Lemon Chicken

Lemon Chicken is a medium French recipe that serves 4. 350 calories per serving. Recipe by Papa en Cuisine on YouTube.

Prep: 20 min | Cook: 1 hr 20 min | Total: 1 hr 55 min

Cost: $14.80 total, $3.70 per serving

Ingredients

  • 4 cuisses Free-range chicken thighs (with skin and bone)
  • 1/2 bouquet Fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 1/2 bouquet Fresh cilantro (chopped)
  • 10 unités Pitted olives (black or green)
  • 8 gousses Garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 6 échalotes Shallots (chopped)
  • 1 citron Lemon (quartered, 1/4 used in the marinade, the rest reserved)
  • 1 cube Chicken broth cube (dissolved in 250 ml hot water)
  • 1 pincée Saffron (precious, gives color and aroma)
  • 2 c. à café Spice blend (ginger, cumin, etc.) (see video description)
  • 120 ml Olive oil (about half a glass)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Marinade Base

    Pour 120 ml olive oil into the pot, add the spice blend, saffron, chopped parsley and cilantro, then the quarter of lemon. Mix quickly.

    Time: PT5M

  2. Coat the chicken thighs

    Place the 4 chicken thighs in the pot and massage them with the marinade to fully coat.

    Time: PT5M

  3. Marinate Rest

    Cover the pot and let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

    Time: PT1H

  4. Prepare the aromatics

    Finely chop the 6 shallots, mince the 8 garlic cloves, dissolve the broth cube in 250 ml hot water.

    Time: PT10M

  5. Brown the chicken

    Heat the pot over high heat, add the thighs and brown them for 5 minutes, turning once.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: feu vif

  6. Deglaze and add the aromatics

    Pour a little hot broth to deglaze, add the chopped shallots, minced garlic and the remaining broth.

    Time: PT5M

  7. Gentle cooking

    Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and let simmer for 1 hour.

    Time: PT1H

    Temperature: feu doux

  8. Add the olives and remaining lemon

    15 minutes before the end, stir in the olives and the remaining 3 lemon wedges.

    Time: PT5M

  9. Finishing and seasoning

    Allow the chicken to finish cooking, taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

    Time: PT5M

  10. Serving

    Serve the lemon chicken with couscous, rice or pasta according to your preference.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
350
Protein
30 g
Carbohydrates
5 g
Fat
20 g
Fiber
1 g

Dietary info: high-protein, low-carb, gluten-free chicken if broth is gluten-free, keto-friendly, low-calorie

Allergens: gluten (broth cube), sulfites (olives)

Last updated: April 7, 2026

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Lemon Chicken

Recipe by Papa en Cuisine

A free-range chicken marinated with fresh herbs, lemon, saffron and a blend of spices, gently simmered until tender. Served with olives and lemon wedges, perfect for a Sunday family meal.

MediumFrenchServes 4

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Source Video
1h 40m
Prep
1h 5m
Cook
20m
Cleanup
3h 5m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$14.80
Total cost
$3.70
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Marinate for at least 1 hour for flavors to penetrate
  • Brown the chicken without burning
  • Deglaze properly to capture the fond
  • Gentle cooking for 1 hour to tenderize the meat
  • Add olives and lemon at the end of cooking to preserve their freshness

Safety Warnings

  • Watch out for hot oil splatters when browning the chicken.
  • Handle the hot pot with gloves or a pot holder.
  • Use a sharp knife to avoid cuts.

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