Juicy chicken thighs coated in a glossy, flavour-packed lemon and dill sauce – this lemon dill chicken is quick, easy and perfect for weeknights or guests.
Quite frankly, this dinner has no business being so delicious given how easy it is to make. Follow me…
Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs
For this recipe, we are going to be using boneless skinless chicken thighs. They work great with the lemon dill sauce; the rich, fatty flavour from the thighs offers the perfect balance for the light, tangy sauce.
Preparing the thighs
Neither of these steps are essential, but they will help in the cooking of the thighs:
- Curling – I like to slice any strings of meat that are preventing the thighs from lying out completely flat. Doing this will make sure the thighs don’t curl up in the pan.
- Pounding – I like to use the blunt end of my knife to lightly pound any thicker parts of the thigh to ensure everything is even.
Dredging through flour
I like to coat the thighs in a thin layer of seasoned flour before frying them. This will ensure they develop a nice, golden crust, which in turn, will help the sauce ‘cling’ to the meat.
When it comes to frying the thighs, a little oil in a large pan will do the trick. Keep in mind they’ll continue cooking slightly as they rest and when added back to the pan.
Process shots: slice chicken (photo 1), pound (photo 2), add to flour (photo 3), coat then shake (photo 4), add to pan (photo 5), fry then remove (photo 6).
Lemon Dill Sauce
The sauce starts where the chicken leaves: in the leftover fat. Frying some shallots and garlic in that leftover liquid gold is going to make your house smell like heaven. From there, we’re going in with some chicken stock, lemon juice and fresh dill.
Thickening the sauce
You do not need to add any more flour of any variety to thicken the sauce. The sauce is thickened in a few different ways:
- Butter – whisking cold butter into the stock will help it emulsify and create a light, glossy sauce that thickens around the chicken.
- Dijon Mustard – this helps thicken a little more, but it’s mostly for a mellow background flavour.
- Chicken – when you add the chicken back to the pan, the crust will naturally exchange with the sauce and thicken it a little more.
One final bonus ingredient is the resting juices from the chicken. Don’t skip this! It’s free flavour.
Process shots: fry shallots (photo 1), fry garlic (photo 2), add stock, lemon juice, dill and Dijon (photo 3), whisk in butter (photo 4), whisk in resting juices (photo 5), add chicken (photo 6).
Lemon Dill Chicken FAQ
As discussed, I think you’ll find thighs better in this context. However, you could use breast for a lighter meal (more info in the recipe card below).
It’s definitely apparent, but certainly not overbearing. If you want more of a lemony flavour, then just squeeze over more at the end.
Dill is the star here! Other herbs would work (parsley or chives), but it’s the special pairing of lemon and dill that brings the chicken to life.
How to serve Lemon Dill Chicken
I like to finish with extra dill and a light zesting of lemon, just to give that final ‘wow’ factor. From there, there are a few different ways you could serve the thighs:
- Crusty Bread & Side Salad – for optimum speed and convenience. There will be plenty of sauce for bread-mopping!
- Rice & Asparagus – as I’ve served here (photo below). I just threw the asparagus in the air fryer with some olive oil, salt and pepper as the chicken was cooking.
- Potatoes & Veg – go full comfort with Mashed Potato or Parmesan Smashed Potatoes with veg of choice.
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this lemon dill chicken shall we?!
How to make Lemon Dill Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)
Lemon Dill Chicken
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Shallow Dish (for coating chicken in flour)
- Large Pan & Tongs
- Wooden Spoon
- Microplane/Zester (for lemon)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 640g / 1.4lbs boneless skinless Chicken Thighs (preferably 6 even-sized thighs – see notes)
- 35g / 1/4 cup Plain Flour
- 1 tsp EACH: Salt, Black Pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil, plus more as needed
Lemon Dill Sauce
- 2 small Shallots, very finely diced
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 180ml / 3/4 cup Chicken Stock
- 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard (see notes)
- 2 Lemons (1 squeezed for 2 tbsp juice and the other left whole for now)
- 3 1/2 tbsp / 50g Unsalted Butter, sliced into small cubes and kept in the fridge
- 2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Dill (1 1/2 tbsp for sauce, the rest for garnish)
Instructions
- Lay the thighs smooth side down on a chopping board (slice any strings of meat that are preventing them from lying flat). Use the blunt end of your knife to gently pound any thicker parts of the thigh so everything is even.
- In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. One by one, dredge the thighs through the flour, give them a shake, then place to one side.
- Add the olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the thighs and fry both sides until golden and cooked right through the centre (4-5 minutes on each side depending on size). Remove and place on a plate to one side, leaving any excess fat in the pan. Work in batches/top up with oil if needed.
- Lower the heat to medium, then add the shallots to the leftover fat. Fry until soft and golden, then add the garlic and fry for 10-20 seconds or so (be careful it doesn't burn). Pour in the stock, then stir in 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 1/2 tbsp dill and 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard.
- Take the butter out of the fridge and swiftly stir it into the sauce until it melts and emulsifies into the sauce. Stir in the resting juices from the chicken, then check for seasoning and adjust if needed. If it looks like it's splitting at any point, just lower the heat and whisk it back together. The sauce should have thickened slightly into a light, glossy sauce.
- Add the thighs back to the pan to coat in the sauce and warm them back through. Serve with a light zesting of lemon and the rest of the dill. Slice the lemon you used for zesting into 4 wedges (1 per person – optional for extra lemon). Tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
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