Baked Half-Crusted Lemon Herb Chicken Thighs

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Juicy chicken thighs baked with a half-crust of zesty lemon, garlic, and herbs for a flavorful and crispy finish. This Mediterranean-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, lemon zest, fresh thyme leaves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 30 min Serves 4 Mediterranean cuisine 320 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat dry 4 bone-in chicken thighs with paper towels and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  2. Step 2: In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp lemon zest, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese until combined.
  3. Step 3: Place the chicken thighs skin-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top half of each thigh, pressing lightly.
  4. Step 4: Bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken skin is crispy and juices run clear, and the breadcrumb crust is golden brown.
  5. Step 5: Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.

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