Crispy One-Pan Lemon Dill Chicken Thighs And Broccoli

One-pan lemon dill chicken thighs and broccoli boasts juicy chicken with crispy skin coated in a bold, flavor-packed marinade and tender, roasted broccoli. It comes together in a flash, making it perfect for a flavorful, easy weeknight meal for the whole family.

When it comes to easy, inexpensive, and healthy meals, chicken thighs are where it’s at. Dark meat is a juicy, convenient and forgiving cut of chicken, meaning you don’t have to watch your chicken pieces like a hawk for great results. Whenever I make this meal, my oldest and I sop up the pan juices with the broccoli because it’s such a delicious combo.

Why You’ll Love This Crispy Lemon Chicken

Low effort, high reward. There’s something special about whipping up a quick yet flavorful chicken dinner after work to nourish your family in the middle of a busy week.

This recipe takes approximately 10 minutes of hands-on work. That’s it, and you can focus on tossing together a quick salad or making some rice. 

You only need a few basic ingredients to make something that is truly delicious. 

And who doesn’t love crackly, golden brown chicken skin and roasted broccoli when they’re brimming with bright Mediterranean flavors. 

Here’s What You’ll Need

• Chicken thighs: Bone-on, skin-on chicken thighs are recommended for this recipe. 
• Onion powder, garlic powder, and ground cumin: Along with salt and ground black pepper, these spices infuse a lot of flavor into our chicken thighs.
• Dill weed: I recommend using fresh dill in this recipe, but you can swap for dried dill. The rule is 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for every tablespoon of it fresh. 
• Lemon juice: For this recipe, use fresh squeezed lemon juice since it’s one of the main ingredients. It keeps the whole dish bright and you’ll use the lemon zest as well, so it’s a good use of lemon.
• Lemon zest: Using fresh lemon juice and lemon zest really makes the lemon pop. 
• Lemon wedges: For serving, completely optional, though.
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt: Kosher salt for the marinade and if you’ve got it, a little flaky sea salt to sprinkle on the tops of the chicken thighs as they come out of the oven.
• Ground black pepper

Making Lemon Dill Chicken and Broccoli Sheet Pan Dinner With What You’ve Got on Hand

Just in case you’re reading this at 4:30 p.m. on a Wednesday, there are plenty of substitutions you can make and still get this meal on the table before 6! Here are a few ideas:

• Dried dill. Swap the 3 tablespoons of fresh dill for 3 teaspoons of dried dill. 
• Other herbs. Swap the fresh dill for any other fresh herbs of your choosing. Oregano, thyme and rosemary are all great candidates.
• Cauliflower: Swap the broccoli for cauliflower. 
• No vegetables. I’ve provided the ingredients for the broccoli separately in this recipe. If you don’t have any vegetables or it makes more sense to make a quick green salad or it’s August and you’d rather douse heirloom tomatoes in olive oil and balsamic vinegar… simply leave out the broccoli.

Making Sheet Pan Lemon Dill Chicken: Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Prep the broccoli by cutting it into long, skinny florets and placing in a bowl or freezer bag. Drizzle with the olive oil reserved for the broccoli (2 tablespoons) and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Set aside.
2. Using a large bowl or freezer bag, toss the broccoli in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then toss with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade: 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, the onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil.  
4. On a cutting board, pat the bone-in chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and if you’d like, trim off some of the excess fat. (See notes) Move to a baking sheet. Season chicken thighs with the marinade, directly on the baking sheet. I like to make sure to get marinade in all the nooks and crannies, so I use my fingers to separate the skin from the thigh to use the marinade to season the meat below the skin.
5. Turn the thighs so they are skin side down in the center of the baking sheet.
6. Bake the thighs alone on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn the chicken with a pair of tongs so the skin faces up. Nestle broccoli around the chicken in a single layer (or as close to it as possible).
7. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F. (I recommend using a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165° Fahrenheit.) Further crisp the skin, place under broiler for 2-3 minutes, taking care not to scorch anything. Remove from the oven.
8. Let the pieces of chicken rest for approximately ten minutes. Sprinkle chicken thighs with flaky sea salt. Then, serve immediately with a few lemon slices. 

Recipe Tips & Tricks for Tender Chicken With the Crispiest Skin

• Don’t overcrowd your baking sheet. Leave some space between the chicken thighs to ensure even cooking and browning.
• Flip the thighs halfway through cooking. As long as you’re taking the baking sheet out at the halfway point, you’ll first put the thighs in the oven skin side down to help it crisp up a bit. Then, when we add the broccoli, you’ll turn the chicken with a pair of kitchen tongs.
• Broil. Once your chicken is cooked through (35-45 minutes or when internal temp of chicken is 165), turn on the broiler for 2-3 minutes and let the skin crisp up that way. Just don’t walk away or get distracted.
• Rest the chicken. Resting your chicken is important for juicy chicken. If you cut into the thighs just after baking, they will run out everywhere. However, serve immediately after the resting period because the longer your chicken sits, the less crispy it becomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use boneless chicken thighs for this recipe?

Although bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs tend to be juicier than boneless skinless chicken thighs,  you can absolutely swap one for the other. Boneless thighs actually cook faster than bone-in, skin on thighs, though, so you’ll only need 25-30 minutes in the oven.

Should I use a baking sheet or a baking dish?

You can use either. However a baking sheet promotes better air circulation, which also helps crisp up the skin. 

Can I marinade this chicken in advance?

You can marinade the chicken thighs for 2-3 hours before baking, but you shouldn’t go over 4. The reason for that is because of the lemon juice, which breaks down the proteins in the chicken, leading to a mushy texture. One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is that I don’t have to plan anything in advance for an extremely flavorful, speedy dinner.

What To Serve with a Roasted Chicken Dish

Serve this chicken dish with my air fryer potatoes, this lemony swiss chard salad or a simple side of brown rice.

Storage & Reheating

Storage: Store your lemon dill chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. 

Reheating: To reheat, microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes (per thigh) and then remove the skin. Note, microwaved chicken thighs won’t be crispy. Make sure they are heated through before serving. 

My absolute favorite way to reheat anything that tastes better with a crunch is the air fryer. These chicken thighs are no different. Reheat in the air fryer at 380°F for 3-5 minutes or until the skin crisps up and the chicken heats through. 

📖 Recipe

One-Pan Lemon Dill Chicken Thighs and Broccoli

One-pan lemon dill chicken thighs and broccoli boasts juicy chicken with crispy skin coated in a bold, flavor-packed marinade and tender, roasted broccoli. It comes together in a flash, making it perfect for a flavorful, easy weeknight meal for the whole family.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course dinner

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 -6 people

Ingredients

  

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For the Broccoli

• 1 ½ pounds broccoli or approximately 2 heads of broccoli, depending on their size; for this recipe I bought 1.44 lbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt or to taste *the broccoli will take on some of the cooking juices of the chicken, so we’re going easy on salt here. Adjust to your preferences.
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Optional: Freshly grated parmesan for dusting when it comes out of the oven

For the Chicken Thighs

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, or approximately 2 lbs
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill weed chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• flaky sea salt for the tops of the chicken

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425°F and grease a large baking sheet.

Prep the Broccoli

• Prep the broccoli by cutting it into long, skinny florets and placing in a bowl or freezer bag. Drizzle with the olive oil reserved for the broccoli (2 tablespoons) and seasons with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Set aside.
• Using a large bowl or freezer bag, toss the broccoli in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then toss with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
• Note, you can do this the night before you make this and store in the fridge.

Make the Chicken & Broccoli

• In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade: 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, the onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil.
• On a cutting board, pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and if you’d like, trim off some of the excess fat. (See notes) Move to a baking sheet. Coat the thighs with the marinade, directly on the baking sheet. I like to make sure to get marinade in all the nooks and crannies, so I use my fingers to separate the skin from the thigh to use the marinade to season the meat below the skin.
• Turn the thighs so they are skin side down in the center of the baking sheet.
• Bake the thighs alone on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn the chicken with a pair of tongs so the skin faces up. Nestle broccoli around the chicken.
• Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F. To further crisp the skin, place under broiler for 2-3 minutes, taking care not to scorch anything. Remove from the oven.
• Let rest for up to ten minutes. Then, serve as is or with rice or a side of potatoes and enjoy hassle-free weeknight dining!

Notes

On oven temps. Always remember that every oven cooks slightly differently. If your chicken thighs aren’t getting crispy enough on top, you can raise the rack high in the oven or turn on the top broiler for the last minute or two. However, if the tops of your chicken are cooking too quickly, you can lower the rack in the oven or reduce the temperature slightly.

On trimming excess skin. Sometimes my chicken thighs have way too much chicken skin. If I were cooking this in a skillet, you better believe I’d be crisping it all up to enjoy as part dinner. However, given this is a speedy, one-pan dinner, I’ve found less is sometimes more in this case and will trim off the chicken fat if it is much larger than the top of the chicken thigh.

Keyword chicken, one-pan

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