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Lemon chicken: 3 creator recipes compared

Every one is built on chicken, lemon and garlic. Some add egg white or salt and black pepper.

Start with Lucy Rosenberg’s versionSee all 3 side by side

Times are estimated preparation and cooking; chilling or resting is extra. Updated 10 November 2026.

Lemon Crispy Chicken with Herby Orzo, Romesco & Candied Hazelnut Gremolata by Lucy Rosenberg, a frame from the Instagram video

Make this one first.

We put the most-saved version first: Lucy Rosenberg’s. A citrus‑bright chicken thigh with ultra‑crispy skin, served over buttery herb‑infused orzo, topped with smoky Romesco sauce and a sweet‑spicy candied hazelnut gremolata. The dish feels indulgent yet stays budget‑friendly.

Lemon Crispy Chicken with Herby Orzo, Romesco & Candied Hazelnut Gremolata from Lucy Rosenberg’s Instagram video

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Lemon Crispy Chicken with Herby Orzo, Romesco & Candied Hazelnut Gremolata

Recipe from Lucy Rosenberg, from their Instagram videoWritten down by ReelsMeals from the caption and voiceover.

  • 50 min
  • Serves 1
  • 23 ingredients
  • Oven

The only one of the 3 with oregano, smoked paprika, shallot and orzo.

Ingredients

  • 1 piecechicken thigh
  • 1 tbsporegano
  • to tastepepper

Romesco

  • 3 piecesred capsicum
  • 1 clovegarlic
  • 1/3 cuphazelnuts
  • 1/4 cupbreadcrumbs
  • 1 1/2 tbspred wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tspsmoked paprika
  • 4 1/2 tbspolive oil
  • to tastesalt
  • to tasteblack pepper

Candied Hazelnut Gremolata

  • 1/2 cuphazelnuts
  • 1 1/2 tbsphoney
  • pinchsalt
  • 1/4 tspchilli flakes
  • 1 tspwhite sugar
  • 1/2 cupflat‑leaf parsley
  • 2 tbspchives
  • 1 wholelemon
  • 1 clovegarlic
  • 1 1/2 tbspolive oil

Herby Orzo

  • 1 pieceshallot
  • 3/4 cuporzo
  • 1 1/2 cupschicken stock
  • 1/2 cupparsley
  • 1/2 cupchives
  • 1/3 cupparmesan
  • 1/2 wholelemon
  • drizzleolive oil

How it goes

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) for the Romesco and gremolata steps.

  2. Prepare the Romesco: char the capsicums, steam, peel, then blend with garlic, toasted hazelnuts, breadcrumbs, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, olive oil, salt and pepper until smooth. Set aside.

  3. Make the candied hazelnut gremolata: roast hazelnuts, coat with honey, chilli flakes, sugar and a pinch of salt, cool, crush, then mix with parsley, chives, lemon zest, grated garlic, olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Reserve.

  4. Cook the herby orzo: sauté shallot, toast orzo, gradually add stock, finish with parmesan, lemon zest, herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. Keep warm.

  5. Marinate the chicken: in a bowl combine the chicken thigh with lemon zest and juice, grated garlic, dried oregano, smoked paprika, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper; let rest 5 minutes.

  6. Place a cold, non‑stick skillet on the stovetop, add the marinated chicken skin‑side down, and turn the heat to medium‑low; cook slowly until the fat renders and the skin turns deep golden and crisp, about 8‑10 minutes.

Then 4 more steps in the full recipe.

Open the full recipe

All 3, side by side.

From each creator’s recipe as we saved it. Time is the estimated preparation and cooking time; chilling is extra where they say so. Ingredient counts include everything on the list.

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10 min or less · 7 or fewer11 to 29 min · 8 or 930 min or more · 10 or more

3 lemon chicken recipes compared by estimated time, servings, ingredients, method and what only that version uses. Lucy Rosenberg’s, the one to make first, is highlighted.
VersionTime (est.)ServesIngredientsMethodOnly this one uses
Lemon Crispy Chicken with Herby Orzo, Romesco & Candied Hazelnut GremolataLucy Rosenberg · make this one first50 min123Oven, Blenderoregano, smoked paprika, shallot and orzo
Double Lemon ChickenNYT Cooking1 hr 15 min416Simmered, Blenderegg white, soy sauce, cornstarch and lemon slices
Juiciest Lemon ChickenChef Nourico35 min49Pan-fried, Simmeredsalt and black pepper

What they share.

  • All 3use chicken.
  • All 3use lemon.
  • All 3use garlic.
  • 2 of 3use olive oil. NYT Cooking’s version leaves it out.
  • 2 of 3use chicken stock. NYT Cooking’s version leaves it out.
  • 2 of 3use parsley. NYT Cooking’s version leaves it out.

Counted from each version’s ingredient list. Salt, pepper, oil and water are left out, and names are matched loosely, so chicken thighs and chicken legs both count as chicken.

Where they differ.

  • How they cook it

    Only Lucy Rosenberg uses the oven. Lucy Rosenberg and NYT Cooking use a blender; Chef Nourico doesn't. NYT Cooking and Chef Nourico simmer, poach or braise; Lucy Rosenberg doesn't. Only Chef Nourico pan-fries or sears.

  • Something only one of them uses

    Lucy Rosenberg is the only one to use oregano, smoked paprika, shallot and orzo. NYT Cooking is the only one to use egg white, soy sauce, cornstarch and lemon slices. Chef Nourico is the only one to use salt and black pepper.

  • Time and list length

    Chef Nourico takes the least time (35 min); NYT Cooking the most (1 hr 15 min). Chef Nourico uses the shortest ingredient list (9); Lucy Rosenberg the longest (23).

All 3, with their videos.

Each one opens as a full recipe with the creator credited and the original video linked.

How this comparison works.

Every recipe here comes from a creator’s own video. ReelsMeals writes it down from the caption and the voiceover, and publishes it with the creator named and the original linked. When three or more versions of a dish from at least two creators are saved, the dish gets a page like this one. Reposts and the same video saved twice count once.

Times and servings come from the saved recipe cards and may be estimated. Ingredient names are matched loosely, so chicken thighs and chicken legs both count as chicken. We don’t rank them by taste: the version shown first is the one ReelsMeals cooks have saved most. Last updated 10 November 2026.

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