This baked lemon butter chicken features a silky rich garlic butter, herbs, and a vibrant lemon flavor that you just can't beat! Enjoy with a side of potatoes or a green veggie to make it a complete meal.
½cupfreshly squeezed lemon juicefrom about 4 lemons
¼cupunsalted buttermelted (½ stick)
1tablespoonlemon zestfrom 1 lemon
1tablespoonminced garlic
1tablespoondried oregano
1teaspoondried thyme
½teaspoonkosher salt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
½lemoncut into thin slices
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Place the raw chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
In a medium bowl, stir the lemon juice, melted butter, lemon zest, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and pepper together until mixed well. The butter may start to harden a little bit when the lemon juice is added, and that’s okay. Just use a fork to crumble the butter and break it up a bit.
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Spread the butter mixture evenly over the raw chicken breasts.
Place the lemon slices in the baking dish (in the sauce under the chicken breasts).
½ lemon
Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes.
Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the oven and serve hot.
Notes
If using smaller breasts, bake for less time.
If using chicken thighs, bake for a bit longer.
Do not use bottled lemon juice in this recipe; it just won't taste right!
Chicken is done once the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the meat. Watch that the chicken isn’t overcooked or it will dry out. Always check the temperature of the thickest chicken breast first by inserting the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.
Storage: Store baked lemon butter chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.