Looking for an easy chicken dinner idea? This Pan Seared Chicken recipe is the perfect chicken dinner recipe with citrus fruits and a short cooking time…delicious, easy, versatile!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
We’re all looking for good chicken recipes made with basic pantry staples for weeknight meals or meal plans for the week.
This is an easy recipe with delicious flavor that takes advantage of the best citrus fruits of the season…it’s a favorite main dish!
Here’s a few reasons to love it:
- Chicken thighs that are marinated in citrus are tender, juicy and full of flavor, searing them before baking locks in the flavor
- It’s easy to double this recipe to have extra chicken on hand for meal prep during the week
- This chicken comes together quickly, but note that it should marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before baking
- This pan seared chicken recipe would be fabulous with a veggie-packed Noodle Salad, or in a Strawberry Asparagus Salad, or with a simple Carrot Currant Salad, or this delicious Orzo Asparagus Salad recipe.
- This is a simple recipe with an easy marinade, then a quick sear in a skillet for color, then it’s finished cooking in the oven in 30 minutes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the full instructions and list of ingredients, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs: Bone-in and skin-on for maximum moistness and flavor
- Orange and Lemon: We’ll need the juice and zest of these citrus fruits for the marinade
- Honey: To balance the acidity of the citrus
- Garlic: Minced for a punch of flavor in the marinade
- Dijon Mustard: More flavor!
- Seasonings: Dried parsley, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and freshly ground lemon or black pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
For the full recipe and instructions, please scroll to the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Make the marinade to season chicken by whisking the ingredients together in a large bowl
- Marinate the chicken in a casserole dish or Ziplock bag for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours (in the refrigerator).
- Remove from marinade (discard marinade) and place chicken skin-side down in the bottom of the pan – a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned on both sides.
- Bake for 30 minutes on a rimmed baking sheet, or until an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees.
- Transfer to a serving platter, and pour any pan drippings over the top!
Tips for Marinating
- Plan ahead with this recipe because the chicken tastes best when marinated for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- When marinating, store the chicken in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
- Don’t marinate longer than 2 hours, because while the citrus does tenderize the chicken, too long and it will become rubbery, stringy or mushy. This is not good 🙂
- You can use a ziplock bag or any large resealable plastic bag to add the chicken pieces to instead of using a glass dish. Just place the chicken thighs inside the bag to marinate, but set the bag inside of a bowl in case it leaks!
- Also, be sure to discard the marinade! (It can’t be used for anything else.)
More Tips for Success
- Be sure to pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before adding it to the hot pan with the olive oil to brown it to get a nice crispy skin.
- To get the most juice out of your citrus, gently roll it back and forth with the palm of your hand before cutting it in half and juicing.
- Use a cast iron skillet for this recipe if you’d like, and place chicken thighs skin side down to get a nice sear.
- Reserve the squeezed lemon and orange to add to the marinade for extra flavor.
- Plan ahead, this chicken should be in the marinate for at least 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
Serving Ideas
These Citrus Chicken Thighs recipe are pan seared for extra flavor, easy to make and easy to double! It makes meal prep easier during the week, too. Here are a few ideas about how to use it:
- Shred the chicken off the bone for tacos, burritos or these fabulous Chicken Burrito Bowls
- You could also use the meat to make this delish chicken salad or this classic New York style Club Sandwich recipe.
- Make a low carb meal with cauliflower rice, green beans and shredded tender meat
- Serve the thighs straight from the oven with some Broccoli Cheddar Twice Baked Potatoes.
- Or these flavorful roasted vegetables, a simple chickpea salad.
- Serve with a flavorful Italian Green Bean Salad, this Marinated Grilled Asparagus, this very delicious Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad or a fresh and tasty Green Bean and Pea Salad.
- Simple salad greens from a bag are perfect sides if you’re short on time and need an easy, quick meal.
- Don’t even think about forgetting dessert – how about a really good chocolate chip cookie or maybe a triple chocolate cookie? Or just go for it with the fabulous and popular fresh banana cake!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a combination of citrus for this recipe?
This recipe for Citrus Chicken Thighs calls for both lemon and orange juice, so use a combination of citrus zests, citrus juices of any variety you’d like. For example, use Meyer lemons and mandarin oranges, or navel oranges and regular lemon juice, or even lime zests and juice. Experiment with different citrus flavors!
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Sure can. Just note that the cooking time may need to be a it longer. Chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees with a meat thermometer.
How do I store leftover chicken, and how long will it last?
You can shred the chicken off the bone, or keep the pieces whole and store them in an airtight container with lid for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
More Recipes:
- Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Skillet: Easy and awesome.
- Guinness Irish Chili Recipe: A very tasty, hearty chili that’s wonderful year-round.
- Meatballs in Marinara Sauce Recipe: These are the best meatballs!
- Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon: These are just the best.
- Ground Turkey Pasta Bake: Basically lasagne in a skillet, made in 30 minutes
- Cast Iron Skillet Pizza: Cheesy and full of great flavor!
- Turkey Burgers with Cranberry: Just a really good turkey burger, with or without the cranberry sauce.
- Carrots with Almonds: Fresh and crunchy, these are delicious!
- Fresh Tangerine Sorbet: Tastes like the best cold, juicy tangerine you’ve ever had!
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Pan Seared Chicken Recipe
Citrus chicken thighs are an easy chicken recipe with citrus fruits and a short cooking time…delicious!
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Servings: 5 pieces
Calories: 415kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
- 1 Lemon and its juice reserve lemon after squeezing
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 1 Orange and its juice reserve orange after squeezing
- 1 teaspoon Orange zest
- 3 Garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper, freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Parsley, dried
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- MARINADE: Make the chicken marinade by combining the lemon juice and zest, the orange juice and zest, the garlic, the honey, the Dijon mustard, pepper, salt, parsley and 2 cups of olive oil. Whisk this together in a large bowl.
- Place the chicken thighs in a large glass baking dish or bowl, then pour the marinade over the top. Add the reserved lemon and orange juice halves that you juiced earlier. Make sure the chicken is coated with the marinade, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to two hours total. Discard marinade after removing the chicken.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, shake off any excess marinade, then pat each piece dry with a paper towel. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chicken skin with the skin side down. Let it brown for 3-4 minutes undisturbed, then flip it over for another minute or two. Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. To serve, place the chicken on a serving platter and pour over any cook juices that accumulated on the baking sheet.
Notes
- Be sure to pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before adding it to the hot pan with olive oil to brown it.
- To get the most juice out of your citrus, gently roll it back and forth with the palm of your hand before cutting it in half and juicing.
- Reserve the squeezed lemon and orange to add to the marinade for extra flavor.
- Plan ahead, this chicken should sit in the marinade for at least an hour to absorb the flavors.
Nutrition
Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 578mg | Potassium: 338mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 161IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
Tips for Success with Every Recipe
- Super important to read the whole recipe before you begin
- Pay attention to the ingredient list and photos for the recipe
- If possible, prep your ingredients a little before you start
- Always use a sharp knife for safety
- Use the size of pan called for in the recipe
- For savory recipes, taste and season as you go
- Buy fresh, organic ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible
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