Grilled Lemon-Thyme Chicken Thighs with Garlic Butter
Juicy chicken thighs marinated in lemon juice and fresh thyme, grilled to perfection and finished with a garlic butter drizzle. This American-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, fresh lemon juice, 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.
Ingredients
- 8 pieces bone-in chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add 8 bone-in chicken thighs and coat well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Step 2: Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Remove chicken from marinade and place on the grill skin-side down.
- Step 3: Grill chicken thighs for 6-7 minutes per side, flipping once, until internal temperature reaches 165°F and skin is nicely charred.
- Step 4: While chicken cooks, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 5: Remove chicken from grill and brush generously with the garlic butter. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.








