This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Lemon Garlic Braised Chicken with capers is soul-warming! Crispy skin-on chicken thighs and legs seared and then braised in stock and lemon juice until they’re fork-tender. Extra delicious served with crusty bread!
Spring has sprung with these lemon garlic braised chicken thighs!
We start by seasoning the chicken and letting it hang out for a few hours so that it’s flavorful through and through. Then we’ll add the chicken to a screaming hot pan and sear the skin and render off most of the fat. We’ll add whole garlic cloves, chicken stock, herbs, and lemon juice to help make a braising liquid. Then the chicken goes into the oven and braises until fall-apart tender. And when you thought I was done, I’ll add a little butter to the sauce to thicken it up and to drizzle over mashed potatoes, rice, or to serve with grilled bread.
Crispy chicken skin, tender chicken, and a cozy homestyle braised sauce.
Check, check, and check.
I love this dish! I’ve made it before with slight variations, but liked this the best. My only add was a small fennel bulb chopped up and one shallot. It’s a great dish for a large crowd as it can be made ahead and reheated to serve.
What does it mean to braise a chicken?
Braising is a cooking method similar to stewing. The food is simmered in a small amount of liquid in a casserole dish or pot. The liquid that the meat is cooked in can be anything from stock, wine, or juice. The flavors intensify and blend as the meat is slowly braised on top of a range or in the oven. For the meat to develop more flavor, it is often seared in a pan before letting it braise slowly for an extended period of time. This browning process is important because it helps create more flavor. Braising poultry is also called ‘Fricasseeing.’
Ingredients for lemon garlic braised chicken
- Chicken: Bone-in, skin-on chicken works best for this recipe. Legs and thighs are what I used, but chicken breasts will work too. The timing may vary on those, so keep an eye on them in the oven.
- Seasonings: We’re keeping things simple with this recipe, but it definitely won’t be light on flavor. You’ll need dried oregano, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Chicken Stock: I use and suggest using low sodium chicken stock or chicken broth for this recipe so that it doesn’t become too salty at the end.
- Lemon Juice: just a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to help brighten up all the flavors in this dish.
- Garlic Cloves: we’re using whole cloves of garlic that we’ll saute in a little oil and then let it braise in the oven with the chicken. This will help add tons of flavor and aroma to our braised chicken dinner.
- Capers: capers cut through some of that richness with the briny flavor. If you aren’t a fan, you can replace them with Castelvetrano olives or omit them from the recipe.
- Butter: You’ll want to use cold cubed butter for this recipe. We’ll add the butter at the end to help thicken the sauce a tablespoon at a time.
- Parsley: just a hint of freshness to finish off the dish.
How to make garlic braised chicken in the oven
- Season and let it hang out. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and seasoning it with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on a large plate or in a bowl and allow it to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours and ideally, at least 10-24 hours for best results.
- Sear and braise. When you’re ready to prepare this, preheat the oven and grab a large cast-iron skillet or any other oven-safe pan you’ll like to use. Add the olive oil to a skillet or dutch oven over medium heat, and when hot, sear the chicken skin side down, undisturbed for 10 minutes. This will ensure crisp skin. Then, flip the chicken and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Keep in mind that the chicken won’t be cooked through at this point. We’ll finish it in the oven. Remove the chicken to a plate and drain most of the grease from the pan. You don’t need more than a tablespoon now. Add the whole garlic cloves and sauté them for a minute but make sure they don’t burn. Then add the chicken stock, dried oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, and finally, the lemon juice. Add the chicken pieces back to the braised and place the dish in the oven and allow it to braise until tender.
- Make that sauce. When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and place the braiser on the stove over low heat. Add the capers, and then slowly add a tablespoon of butter at a time. Use a wooden spoon to stir the sauce as the butter gently melts in. Repeat this until all the butter is incorporated. Taste and adjust with additional salt as needed. Then add the chicken back to the pan (or place on serving plates) and drizzle the sauce on top and garnish with parsley.
FAQs about braised chicken
Dry brining a chicken with salt helps draw out moisture from the skin, which then helps crisp up the skin faster and provides a more flavorful chicken on the inside.
Yes, bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (or a combination of all three parts) would also work for this recipe. If you use a whole chicken, make sure to test all parts to ensure they’ve cooked through during braising.
You can season the chicken and cook it immediately if you don’t have time to dry brine. I do find that the flavors are much more pronounced, and the chicken is more flavorful when you brine. However, the recipe works just fine if you season and cook immediately as well.
Check the chicken’s temperature using a digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each piece of chicken. Don’t guess here. You don’t want it to be under/overcooked.
This is a French technique. Adding in cold cubes of butter to a sauce and slowly allowing it to melt into the sauce while you stir helps make a stable emulsion (which leaves the sauce homogenous.) You must add in COLD butter because warm butter won’t achieve the same results. It will leave the sauce thin and may even break if you reheat it. It essentially has the same effect as adding flour to help thicken the sauce without it being gritty!
Serving suggestions
- Crunchy Parmesan Toasted Bread Kale Caesar Salad
- How to Make Perfect Basmati Rice
- Garlicky Extra Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Best Ever Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Everyday Kale Crunch Salad
Other chicken recipes you might like
- Oven Rotisserie Chicken
- Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken and Potatoes
- Easy Balsamic Mushroom Chicken
- One Skillet Creamy Chicken Lazone
- One Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
Soul-Warming Lemon Garlic Braised Chicken
Ingredients
- 3-3½ pounds chicken pieces legs, thighs, or breasts bone-in + skin-on
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup low sodium chicken stock
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- Pinch of red pepper flakes optional
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 25 whole cloves garlic
- ¼ cup non-pareil capers drained
- 3 tablespoons cold butter cubed into 12 pieces
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- SEASON: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and ideally, 10-24 hours.
- PREP: When you’re ready to make the dish, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, wipe dry with a paper towel.
- SEAR: Add the olive oil to a large braiser or any stove/oven-safe wide pan over medium heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, if it doesn’t fit, do this in batches. Cook the chicken for roughly 10 minutes skin side down or until the fat is rendered from the skin, and it turns golden brown. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes just to sear. Remove chicken to a plate.
- BRAISE: Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan. Cook the garlic cloves for 1 minute, stirring as needed, don't let them burn. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock. Season with dried oregano, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Add chicken pieces back to the braiser (skin side up.) Place the dish in the oven and allow the chicken to cook, covered for 20-30 minutes or until brown and the thickest part of the chicken registers 165ºF with a meat thermometer.
- MAKE SAUCE: Place the braiser back on the stove over low heat and remove the chicken pieces. Add the capers. With the heat on the lowest setting, add a tablespoon of butter (4 small cubes) and slowly stir the sauce so that the butter gently melts in. When the first tablespoon is incorporated, repeat with the second and third tablespoon. The sauce should thicken to drizzle over the chicken when serving.
- SERVE: Taste and adjust with salt as needed; if you used salted butter, you shouldn’t need to season it at all. Add the chicken back to the pan (or you can place the chicken on a serving dish and drizzle the sauce around the chicken.) Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve over rice or with toasted bread.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
I love this dish! I’ve made it before with slight variations, but liked this the best. My only add was a small fennel bulb chopped up and one shallot. It’s a great dish for a large crowd as it can be made ahead and reheated to serve.
Do you put a lid on the skillet while it braises in the over??? or leave it uncovered??
Hi Brad! Yes, directions state to braise covered for 20-30 minutes in the oven. Hope you enjoy this!
This recipe is fantastic. I tried it tonight and it was delicious. Technique is spot on and flavors were terrific. I can recommend putting thyme sprigs and Meyer lemon zest under the chicken skin in addition to the salt for the dry brine. I also recommend allowing the chicken to rest in the covered cooking vessel for 10-15 minutes after coming out of the oven to increase the tenderness of the chicken thighs.
Second time I’m making this and it’s absolutely delicious. I floured the chicken and added onions to the garlic, otherwise made it exactly as stated. Thank you for the recipe!
So happy to hear you’ve enjoyed this Christine! Appreciate you circling back to re-make and leave a review!
It was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!
Hi Sonia! I am so happy to hear you tried it and enjoyed it! Appreciate you circling back to leave a review 🙂
This sounds scrumptious! HUGE fan of capers. I’m curious if, for this recipe and other braises, instead of the middle section in the oven, could it all be done on the stovetop? It’s hovering around 80F already where I live so I’m trying to use the oven as little as possible!
Hi Jenny! Yes, you can also braise this recipe on the stove on low heat. I haven’t tested the recipe stove-top yet, but I’d think you’d need to probably let it cook slightly longer than the cooking time listed. I suggest just checking the chicken to make sure it cooks through to 165ºF. Hope you enjoyed it to the fullest!