Ina Garten's Creamy Lemon Chicken Thighs Are Everything We Want to Eat Right Now

Welcome to false spring—that awkward stretch when  winter lingers but the weather is showing off a bit of the warmth that is soon to come. There's still time to savor seared meats and cozy, slow-cooked meals before summer takes over with its  chilled salads and  barbecue fare . So I'm leaning into this seasonal limbo by making every comforting dish I can find, and Ina Garten's  Creamy Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Thyme has quickly become my new favorite. 

Dubbed a "weeknight obsession" by home cooks on social media and praised across cooking blogs, this recipe from  Ina Garten 's 2022 Go-To Dinners  cookbook is a perfect bridge between seasons. It's hearty, comforting yet it feels bright thanks in part to the lemon and thyme. It's got all the good stuff that a chicken dish needs: crispy chicken thighs nestled in a sauce made of onions, leeks and crème fraîche. When spooned over grains to soak up that luscious, lemony sauce, it feels like a little weeknight luxury.

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Ingredients for Ina Garten's Creamy Chicken Thighs With Lemon

To make this, you'll need bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs plus some good olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. The base of the sauce comes together with unsalted butter, chopped yellow onion, chopped leeks (white and light green parts only), minced garlic, chicken stock, dry white wine (I used a cheap Pinot Grigio from Trader Joe's) and crème fraîche. You'll also need freshly squeezed lemon juice, thinly sliced lemon and fresh thyme.

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How to Make Ina Garten's Creamy Chicken Thighs With Lemon

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place chicken thighs, skin side up, on a sheet pan, pat dry, rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast for 30-40 minutes until golden and cooked through. In an oven-proof sauté pan, heat butter and olive oil, then sauté chopped onions and leeks for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Pour in chicken stock and white wine, simmer for 5 minutes, then whisk in crème fraîche, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Nestle the roasted chicken into the sauce, tuck lemon slices and thyme sprigs around it, and roast uncovered for another 15 minutes. Serve hot over rice, couscous, or your favorite grain.

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My Honest Thoughts About Ina Garten's Creamy Chicken Thighs With Lemon

Hear me out: This is one of the best chicken dishes I have ever had, no exaggeration. Not only do I love anything and everything Ina, but I have a serious love affair with leeks—when they cook down, they become this soft, velvety, almost sweet base that makes the chicken dish taste a little more elevated. The lemon and thyme add the perfect touch of brightness, while a dollop of crème fraîche and white wine create this ultra-sleek sauce that clings to every bite of the chicken. 

I chose pearled couscous as a base and it became this luscious, lemony, thyme-infused foundation for the tender, juicy chicken thighs. I couldn't have dreamed of a better dinner than this. I will surely be making this over and over again. 

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Tips for Making Ina Garten's Creamy Chicken Thighs With Lemon

1. Play with your herbs. When I nestled in the thyme before roasting, they crisped up and didn't add much flavor to the dish. Tossing in some springs right before serving worked better in my opinion. 

2. Substitutions are welcome. Others online suggest swapping out crème fraîche for sour cream or rotisserie chicken for the chicken thighs.

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