Easy Baked Lemon Chicken
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Got 30 minutes, a couple of lemons and some chicken breasts? Then this juicy (so moist!) and flavorful Baked Lemon Chicken should be your dinner tonight!
Looking for more simple chicken recipes? Some of my favorites are Mango Salsa Chicken, Healthy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, Grilled BBQ Chicken, and Sheet Pan Chicken Potatoes and Green Beans.
Why This Recipe Works
Easy, healthy weeknight dinner — This healthy baked lemon chicken always turns out well, from the first recipe test to the last time I made it (last night!)! It is juicy, tender, and savory with just the slightest hint of sweetness. Plus, it’s super simple to make. Serve it with pan-roasted garlic asparagus and some air fryer potatoes for an easy, well-rounded meal.
Simple ingredients — Not only is this baked lemon chicken easy to make, but the ingredients are also simple. You probably have them all on hand right now and if you don’t, a quick trip to any grocery store will yield the rest.
Easy to double — Should you find yourself feeding a crowd, this is the simplest chicken recipe to double (or even triple) to feed a crew.
Great for meal prepping — I love to cook once and eat for a few days. (Sometimes even those who cook for a living need a break from cooking.) This baked lemon chicken is a great one to make extra of and store for healthy meals throughout the week.
Ingredients
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts — These are the easiest cuts of chicken to marinate, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as well (see note below).
Butter — Unsalted butter is my go-to but you can also use salted if that’s what you have.
Chicken Broth — I typically choose low-sodium chicken broth because I like to adjust the salt later.
Fresh Lemon Juice — Fresh lemon juice is key here for a bright, tangy, lemony flavor to your chicken. But if you only have bottled, that will work.
Minced Garlic — Yes, the jarred stuff is fine! I use it all the time. But if you want to mince your own, then go for it.
Italian Seasoning — I buy Italian seasoning in a jar but you can also use the kind that comes in a packet or substitute Herbs de Provence.
Salt & Pepper — Use salt and pepper to your own taste. I used 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. But maybe you like more of one and less of another, totally up to you.
Here’s How You Make It
Are you ready to put together the easiest lemon chicken on the planet? Let’s go.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease your cooking sheet or baking dish. (Use cooking spray for a healthier option.) (not pictured)
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high and add the chicken, cooking on both sides until they are both browned. (This should only take about 2-3 minutes per side.) Then put the chicken on the baking sheet. (photos 1-4)
- Next, whisk together in a small bowl the broth, lemon juice, honey, garlic, Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper and pour this over the chicken. (photo 5)
- Stick the pan, sauce and all, in the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken breasts. About every 5-10 minutes, open the oven door and carefully spoon the sauce over the top of the breasts to help bake in the most flavor. (not pictured)
- When it’s done cooking, pull the chicken out of the oven and serve. I like to serve mine with some fresh rosemary and lemon slices, but that’s optional. (photo 6)
Frequently Asked Questions
There are so many good sides that go with this baked lemon chicken, including:
Rice. Whether you cook white, brown, wild, or a pre-packaged rice pilaf or other rice dish, I think rice always pairs well with chicken.
Egg noodles. I love egg noodles any which way. But cook up a package of them and add a lemon chicken breast to the top then spoon some of the pan juices over that with an extra squeeze of lemon — mmmmm!
Roasted vegetables. If you are not a fan of asparagus, how about Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli & Cauliflower, String beans, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze?
Potatoes. For another delicious, starchy side option, I always go for potatoes. Mashed, baked, (for an easy mashed potato, try my Garlic Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes. For baked potato recipe, try my Instant Pot Baked Potatoes), or roasted, (my Roasted Sweet Potatoes are where it’s at!) you really can’t go wrong with lemon chicken and potatoes.
Salad. Another favorite side of mine is a simple side salad. Use whatever greens and veggies you have on hand to create a one-of-a-kind nutritious veggie dish to munch on in between bites of lemony chicken.
Greens. Or, you could take your heartier greens (kale, spinach, chard) and cook them up or steam them down into a warm, comforting side.
If you only use lemon juice on your chicken, then yes, it can dry it out. That’s why you need to pair the juice with other ingredients, such as chicken broth, honey, and butter to add moisture and fat to the chicken to counteract any drying effects lemon juice might have. What you’re left with is all of the flavor of the lemon chicken and none of that dry, hard-to-chew taste.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- This baked lemon chicken recipe also works well with chicken thighs. If you’re going to use chicken thighs, I recommend medium size, boneless. If you are using skin-on thighs, be sure to brown them in a skillet over medium-high heat first, for about 1-2 minutes per side.
- This baked lemon chicken will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months.
- For extra lemony-tasting chicken, you can marinate it for up to two hours in a glass or plastic bowl with a lid or in an airtight plastic bag. I would suggest that you use a lemon marinade instead of straight-up lemon juice that includes olive oil or another fat and some spices to keep the lemon juice from breaking the chicken down and drying it out.
More Lemon Recipes You’ll Love
- Greek Lemon Rice
- One Pot Lemon Chicken and Rice
- One Pan Creamy Lemon Chicken and Asparagus
- Lemon Herb Shrimp and Rice Skillet
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Easy Baked Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste , (I used 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper)
- optional: fresh rosemary and lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet or large casserole dish.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook chicken 2-3 minutes on each side just until browned. Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl whisk together chicken broth, lemon juice, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
- Pour sauce over chicken. Bake 20-30 minutes (closer to 20 for smaller chicken breasts, closer to 30 for larger) until chicken is cooked through. Every 5-10 minutes spoon the sauce from the pan over the chicken.
- Garnish with fresh rosemary and lemon slices if desired and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Why do you brown chicken first if you use boneless skinless chicken
It enhances flavor, texture and appearance 🙂
Can I marinade the meat with the sauce and then fry it? Or should I just bake it after marinading it? Or no marinading is recommended?
You can marinate it with the sauce if you’d like to! And you can bake or fry it depending on your preference 🙂
Wow, this was some of the best chicken I’ve ever made! I even forgot chicken broth at the store so I substituted water. The chicken was so tender, juicy and lemony! The whole family loved it and this will be a regular meal. The only thing I did was pound out the chicken breasts. Thank you for this recipe!!
I’m so glad that it turned out well! 🙂
How do I reheat if I make one day in advance?
You can reheat in the oven, microwave, or even air fryer! For the oven, preheat your oven to 350°F. You can cover loosely with foil to prevent drying out and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F 🙂
Fantastic receipe wow this is great
Ooh, say no more! I’m already sold. Anything lemony instantly grabs my attention, and if it’s juicy, flavorful and only takes 30 minutes? Total dinner win. I can just imagine how bright and zesty that chicken must taste—perfect with a side of roasted veggies or even a quick salad. Adding this to my weeknight rotation for sure!