These one pan Lemon Sage Chicken Thighs are a quick, healthy dish you’ll want to make over and over again. A zesty lemon sage marinade makes for a tender and juicy baked chicken! The olives and onions give it a boost of nutrition and flavor!
Sometimes it’s nice to shake things up (especially when it comes to chicken) and experiment with fresh, seasonal ingredients. I’m totally that person. I love playing around in the kitchen until something just clicks.
This chicken recipe is one of those happy experiments that turned into a go-to classic. It’s been around for a while, but I keep coming back to it because the marinade is truly one of my favorites. Think bright lemon + earthy sage—the spring combo you didn’t know you needed. We’ve used it on everything from pasta to fish, and now I’m bringing it back to life in this baked chicken and lemon recipe just for you!
Prep Tips Before You Begin
- Marinate ahead of time for more flavor: For a deeper flavor, let the chicken marinate in the lemon sage sauce for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours in the fridge. This helps tenderize the chicken and infuses it with citrusy, herby goodness.
- Fresh vs. ground sage: Fresh sage gives a more vibrant, earthy flavor. However, if you’re using ground sage, start with ½ teaspoon. It’s more concentrated. So, you won’t need as much!
- Don’t skip the lemon zest: It really adds that pop of brightness and ties the whole dish together. If you’re using Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of honey balances the acidity.
- Double the marinade and reserve some for basting the chicken or save it to use on fish or lemony pasta.
- Make it sheet pan-style: You can sear the chicken first for added depth, then bake everything together on a sheet pan for easy cleanup. Perfect for meal prep or weeknights!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions to make this sage chicken recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details, including the prep time, total time, calories, protein, fiber, cholesterol, etc.
For the Marinade
- Fresh Sage Leaves – I use two tablespoons of fresh sage for the marinade, but you can substitute ½ teaspoon of ground sage, if preferred.
- Lemon Juice and Zest – The acidity helps tenderize the chicken and adds a bright, citrusy taste. The lemon zest is technically optional, but I highly recommend it for extra brightness!
- Garlic – For the best flavor, use whole garlic cloves and mince them yourself.
- Seasonings – Onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika create a savory taste with lots of depth and just a hint of spice. Replace the onion powder with ¼ cup of chopped onion, if preferred.
Note: If you’re using fresh onion instead of onion powder in the marinade, lightly sauté it first before blending. This helps mellow the sharp bite. You can also increase the olive oil to ½ cup to smooth out the texture and balance any bitterness.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – I don’t recommend substituting any other oil for the marinade.
- Mustard – Mustard helps bind oil and water together and keeps everything smooth and creamy instead of separating. TIP– Use Dijon mustard or honey mustard to add a sweet, tangy taste. If using Dijon mustard, add about a teaspoon of honey, too.
For the Pan
- Chicken – I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicer and have more flavor. However, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead. If you prefer bone-in chicken, keep a close eye on the cooking time, and adjust as needed.
Note: If using chicken breasts, pound the meat to an even thickness to ensure consistent cooking.
- Olives – Pitted green olives add a briny, salty taste along with a boost of healthy omega fats.
- Yellow Onion – Contributes to the savory, pungent flavor and adds a hint of sweetness.
- Lemon – Use fresh lemon juice to add brightness and tie the flavor of the marinade in with the rest of the dish.
- Salt and Pepper
- Naturally Refined Oil – Refined oils have higher smoke points, which makes them safer and more stable for high-heat cooking (like searing). Both light olive oil or avocado oil will work for searing the chicken.
How to Make Lemon Sage Chicken Thighs
- Prepare the lemon sage marinade. Add the sage, lemon juice, lemon zest, onion, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and mustard to a blender and pulse until combined. With the blender running on low, drizzle in the olive oil, creating a smooth consistency. Reserve about two tablespoons of the marinade for basting.
Alternative Method: If you don’t have a blender or food processor, whisk the marinade ingredients in a bowl and substitute onion powder for the fresh onion.
- Marinate the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with a clean paper towel. Then, place it in a large bowl, pour the marinade on top, and toss to combine and coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Pro-Tip: If using chicken breasts, marinate them for at least an hour to ensure they absorb the flavor and stay tender once cooked.
- Sear. Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the sliced onions and chicken thighs and sear until golden brown. Flip the chicken, and base with the reserved marinade. Then, continue to cook.
- Combine. Scatter the olives around the chicken and place the lemon slices on top of each piece of chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pro-Tip: For a crispier skin, place the pan on the top rack, and broil to lightly char the lemons and create a golden crust. Be careful not to burn!
- Rest. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.This allows the natural juices to redistribute, keeping the chicken tender and juicy.
- Serve. Garnish with chopped parsley, and enjoy!
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Chicken Recipes
Common Questions
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes, this chicken dish freezes well! Once cool, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth or water to keep it juicy. Or, reheat in a 350ºF oven for about 10–15 minutes until heated through.
Serve this lemon sage chicken over rice, cauliflower rice, or gluten-free pasta. Or, pair it with oven roasted potatoes or dairy-free mashed potatoes. Then, add a veggie side like air fryer asparagus, air fryer green beans, or a massaged kale salad.
Lemon Sage Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4–5 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Prepare these easy lemon sage chicken thighs with onions and olives in a single skillet for a quick, light, and savory weeknight meal!
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage (or ½ teaspoon ground sage)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder or ¼ cup chopped onion (see notes)
- ⅓ cup olive oil (increase to ½ cup if blending with fresh onion)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard or honey mustard (if using Dijon, add 1 teaspoon honey)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, but recommended for extra brightness)
For the Pan
- 1 ½ lbs skinless chicken thighs (see notes for chicken breast adjustments)
- ½ cup pitted green olives
- ¼ cup sliced yellow onion
- Lemon slices for topping
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil for searing
Instructions
Prepare Lemon Sage Sauce (Marinade)
- In a blender or food processor, combine sage, lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), onion, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and mustard. Blend until combined.
- With the blender running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the marinade is creamy and smooth.
- Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade for basting (be sure to set this portion aside BEFORE adding the raw chicken).
For the Chicken
- Pat the chicken thighs extra dry with a paper towel to ensure a better sear.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl or casserole dish and pour the marinade over it, tossing to coat evenly. Alternatively, you can marinate the chicken in a resealable plastic bag.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours for best flavor. If using chicken breasts, marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the sliced onions and chicken thighs to the skillet, searing for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
- Flip the chicken, baste with the reserved marinade, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Scatter the olives around the chicken and place lemon slices on top of each piece. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Check the temperature at 20 minutes to gauge progress.
- For thicker chicken breasts, you may need to bake for 30-35 minutes.
- For a crispier finish, place the pan on the top rack and broil for 2-3 minutes to lightly char the lemons and create a golden crust.
- Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with optional chopped parsley
- Store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Alternative Method – If you don’t have a blender or food processor, whisk the marinade ingredients in a bowl and substitute onion powder for the fresh onion.
Marinade Tips – If you’re using fresh onion instead of onion powder in the marinade, lightly sauté it first before blending. This helps mellow the sharp bite. You can also increase the olive oil to ½ cup to smooth out the texture and balance any bitterness.
Substitute Tips – I recommend using chicken thighs for their juiciness and the light marinade complements their higher fat content. However, if using chicken breast, pound the meat to an even thickness to ensure consistent cooking.
Cooking Tips – For a deeper sear, ensure the chicken is thoroughly dry before adding it to the pan. You can then baste the chicken reserved marinade if needed.
Storage Tips – This dish freezes well! Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. To reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth or water to keep it juicy, or reheat in a 350ºF oven for about 10–15 minutes until heated through.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Rest Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top, Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 300.8 mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 2.5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Made exactly as written except with skin-on, bone-in thighs, which I marinated for just over 30 hours. I naturally had to bake it a bit longer, and was surprised how crispy the skin turned out, which is rare with a long marinating time. I had an unexpectedly large crop of sage, which I have heretofore have only used with pork, so was pleased to use it with chicken. Holy cow, it was amazingly delightful. Thank you so much, can’t wait to make it again.
Oh, I haven’t tried it with skin-on chicken thighs yet — glad to hear it turned out so well! I’ll have to test your longer marinade time next time I make it. Thanks so much for the feedback!
This chicken was easy to make and delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for feedback Maria!
Hi! This looks great. Would you use boneless or bone-in chicken?
I think I used boneless for this recipe. Either way, I think boneless works best! And you get more meat. 😉
I was wondering if I could make this marinade ahead of time and freeze for future use. I have a ton of fresh sage from the garden and this recipe sound wonderful
I don’t see why not! Great idea!
Wow this was so good, I’ve literally never left a review in my entire life but I had to. Tysm!! Will be making again for my bf’s whole family, they’ll definitely be impressed.
I’m so glad! Thanks for feedback Kris!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! The recipe is very easy to follow and I love how little clean up there was after cooking.
I doubled the marinade quantities and used whole grain Dijon, fresh sage from the garden, and lots of lemon and garlic. Instead of olives, I used capers. The result was warm yet tangy, and reminded me a little of chicken piccata.
I paired the chicken with some roasted squash and home made eggless Caesar salad, with lots of lemon and capers. Can you tell I love lemon and capers??
Beautiful, flavourful, easy dinner that everyone loved! Thanks, will be making again! *Chefs kiss*
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it Nicole. That sauce is a favorite here too. Thanks for the feedback ❤️
I made this recipe last night. It turned out so amazingly well! My husband and I were very impressed by the combinations of flavours.
Will make again and will marinate for a longer period of time. Excellent recipe!!
Wonderful! Thanks for the feedback Jan! Keep me posted on when you make it again. 🙂
How much lemon zest? Says it’s in marinade but it’s not in recipe. Thanks
It’s optional. about 1 tsp. I added that back into recipe notes. Hope that helps! 🙂
Why would you preheat the oven (step #1) before you marinate the chicken for up to two hours (step #5)?
Sorry, that is only if you skip marinating. That is mistyped. Thank you for informing me!
Lovely recipe for a nice change, the olives and basil make it. Will certainly make again. Thank you
Wonderful! So glad. Thanks Jo!
You’re welcome! Thanks for letting me know!
Delicious. Used skinfree chicken thighs and baked with carrots and onions instead of olives. Used extra marinade and chicken stock to make pan gravy. Served with steamed peas and beans. Thanks for recipe will be one of my regular monthlies now. Will try your other recipes also. Cheers
Thanks so much, Paul! So glad you loved it and that it will be on your rotation!
The marinade barely made enough to coat the chicken. I would double it to actually cover and have enough juice to cook any veggies you add.
Oh no, really? Did you use larger chicken thighs? You can totally double it if needed. I’ll make sure to add that in the recipe notes!
THanks!
6 small ones. 1.8lbs… it didn’t turn out very flavorful so I’m not sure what happened.
Hi Lindsay – by grated lemon, do you mean to zest the peel, or do you mean to literally grate a bit of the fruit?
Shanna
either really! I just grated the lemon peel to create a zest on top. Does that make sense?
This was delicious! Used some chicken breast tenderloins and bought a few fancy-pants from the grocery store olive bat. Even using breast meat, the chicken was tender and the entire dish was full of flavor. Thanks, Lindsay!
Oh I love it! Thanks for feedback Shanna!
Do u remove chicken from marinade before cooking- which is what you do when marinade something. If you do how can you serve marinade with the cooked chicken if it had raw chicken sitting in it??
This is my question as well. Do you add the marinade in with the chicken to cook, or reserve some that you didn’t use to marinate raw chicken?
Thanks
Marinated first. Then reserve some do cooking. Does that make sense? Either way can’t go wrong ?
I would love to use the marinade in my dish because there wasn’t enough to cover the chicken breast and reserve. You say “either way, can’t go wrong” so I am pouring some of the marinade on top to cook with the chicken and we will see how it turns out. Excited because it smells lovely!
Oh yaayy! Sounds perfect! Hope you enjoy!
Really simple recipe, came out great! I had to leave my chicken in a little longer because they were bone in chicken thighs.
Thanks for the feedback Fernanda!
The chicken is in the oven, and I’m sure it will be great, but the MARINADE! Oh my goodness, I am going to put this on everything! So sage-y and fragrant and awesome. Is there anything in the world that smells as good as lemon zest and sage?? Thank you so much!
Oh i know!! I love that marinade. It’s so good in pasta too!
I really enjoyed this recipe. I did make a few changes like omitting the olives and salt (a family member has kidney disease so I have to limit sodium). I also used lemon sage from my herb garden and a bit more lemon juice (because I love lemons).
I’d been looking for a recipe that I could use my lemon sage in and this one is a keeper. Thank you
I LOVE the extra lemon…lemon is the best! I’m glad it was a hit for you, thanks for the feedback:)
This turned out great. I like the olives. I used skinless chicken thighs. I served it with corn on the cob and green beans, and the corn was good dipped in the sauce. I will be making this again.
Oh yay! And I’m so glad you added the extra veggies! Sounds perfect bill ?
I’m sorry you feel that way Todd. I enjoy what I do and was conveying that message to my readers. It’s a simple recipe that many of them have made and enjoy. I respect your opinion but please do it tactfully.
Hi! Thanks for sharing.
Hi! Thanks for sharing. Tastes and smells delicious, however, it took about 45 minutes to reach 160 degrees internal temp.
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Such a perfect weeknight dinner!
What a stunning gorgeous dish, and the ingredients sound amazing!
I’m totally in love with this meal! Bright, colorful, and tasty!
May dis Valentine bless uz wid da cupid of love & warmth of romance.
Happy Valentines Day my dear!
Ryoma.
Thank you so much friend!
I have a mild obsession with olives, so gimme!!
Me too friend, me too!
This looks so incredible and tasty! I so love the addition of the green olives! what a great recipe 🙂
Thanks Albert! Definitely a must make dish!
This reminds me of the bean recipe you did, which we LOVED. Pinning to try… I actually pinned it to my new board “Recipes I’m Actually Going to Make.” Not kidding. 🙂
Which bean dip? Haha now I am curious! p.s send me your new address! Do you have one yet?
I’m always down for a one pan meal! This looks SO flavorful!
My kinda ingredients in here!! I love a good lemon chicken recipe.
me too friend!
This looks fantastic! I can’t wait to make it! 🙂
I’m loving the flavors of this dish Lindsay! On my list!
What a delicious dinner any night of the week!