These citrus marinated chicken thighs roast off easily in the oven and are drizzled with a lovely citrusy sauce for serving. A quick and easy weeknight meal!
The funny thing about citrus is that it is just seems to fit perfectly in to any season. There’s just something about those bright flavours that is just as welcoming in Summer as it is in Winter. This Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs is just such a meal. I enjoy it year round and have made it with many combinations of fresh citrus juice, depending on what I have on hand. It’s always delicious!
I am a big fan of skin-on/bone-in chicken thighs and cook them often, but I have to say, I kind of love not having to brown them in a skillet every time I use them. This recipe makes use of a hot oven to do the browning for me and I love the ease and time saving. These would also be fabulous done on the BBQ, as we move in to that season.
Cook’s Notes
This time, I used simply Meyer lemons, since they are already a lovely combination of orange and lemon. As Meyers move out of season, I just grab whatever looks good in the citrus department at the time.
Of course, you can use any kind of chicken with this recipe, but do note that the roasting time will vary. Be sure to check for doneness with an instant read thermometer to be sure.
Get the Recipe: Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 5-6 skin-on/bone-in chicken thighs
Marinade:
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/4 inch slice fresh ginger, about 1-inch diameter
- 1/2 cup fresh citrus juice, orange, lemon, lime or any mixture
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
For sauce:
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Place chicken thighs in a large resealable plastic bag and pour in marinade. Press out as much air as possible, seal and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Place oven rack in top third of oven and preheat oven to 425F. Remove chicken from bag and on to a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan and stir 1 tsp cornstarch to mixture. Roast chicken until cooked through, about 30 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken thighs.
- When chicken is almost done, bring sauce to a boil in the saucepan, then simmer until slightly reduced and thickened. Spoon over chicken, to serve. Nice with rice and a green vegetable.
My mom never cooked with chicken thighs so it took me until I had my own kitchen to realize how delicious they are! I love the glaze you have going on here! Perfect weeknight meal!
i don’t think my Mom cooked with them either, but they’ve won me over. Love the crispy skin and the moist dark meat. And yes, that glaze was delicious!
I love that citrus marinade – what a mouthwatering weeknight meal!
Thanks Laura ;)
That shimmer on the chicken looks perfect, Jennifer! I definitely look forward to the abundance of winter citrus each year, but I absolutely use it year round in my kitchen as well. It’s always my favorite way to brighten any dish!
Thanks so much, Liz :)
Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are my favorite too! There is just SO much more flavor, right? Unfortunately my husband doesn’t feel the same way… which I guess isn’t really a problem, because I just eat ALL the chicken myself. :) SCORE! I am drooling over this chicken, Jennifer! I love how you switch up the citrus to what’s in season! Genius!!! Cheers, friend!
Thanks so much, Cheyanne and yes … more chicken for you! :)
Love citrus in anything year round too! And for the past couple of years, I’ve enjoyed chicken thighs way more than breasts – so much more moist and flavourful and withstand so much more cooking time. This one looks and sound fabulous, Jennifer!
Thanks so much, Dawn :)
My store is now carrying Meyers all the time, so I’ll use them for these, we’re big fans of chicken thighs! I love the result when chicken is cooked at high temps, too, this is a winner :)
I wish we had Meyers year round, Sue! In fact this year they were scare and only showed up for a short time.
I love anything citrus year round too Jennifer! And if I had the choice of something that I could eat every day it would be chicken thighs. Always juicy and delicious. This recipe sounds like something we’d all love at our house.
Thanks so much, Mary Ann. I’m sure you would love this one :)
I completely agree about citrus – I love it year round. And I love a quick and easy weeknight meal like these chicken thighs. This lovely recipe will make an appearance on our grill very soon. A wonderful dinner that I could eat for breakfast :)
Thanks Tricia! I could eat this for breakfast, too :)