Stovetop Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Spinach
Juicy chicken thighs seared to golden perfection and finished in a lemon-garlic pan sauce with tender spinach. This Mediterranean-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 360 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
- 6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/4 tsp (optional) red pepper flakes
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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: Pat dry 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add chicken thighs skin side down and sear for 6-7 minutes until skin is crispy and golden brown.
- Step 3: Flip chicken thighs and cook for another 5 minutes until mostly cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Step 4: Reduce heat to medium, add 4 minced garlic cloves to the skillet and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Step 5: Pour in 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet. Let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Step 6: Add 4 cups fresh baby spinach and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (if using) to the skillet, stirring until spinach wilts, about 1-2 minutes.
- Step 7: Return chicken thighs to the skillet, spoon some sauce over them, cover, and cook for an additional 5 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.









