Lemon chicken is a simple baked chicken dish with added flavorful ingredients that make it delicious while keeping it healthy. This recipe is quick and perfect for busy weeknights or weekend meal-prep.
Lemon chicken breasts are versatile, making them a great option for various meals. You can use them in salads for a quick and healthy lunch or slice them for tasty sandwiches at dinner. Prepare a batch in advance, and you’ll have a convenient and nutritious base for many meals!
The Ultimate Lemon Chicken Recipe with Amazing Flavors!
Good news: Skinless, boneless chicken breast is super healthy and packed with protein. The challenge? It can be a bit bland. But fear not! Our lemon chicken recipe turns this healthy base into a flavor-packed delight. Here’s how we do it:
- Lemon Power: We go all out with lemony goodness! We use lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and slices of whole lemon to give our chicken a powerful citrus kick.
- Double Garlic: This could almost be called lemon garlic chicken. We use both fresh garlic cloves and garlic powder to enhance the flavor.
- Herb Explosion: We add a burst of fragrance and flavor with a variety of dried herbs you likely already have in your pantry.
Enjoy the best lemon chicken ever, bursting with bold and bright flavors! If you’re a lemon lover, check out our Lemon Butter Chicken too.
Easy Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe
Our simple lemon chicken recipe is not only delicious but also quick and healthy. The secret is to keep the chicken moist and avoid overcooking.
- Prepare the lemon chicken coating: Instead of marinating, we make a thick herb paste with olive oil, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Coat the chicken breasts with this mixture.
- Create the lemon chicken sauce: Mix white wine, fresh garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. This will be used as the sauce for baking and basting the chicken. The flavors will infuse into the chicken without the need for actual marination.
- Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Now, it’s ready to enjoy!
Tools you need:
- 9×13 baking dish (not a baking sheet, as we need space for the tasty lemon chicken sauce)
- Microplane grater
- Citrus juicer
- Meat thermometer
Lemon Chicken
Our simple lemon chicken recipe is full of bright lemon flavor. With garlic, herbs, and a splash of white wine, these chicken breasts are both tasty and good for you.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (about 2 ½ lbs)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1½ tsp each oregano, thyme, garlic powder
- 1½ tsp kosher salt (divided)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp minced garlic (6 cloves)
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 lemon, sliced (optional)
- Optional: Minced parsley for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (center rack).
- Pat chicken dry, place in a 9×13-inch dish.
- In a bowl, mix olive oil, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. Coat chicken.
- In the same bowl, combine wine, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, brown sugar, and remaining ½ tsp salt. Pour over chicken, add lemon slices if using.
- Bake 15 mins, baste with juices, then bake another 15 mins or until chicken hits 165°F internally.
- Serve family-style, sprinkle with optional parsley.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Dinner
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 237 kcal
