Marinated Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken is one of the BEST ways to cook Baked Chicken! This Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe is so juicy, tender, and perfect! We have all the tips for how to bake chicken, and this special Marinade Recipe can’t be beat!
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Marinated Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe
It’s time to say hello Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe and goodbye boring old dinner recipes!
This easy baked chicken recipe is about to spice up your life in the best way possible! Covered in a drool-worthy homemade Balsamic Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade, and baked to the perfect temperature in the oven, this recipe is a no brainer for when you’re looking for that perfect meal.
A few ingredients and some simple steps are all it takes to have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. You really won’t believe how easy it is, until you try it for yourself, so let’s get started!
How To Perfectly Cook Baked Chicken
Ever wonder how restaurants always have that perfectly juicy and tender chicken? Well, I’m about to spill the beans on a few secrets to getting that restaurant quality baked chicken breast at home.
- Tenderize the meat: Take a mallet or a meat tenderizer and give the chicken a few wacks. This will level out the meat making it cook evenly, eliminating the risk of some parts cooking faster than others.
- Don’t forget the marinade: The Balsamic Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade is essential for this recipe! It gives the chicken an intense burst of flavor, you won’t get with just a quick pre-bake seasoning.
- Use a meat thermometer: A lot of ovens aren’t 100% accurate which can lead to under or over baking the chicken. To know you are baking to just the right temperature, I highly suggest a meat thermometer. It really makes all the difference.
How Long Does Marinated Chicken Keep?
If stored properly in an airtight container or a zip-top bag, any baked chicken can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Any longer than that and you will start to run the risk of the meat going bad.
If you plan to store leftovers in the freezer, the chicken will keep without going bad for up to 9 months. Just make sure the chicken is properly packaged. If you’re not sure how to properly freeze chicken, just out this helpful article on the best way to freeze meat.
The Best Way To Serve Lemon Pepper Baked Chicken
The perks of having a recipe this simple is that you have so much more time to prepare a bunch of other amazing things to go along with it! whether you’re just serving up a weeknight meal, or entertaining a few of your closest friends, there’s plenty of ways to make this lemon pepper chicken recipe into a full meal.
Here’s what I would serve around this baked lemon pepper chicken to make it into a full meal or dinner party spread.
Pre Dinner Drinks: Sweet Tea Sangria
Appetizer: Bacon and Cream Cheese Crescent
Side Dish: Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
Salad: Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Dessert: Coconut Fudge Pie
This Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe is Perfect For Meal Prepping!
I know, we’re all busy people, so sometimes It’s hard to make a home-cooked meal every single night. I won’t lie, I’ve been known to take the easy route every now and then. That’s why I love to meal prep every so often, to take some of the load off the rest of the week.
This recipe is perfect for meal prepping because it goes with almost anything!
To meal prep, make enough servings to least you 4-5 days, so a single batch for 1 person, or a double batch for 2 people, and so on. Then just separate the prepared chicken into single serving containers. Now you can easily just get home, grab your chicken and add a throw together a few sides and you have dinner in no time.
What To Do With Baked Chicken Leftovers
If you’re meal prepping, or just happen to have a lot of leftovers, you might not want to eat the same exact meal every single night of the week. Here are a few of my favorite ways to make leftover chicken into a whole new meal
- Slice it up and add it to your favorite salad
- Shred it for the perfect personal pizza topper (tip: use a tortilla to make personal pizzas in the oven)
- Dice it and roll it into a wrap with some lettuce, cheese and any of your other topping of choice
- Throw it into your white chili or soup to add a little pizazz to your comfort food.
Love This Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken? Then You HAVE TO Check Out These!
If you’re obsessed with easy chicken recipes, like I am, then you’ve come to the right place! You won’t want to miss out on even more amazingly simple and delicious recipes to add to your weekly dinner menu. Here are the top five that I always have in rotation at my house.
Cheesy Chicken Prosciutto Recipe
Healthy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Prosciutto and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
Baked Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls
A Recipe Everyone Will Beg You For!
From the first time you make this lemon pepper chicken, everyone will be obsessed. The simple, yet bold flavors in this recipe will leave everyone wanting more and more. Forget about that boring old takeout tonight and make this instead! Trust me, you’ll be thanking me later.
I can’t wait to hear your thought on the recipe. Don’t forget to leave a comment below once you try it out.
Marinated Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Balsamic Lemon Pepper Chicken Marinade (click for recipe)
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to even thickness
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Prepare your marinade according to recipe instructions. Place in a bag and add all four chicken breasts. Place in the fridge to marinate for 30-60 minutes.
- When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 450F.
- Remove the chicken from the bag and add in a single layer to a 9x13 baking dish.
- Pour the melted butter over the four chicken breasts.
- Pour the rest of the marinade from the bag into the dish/over the chicken.
- Cook for 15-18 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked/white through and internal temp reaches at least 165F.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Sommer says
Turns out moist and tender every time I use this recipe!
Becky Hardin says
That makes me so happy!
Alli says
Lemon pepper chicken is my all time favorite so you know I had to try this and it did not disappoint!
Becky Hardin says
Makes me so happy!
Billy says
Simple and delicious, love it!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks Billy
Heather says
The marinade for this is sooo good! My family loves this chicken!
Becky Hardin says
Yay!
Liz says
This chicken looks incredible! And I love how easy it is! Thanks!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks Liz!
Christine Thomas says
Can’t click on the recipe for the marinade 🙁
Becky Hardin says
Hmm, Im not sure why that would be. It’s working on my end. I’m getting a couple more comments about that so I know you’re not alone in the problem. Does this link work? I’m working on figuring out the problem, my apologies! https://easychickenrecipes.com/balsamic-lemon-pepper-chicken-marinade/
Elizabeth says
Admittedly, I haven’t made this recipe yet, but why the boneless, skinless thing? Bone in chicken is so much juicier and more flavorful and I cannot contemplate chicken without a crispy skin.
Becky Hardin says
Hi! It’s just a personal preference, you can 100% make it with the bone-in/skin chicken. I would just sear both sides of the chicken before baking to get that crispy skin 🙂
Mike V says
How many batches of the marinade recipe do I need to make the 1 cup required for this dish?
Sewanee says
I cannot get the balsamic lemon pepper marinade to come up. Help
Becky Hardin says
Hmm, Im not sure why that would be. It’s working on my end. I’m getting a couple more comments about that so I know you’re not alone in the problem. Does this link work? I’m working on figuring out the problem, my apologies! https://easychickenrecipes.com/balsamic-lemon-pepper-chicken-marinade/
Donna says
Incredible!
Becky Hardin says
Makes me so happy!
Wan says
Hello, If i want to make this recipe with whole chicken ,what’s the ideal weight of raw chicken ?
Becky Hardin says
I highly recommend chicken breast, but definitely go on the smaller side.