Fast and flavorful Lebanese lemon chicken with shallots, fresh herbs,
and a touch of turmeric–a comforting paleo dinner for fall.
There was a touch of fall in the air this weekend, especially in the early mornings. So, even though the highs will be in the 80s all next week, I’ve decided it’s time for fall comfort food. And this Lebanese lemon chicken fits the bill exactly. The flavors of lemon, rosemary and thyme hint at cooler weather, but the dish is fast enough not to heat up your entire house if the temperatures outside are still hot.
This recipe is inspired by the Lebanese chicken dish I had for lunch from the hot bar at Whole Foods last week. I don’t do well if I grocery shop hungry, so when I arrive at the store not totally full, I get something to eat from the prepared foods section and sit down and eat it before doing my shopping. Whole Foods’ version of this dish was made with bone-in, skin-on chicken, and also had potatoes, olives, and a few other ingredients. I loved the overall taste of the recipe, but wanted to simplify it a little.
I used boneless, skinless chicken because it’s faster, and chose thighs because they’re less dry than breasts and less easy to accidentally overcook. The chicken “marinates” very briefly in a little olive oil, lemon juice, turmeric, salt, and pepper.
Next, the chicken is seared in a hot pan so it browns a little and cooks through relatively quickly. After that, the chicken is transferred to a plate and the real magic begins. Lemon slices land in the pan with a sizzle, browning in the chicken juices. Shallots lend their sweetness to balance out the tart lemon, and rosemary and thyme round out the flavors.
With a little water (or chicken stock if you’re feeling fancy), all these aromatics come together to form an addictive pan sauce. The chicken thighs go back in for a quick toss in that golden elixir, and that’s it!
I served this chicken with white rice and paleo flatbread. I experimented with baking the flatbread in the oven instead of cooking it in a skillet since I was running short on pans.
If you’d like to try baking it, follow the recipe for paleo flatbread and preheat your oven to 375. After the dough rises, pat it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet until it’s about 1/4-inch thick and then bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
If you’re torn about which way to make your flatbread, I’ll tell you this: the original skillet version is softer and chewier, like naan, whereas the oven baked version is crunchy around the edges like a thick cracker. Both are delicious!
If you’re doing a Whole30, this would go really well with cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, creamy rutabaga, or just a bunch of roasted vegetables.
This recipe makes a large amount. This weekend it fed four adults and three hungry children right after a soccer game, and one lonely thigh was left over. If you only need to feed three or four people, you can halve the recipe and you’ll only need one pan.
In the summer I love to make a grilled version of this dish: lemon chicken kebabs.
Looking for more quick paleo dinners? Check out the other recipes in my 30 Minute Mondays series: grilled pork chops and peaches, pesto shrimp bake with squash and tomatoes, caramelized salmon with basil chile oil and pickled vegetables, grilled shrimp skewers with creamy sesame slaw, rainbow salad with grilled chicken and raspberry walnut dressing, and roasted shrimp and asparagus with green goddess dressing.
Lebanese Lemon Chicken
Yield:
6-8 servings
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
25 minutes
Total Time:
30 minutes
Fast and flavorful Lebanese lemon chicken with shallots, fresh herbs,and a touch of turmeric--a comforting paleo dinner for fall or winter.
Ingredients
- 3 organic lemons
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 12 thighs)
- 2 large shallots or 1 large onion
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
- Juice one of the lemons until you have 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Put the juice in a large bowl and add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the turmeric, sea salt, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate briefly at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Trim the ends off the other two lemons and slice them into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Remove any visible seeds. Halve, peel, and slice the shallots.
- Heat two large cast iron skillets over medium-high heat (or use one skillet and cook the chicken in two batches). Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom with a thin layer of oil.
- Divide the chicken pieces between the two pans with the smooth side of the chicken (where the skin was) facing down, making sure to leave a little room between the pieces so they can brown. Cook for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned on the bottom, and then flip and cook for 8-10 minutes on the second side, until just cooked through, lowering the heat slightly if necessary. Use tongs or a slotted spatula to transfer the chicken pieces to a plate.
- Add the lemons, shallots, and herb sprigs to the pans. Let cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, until the lemons are browned on the bottom. Pour 1/2 cup water into each pan and stir, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium, add the chicken back to the pans, and cook for 4-5 minutes so the flavors can meld. Serve the chicken, shallots, and pan juices hot over rice or cauliflower rice.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 servings Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 334Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 208mgSodium: 700mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 42g
The nutrition label provided is an estimate for informational purposes only and may not be accurate. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional.
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I made this tonight. It was quite delicious- lemony without being too acidic or overpowering, I followed the recipe as written (I appreciated the clear concise directions) with a few minor changes. I marinated the thighs for about 3 hours. The cooking times were off for me- my boneless thighs cooked much more quickly. As stoves, pans and one’s interpretation of “medium-high heat” may vary, that is to be expected. I used a thermometer to check the internal temperature as I really dislike overcooked chicken. I used a spatter cover to make stove cleanup a bit easier.They came out perfectly at about 9 minutes total. I also deglazed the pan with white wine rather than water. The sauce was quite lovely. I will definitely make this again.Thank you for a delicious recipe.
I’m so happy you liked it! Thank you for sharing exactly how it went for you–I know it will be helpful to other readers!
I found this recipe randomly and have made it probably 10 times—it is our family’s FAVORITE!! My husband had me make it for a dinner party tonight with classy adults (several who were Lebanese) and they RAVED about it. There are never any leftovers with our family of two adults and 3 young children, sometimes I make more than 3 pounds. I make it exactly as written or subbing dried herbs and onions/garlic. Takes me 45 minutes. Definitely in our top 5 recipes, #1 for my hubby!
Oh yay, I am so happy you and your family enjoy this recipe! It’s a big hit with our family, too. Thank you so much for commenting!
I also meant to mention I used cauliflower rice instead of regular rice to lower carbs and eliminate the ‘processed’ rice. Everyone loved it.
Great idea to use leeks and cauliflower rice! I’m so happy you liked it!
Made this last night. I had no shallots but did have leeks which are also onion-y. Delicious! Super flavor and everyone wolfed it down. Its a keeper!
Hi, do you have youtube video for this recipe?
No, not yet! I’ve only made a few videos and am not great at them yet, but will add this recipe to my list for possible future videos. This is an easy recipe so I hope you still give it a try!
Can you use this recipe with chicken breasts? I don’t really care for thighs.
You can, but it may be drier. I’d cut them in half if they’re big and be careful not to overcook.
Becky, I made this recipe doubled for dinner the other night and it disappeared. I found it easy to follow, the boneless chicken thighs were unbelievably yummy. I have given the recipe to several of my family and friends. The only difference I did is I marinated the chicken overnight in the mixture. Delightful !!!!
Thank you so much Christine
I’m so glad you liked it! Extra marinating time is a great idea!
Yeah, that definitely took more than 13 minutes to cook the chicken…
Are you the same person who commented earlier? If so, it is probably because you had your heat set lower than the instructions said to, or perhaps because the thighs you got happened to be very large.
Yes! I’m so sorry. Feel free to delete this comment. 🙂 I figured it out. Thank you!
Am I missing something? How in the heck do you get the chicken to cook all the way through in such a short time? Are you supposed to cook it in the oven ahead of time? I’ve got the burner on medium and then medium-low and I’m not getting it cooked…
Hi JJ! As outlined in the instructions, I cook the chicken over medium-high heat for a total 12-15 minutes on its own and later for 4-5 minutes over medium heat with the sauce (there is no oven involved in this recipe). It always cooks through for me in that amount of time. You may be having trouble because your heat is lower. Also, you’re using boneless, skinless thighs as called for, right? Bone-in thighs take much longer.
Ah, okay, that makes more sense. I did use bone-in thighs. I’ve actually never cooked chicken like this before, so I was afraid I was missing something! The marinade is so yummy, by the way!
Glad you liked the marinade! Yes, bone-in thighs take a lot longer. I love bone-in thighs, though I often do finish them in the oven. Here’s another recipe you might like (this one calls for bone-in thighs): http://acalculatedwhisk.com/crispy-chicken-with-spring-vegetables/ 🙂
Thank you! It’s delicious!
Just tried this, with some alterations:
– I used skin-on but deboned thighs and legs, fried the the skin side in an un-oiled pan to coax out the chicken fat, and then put the shallots in the fat and the chicken on the side.
– I tossed the shallots in the marinade to get some tang to them.
– I removed the lemons from the sauce in ordee to make the thing easier to eat, but also looking much less fancy.
It turned out great, maybe a dash of white wine might be worth trying, instead of water.
Best from Germany,
Marco
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your modifications. If you’re not doing a Whole30, you could definitely use wine instead of water!
It is too hot to cook inside right now but this is one of our go to dishes! What do you recommend I do/change in order to cook this on the grill?
Hmmm, I hadn’t thought to try grilling this, but it’s an intriguing idea! It’s a little saucy so I think it would have to be adapted some. Maybe the shallots and herbs added to the marinade, a longer marinating time, and then grilled lemon halves with it? Let me know if you give it a try.
We grilled the chicken 1st and then used the wok insert on the weber grill to finish the sauce! Fantastic summer dish! Thank you!
Great idea! I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Is rice Paleo? I thought it wasnt
There’s no one exact set of paleo rules, but a lot of people who tolerate white rice well include it in their diet as a resistant starch. If you’re avoiding it or doing a Whole30, serve with cauliflower rice instead. Here’s an article about including white rice in a paleo diet: http://eatdrinkpaleo.com.au/is-white-rice-paleo-friendly-and-how-i-use-it/ and here’s some info on resistant starch: https://chriskresser.com/how-resistant-starch-will-help-to-make-you-healthier-and-thinner/
My snarky sister, upon receiving this delicious recipe, sent me an email asking, “So what makes this Lebanese?” Do you have a snarky answer for me to give her?? Gosh! I can’t wait to make this! I always get a happy dance on when you send out a recipe….you are so entertaining, as well…..just sayin’…..
I just want to clarify that the stars to rate the recipe wouldn’t let me click on the 5 star rating! It must know I haven’t made it yet but it all looks so perfectly meshed that it HAS to be that good. I did not give this a 4 star click…..
Not sure what’s going on because usually you can click any number of stars, but no worries! 🙂
Thank you so much, Merry! Well, I explain in the post that I actually adapted this from a dish of the same name at Whole Foods, but research will reveal that olive oil, lemon, herbs, turmeric, and chicken are all frequently used in Lebanese cuisine. Hope that’s enough for your sister! 🙂
I hope that’s enough for her, too! Thank you! She actually emailed me asking me about it again….inquiring minds want to know! Love your site!!
Haha, thank you so much!
ooooooh I have all the ingredients (minus chicken) to make this right now! I am always looking for ways to use up herbs in my fridge. Will have to add this to the dinner agenda!
Yesss, do it! Hope you love it as much as we did, Trish 🙂
Aaaaah this chicken! I love all things chicken and I really must try this Lebanese version…it looks like perfection!
Thank you, Julia! Sometimes I find dishes like this too lemony but the shallots and herbs really balance it out nicely here 🙂
Love it when Whole Foods hot bar inspires my weeknight dinners…it's really uncanny how often that happens! All of this lemony fresh flavor sounds so good!
Thanks so much, Joanne! It is a great source of inspiration 🙂
I think this recipe is has incredible flavor easy and delicious! This will definitely be made often! Thank you for this perfect recipe!