22 Lemon Chicken Recipes That Are Anything but Bland

A little zest is always the right answer.

By

Melanie Fincher

Published on January 25, 2025

Looking down at a skillet of baked lemon butter chicken thighs. — Photo:
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Nothing adds flavor and brightness to bland and boring chicken quite like lemon—and we have no shortage of lemon chicken recipes to share. From classic lemon chicken dishes like Chicken Piccata, to soon-to-be favorites like Lemony Mediterranean Chicken, here are 22 of our best lemon chicken recipes to get you inspired.

01 of 22

Quick Chicken Piccata

looking down at a few pieces of chicken piccata in a skillet — DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS

Chef John's chicken piccata is as quick and easy as it is delicious. More than 1,500 glowing reviews can't be wrong! Try it once, and this will become your go-to chicken piccata recipe.

02 of 22

Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

a plate of greek lemon chicken and potatoes — Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Looking for an easy, one-pan dinner for busy weeknights? Look no further. "I don't have the energy or courage to cater for a living but, if I did, this Greek lemon chicken and potatoes would be one of my go-to entrees, and not just for big, fat weddings," says Chef John. "It's a proven crowd-pleaser, simple to make, and easy on the wallet."

03 of 22

Baked Lemon Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

Baked Lemon Chicken with Mushroom Sauce — Dianne

Zesty lemon and earthy mushroom contrast in this simple yet elegant dish. "I loved the lemony taste of the chicken, and the mushroom sauce was great," says reviewer Patsy Snyder Hennessey.

04 of 22

Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken

Roasted Lemon Herb whole Chicken on orange platter — Allrecipes Magazine

"Huge payoff for very little fuss," says reviewer naples34102. "The flavor was out of this world excellent." Bring your chicken from boring to full-flavored using ingredients you likely already have on hand.

05 of 22

Grilled Lemon Chicken

Grilled Lemon Chicken breast next to white rice on orange plate — Allrecipes Trusted Brands

Summer grilling just got more flavorful thanks to this lemon marinade that's perfect for chicken. "FANTASTIC! I only had time to marinate for 20 minutes, and it was still great," says Reviewer SHERRYFISHER. "I also used some of the marinade on zucchini and grilled it."

06 of 22

Chicken with Lemon-Caper Sauce

very close up of a few chicken breasts with lemon-caper sauce

This version of Chicken Piccata might remind you of a version from a famous chain restaurant. "I worked for Olive Garden for 9 years and this was one of my favorites. This recipe is amazingly awesome! Just like Olive Garden's," says reviewer Stormi L. "My only suggestion is to double or TRIPLE the sauce because I love to dip my bread in it as well as make sure my meat is coated well."

07 of 22

Simply Lemon-Baked Chicken

Whole baked chicken on lettuce with lemon slice — Beth Wand Sidell

Weeknight dinners just got easier thanks to this simple rotisserie chicken recipe. Sprinkle a whole chicken with fresh lemon and paprika, stuff with lemon halves, and bake! "Absolutely the juiciest chicken I've ever had," says reviewer KIKUKAT.

08 of 22

Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken

Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken — Deb C

For a completely hands-off approach to cooking a whole chicken, cook it in the slow cooker so it can really soak up all the lemony goodness. "This was excellent. The chicken turned out tender and moist," says reviewer StrawberrySmoothie.

09 of 22

Instant Pot Keto Chicken Thighs in Lemon-Garlic Cream Sauce

Instant Pot® Keto Chicken Thighs in Lemon-Garlic Cream Sauce — fabeverydayblog

"If you love lemon and garlic, you'll love this chicken main dish recipe whether you're on a keto diet or not. It's delicious with roasted asparagus on the side," says Allrecipes member fabeveryday. Some reviewers suggest cutting down on the broth and wine to get a thicker sauce.

10 of 22

Lemony Mediterranean Chicken

Lemony Mediterranean Chicken on gray plate with roasted vegetables and rice — Allrecipes Trusted Brands

Chicken breasts, potatoes, bell peppers, and red onions are baked in a juicy lemon-garlic mixture for a truly perfect one-pan meal. "Must admit that I was skeptical about this recipe because it was so simple. Sometimes simple is best. It turned out to be just outstanding—one of the best recipes I've discovered on this or any other site," says reviewer Bryan Giemza.

11 of 22

Lemon Thyme Chicken Tenders

Lemon Thyme Chicken Tenders on plate with rice and asparagus — Pam Ziegler Lutz

"Sautéed chicken tenders get a flavor boost from fresh lemon and thyme. Great as a main meal or as a salad topper," says Allrecipes member BEE_QUEEN.

12 of 22

Lemon Garlic Chicken Breasts

Lemon Garlic Chicken Breasts next to salad on white plate — Marianne

"SO DELICIOUS! I made it and it had tons of flavor. Both the lemon and garlic came through, and they balanced each other perfectly," says reviewer Caitlyn.

13 of 22

Baked Lemon Butter Chicken Thighs

Looking down at a skillet of baked lemon butter chicken thighs. — Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

"These low-carb, keto-friendly chicken thighs are basted with a tangy and rich butter sauce. They are easy enough for a weeknight meal and guaranteed to impress the pickiest eaters," says Allrecipes member France C. "Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice, or alongside your favorite vegetables."

14 of 22

Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Chicken

Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Chicken — Allrecipes

Lemongrass adds a unique, citrus-herb flavor to grilled chicken. "Tastes just like the grilled chicken from our favorite Pho restaurant," says reviewer andy_chef.

15 of 22

Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs

close up view of a Creamy Lemon Chicken Thigh garnished with herbs, served with rice and carrots on a plate — thedailygourmet

Allrecipes member Destiny Elizabeth Glynn describes this as, "Tender dark-meat chicken thighs and drumsticks baked in a rich, creamy white sauce." Are you hungry yet?

16 of 22

Braise-Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Carrots

Braise-Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Carrots — hello angie

As this spatchcock chicken roasts overtop a simple broth with carrots, onion, and lemons, you get a delicious gravy to boot! "Gorgeous crispy skin. Juicy flavorful meat. This was similar to a family favorite that usually takes me about 36 hours to create with a dry brine and citrus stuffing done in 2 hours," says reviewer The Cookie Girl.

17 of 22

Lemon Basil Chicken

Lemon Basil Chicken on white platter with basil garnish — lutzflcat

"I used chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts (what I had on hand), otherwise, followed the recipe. The magic happens when you cook down the sauce, it just gets lemony and super delicious. Sooooo easy and sooooo good," says reviewer lutzflcat.

18 of 22

Butterflied Roast Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary

Butterflied Roast Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary — foodelicious

A whole, butterflied (spatchcocked) chicken is roasted with olive oil, lemon, rosemary, and white wine. It's an elegant dish that you can quickly throw together for company. "This recipe was excellent," says reviewer pauline lacy. "My family said it was the best whole chicken I ever made!"

19 of 22

Chicken Limone

looking at a platter of chicken limone — Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

"Chicken limone is a luscious way to prepare chicken cutlets," says recipe developer Amanda Stanfield. "The lemon pan sauce, with shallots for a sweet onion note, and just a touch of cream, really boosts the flavors of the browned bits that remain in the pan. It’s well-balanced, with great lemon flavor but no sour notes. Like chicken piccata without the salty capers, it’s a great quick dish for a weeknight dinner with friends."

20 of 22

Keto Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer

close up view of Keto Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs garnished with fresh herbs and a lemon wedge on a black plate — France C

These keto-friendly chicken thighs are marinated in a lemon, garlic, and Dijon mustard mixture before cooking in the air fryer. "It's so easy and so delicious, it will be my go to method for chicken from now on," says reviewer Buckwheat Queen. "I actually used leg quarters instead of just thighs and times were the same. What an awesome recipe!"

21 of 22

Baked Lemon Chicken Breasts

Baked Lemon Chicken Breasts in square casserole dish — fabeveryday

Chicken breasts are marinated in a mixture of lemon juice and spices before roasting in a pool of the flavorful marinade. This is a simple recipe with big flavor. "I made these with chicken thighs instead of breasts (since that's what we had), and it was delicious! I love the simplicity of the ingredients, but it was still full of flavor," says reviewer fabeveryday.

22 of 22

Easy Homemade Chinese Lemon Chicken

Chinese Lemon Chicken — Danielle K

This is an easy, Chinese-inspired lemon chicken recipe that's sure to delight. "This tastes even better than I expected it to," says reviewer Danielle K. "Savory and flavorful!"

More Inspiration

Cooked chicken breasts topped with cheese, parsley, and lemon wedges in a cast iron skillet — Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

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