks down a whole chicken into 8 pieces, including breasts, thighs, drumsticks and wings, but you could also use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or chicken thighs.

Make a vibrant marinade with pronounced garlic and lemon flavors. Katie lee makes a zesty, garlicky marinade by combining garlic powder, minced garlic and the zest and juice of one lemon for a bright, citrusy kick. Olive oil adds richness and savory seasonings, including Dijon mustard, paprika and salt, round it all out.

Use your hands to coat the chicken with the marinade. Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt and pour the marinade on top, using your hands to coat the chicken to ensure even distribution.

Position the chicken pieces skin side up and sprinkle with sugar. Ensure that the chicken pieces are arranged skin-side up and sprinkle with sugar to promote browning and caramelization on the skin while roasting.

Add flavor boosters to the pan. Katie Lee builds flavor by adding quartered lemons for more lemon flavor and pieces of butter for richness, along with a combination of white wine and chicken broth to keep the meat from drying out. The liquid will become fortified with the lemon and chicken juices as it bakes, creating extra flavorful pan juices to baste the chicken with.

Baste the chicken as it bakes. Every 15 minutes or so, baste the chicken with the pan juices to keep the meat moist and infuse it with more flavor. You’ll know the chicken is done when it registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read digital thermometer.

Finish the chicken under the broiler for a crispy finish. Broil the chicken until it’s deep golden brown and slightly charred in spots for added depth of flavor and extra-crisp skin.

Serve with pan juices and fresh parsley for a bright finish. Spoon the pan juices on top of the chicken for added savory, citrusy flavor and sprinkle with fresh parsley for a bright, herbaceous finish.

Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade

For her lemon garlic chicken, Katie Lee combines olive oil, paprika, salt, Dijon mustard, garlic powder and minced garlic, plus the zest and juice of one lemon for a vibrant, citrusy kick. If you like a little bit of heat, you could also add chili flakes.

How Long Should I Marinate Chicken?

The general rule of thumb is that you can marinate chicken anywhere from 2 hours up to 24 hours. But marinating chicken for even 15 to 30 minutes can impart flavor and moisture into smaller pieces of meat. For her lemon garlic chicken recipe, Katie Lee recommends marinating the chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, drumsticks and wings) for 1 hour. For more info, check out our guide How Long Should You Marinate Chicken? For a step-by-step, head over to our story How to Marinate Chicken.

What to Serve with Lemon Garlic Chicken

Serve lemon garlic chicken with roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted or sauteed vegetables, rice, quinoa, pasta, salads and crusty bread for mopping up the juices. Try making Katie Lee’s five-star sides, including Melting Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes Au Gratin, Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Dates, Manchego and Almonds, Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad, Broccoli Casserole and Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Garlic.