Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

 

I love coming up with simple recipes to make, especially for those busy days when I don’t have a lot of time to get dinner together. This one is definitely a winner. A few ingredients later, a quick trip in the oven and you end up with this awesome Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken. You just need some garlic, a couple of lemons, fresh cracked pepper, salt, olive oil and chicken quarters. Literally, it only took 6 ingredients to pull this one together! The chicken comes out crispy, juicy, tangy from the lemon, and a peppery hit in every bite! I’m getting hungry just writing this post, so let’s jump right into! 

Quick Marinade

First things first, lets get the marinade together! I’m using chicken quarters but this marinade is great on any poultry cut, from drumsticks to wings! In a small bowl, mix together lemon zest, fresh cracked pepper, salt, grated garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Give it a stir and set aside. Thats it! A simple 5 ingredient marinade! Arrange your quarters in a baking dish and pour your marinade over each piece making sure every square inch is coated. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the chicken to soak up that delicious marinade.

Building The Rack
Once the chicken is marinated, you want to give it a great opportunity to bake and for the skin to get crispy. How do you do that, you ask? All you’ll need is a baking sheet, a cooling rack, and aluminum foil – this also helps for an easy clean up after baking! Line your baking sheet with foil and set the cooling rack on top. That is it! I know, mind-blowing right? :). Using the cooling rack will allow the chicken to be elevated while cooking and crisp up even more!

Now that you have the rack ready, transfer the marinated chicken to the foil lined rack and pop into a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes. Once that is done, turn the chicken and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes to crisp up both sides.

Crispy and Delicious!
 With it being baked, no need to stand around the stove waiting to turn the chicken and, of course, no excess oil from frying either! Once it’s out of the oven, make sure the juices run clear and the skin is extra crispy! 

Time To Serve!

Optional, But Highly Recommended!
While the chicken was in the oven I decided to make some paleo friendly sides which include cauliflower rice, roasted carrots and roasted zucchini. AMAZING! You can rice your own cauliflower in a food processor or blender, or you can purchase it. Most grocery stores and farmers markets carry different riced veggies now, which is awesome! Just sauté it with some garlic and olive oil until tender and mix in some chopped cilantro. (Cook it at high heat so it doesn’t turn into mush!) It’s a quick cook, and a great alternative if you’re watching your carb intake.


And just like that, you get a healthy and delicious meal option that only took 6 ingredients to make! This is what it’s like to cook like a king :). You can even use this exact recipe to meal-prep for the week as well! Lunches and dinner just got that much easier – Enjoy! 

Print Recipe

Garlic Lemon Pepper Chicken

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Author: kingcooks

Ingredients

  • 5 chicken quarters
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp grated garlic
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp freshly cracked pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix together the lemon zest, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Stir and set aside.
  • Pour the marinade over the chicken quarters and set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  • Tip: This marinade can be used for any cut of chicken you have on hand. I prefer dark meat, but it will work great with wings and chicken breast.
  • Once marinated, place the chicken quarters on a cooling rack on a sheet pan lined with foil. Doing so will elevate it and help you end up with a crispier chicken in the end.
  • Place in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees and cook for 45-50 minutes.
  • Turn over and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes to crisp up both sides.
  • Once fully cooked and all juices run clear, serve immediately with a few wedges of lemon and garnish with parsley.
  • Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by! Drop a comment if you give this recipe a try! Don’t forget sharing is caring!

*On Pinterest? Click Picture Below To Pin*

See how easy that was?!? Until next time, cook like a king!