Preparation

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels; set aside. Cut lemon in half lengthwise, then into thirds crosswise; discard seeds. Finely grate 4 garlic cloves on a Microplane grater.
• Arrange lemon slices, grated garlic, remaining 12 garlic cloves, and half of thyme sprigs in a single layer in a 9- x 13-inch baking dish; toss briefly to disperse the grated garlic.
• Place chicken thighs over lemon mixture, skin side up, in a single layer. Drizzle chicken thighs with olive oil and season evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper.
• Bake until chicken skin is a deep golden brown and a thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165°F, about 1 hour. Transfer chicken to a serving platter, reserving lemon mixture in the baking dish.
• Remove lemon pieces from baking dish and discard. Pour remaining drippings, including garlic cloves and thyme sprigs, into a blender. Secure lid on blender and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening.
• Process until smooth, about 30 to 40 seconds. Add honey and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to sauce mixture and stir to combine, adding more salt or honey as desired.
• Remove thyme leaves from remaining sprigs and sprinkle evenly over chicken thighs. Serve thighs with sauce and additional lemon wedges, if desired.