Chicken with Lemon Sauce (Kotópoulo Lemonáto)

Two pieces of kotópoulo lemonáto — chicken thigh and drumstick — resting on pilafi rice with golden lemon sauce

Chicken with Lemon Sauce (Kotópoulo Lemonáto)

Tender chicken thighs simmered with garlic, wine, honey, mustard, and plenty of lemon create a bright, silky lemon sauce perfect for spooning over potatoes or fries.

Course Main

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Servings

Calories 869kcal

Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Ingredients

2.2 lb chicken thighs with drumstick, skin on (1 kg)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
¾ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon dried oregano finely chopped
1½ cups stock chicken or vegetable
1 tablespoon thyme honey
1 tablespoon mustard
2 lemons juiced
fresh thyme, a few sprigs plus extra leaves to serve
fresh rosemary 1–2 sprigs
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

To serve

pilafi rice
Greek-style fried potatoes
mashed potatoes
Crusty bread, for the sauce

Instructions

Season the chicken generously on all sides with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a wide pot or deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down in a single layer. Leave it undisturbed until the skin is deeply golden and releases easily from the pan. Flip and brown the other side. 8–10 min
2.2 lb chicken thighs with drumstick, skin on, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper
Remove the chicken to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and oregano to the same pot and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant. 2 min
5 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Pour in the white wine and let it bubble, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by half.
In a cup, stir together the stock, mustard, honey, and lemon juice. 2–3 min
¾ cup dry white wine, 1½ cups stock, 1 tablespoon thyme honey, 1 tablespoon mustard, 2 lemons
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in the stock mixture and tuck in the fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer gently, turning the chicken once halfway through, until very tender and the sauce has reduced but is not dry. Add a small splash of water only if the pan looks dry. 30–40 min
fresh thyme, , fresh rosemary
Remove from heat. Fish out and discard the herb sprigs. Let the dish rest uncovered — the sauce will thicken naturally as it sits. Taste and adjust for salt or lemon. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves. 10–15 min

Notes

Chicken thighs with the drumstick, skin on — the skin renders and crisps during browning and melts into the braise, giving the sauce its richness and body.
The mustard does not overpower — it binds the sauce and balances the lemon. Do not skip it.
Letting the dish rest off the heat naturally thickens the sauce. Do not rush this step.
Leftovers are even better — the lemon flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water if needed. Keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Nutrition