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a blue skillet of pan seared chicken.
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5 from 1 vote

Pan Seared Chicken Recipe

Citrus chicken thighs are an easy chicken recipe with citrus fruits and a short cooking time...delicious!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Marinating time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 5 pieces
Calories: 415kcal
Author: Paige

Equipment

  • large baking sheet
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • whisk
  • glass dish or bowl
  • large, non-stick skillet

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