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Juicy, flavorful and ready in 30 minutes, this easy Baked Lemon Chicken is sure to be a hit! Gather up a few ingredients like fresh chicken breasts, lemons and seasoning and you are on your way to the most tender, juicy chicken dinner!
Looking for more simple chicken recipes? Try my Oven Baked Chicken Breasts, Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas, and Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken.
Get a burst of fresh lemon and savory herbs in each tender bite of this baked lemon chicken. Each bite is so juicy and filled with flavor. You can serve it over rice or mashed potatoes, or with a variety of veggies.
This is definitely one of those chicken recipes you’ll savor…and add to your ongoing rotation of dinners that your family just can’t get enough of!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy Weeknight Dinner – Baked Lemon Chicken Breasts are super simple to make with just a few simple ingredients. If you’ve got lemons, salt and pepper, you can make this recipe!
- Ready in 30 Minutes – We are all looking for easy, delicious meals that we can prepare for our families in a short amount of time. Add simple arugula salad and some roasted lemon potatoes for a well-rounded meal that’s ready when you need it to be.
- Perfect for Meal Prepping – Make a double batch of chicken breasts and save a few for weekday lunches or to fill in a few meals throughout the week. I love when I can cook once and have 3-4 meals ready to go.
What you need
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – Recipe also works for chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but the cook time will vary.
- Garlic cloves – for mincing.
- Olive Oil – or your favorite neutral oil.
- Lemons – One for juicing and one for slicing.
- Italian seasoning, kosher salt and black pepper – To season the chicken.
- Fresh parsley – for garnish, if you choose.
Here’s How to Make It
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Evenly sized chicken – If chicken breasts are thick, you’ll want to lightly pound them between two sheets of plastic wrap to make them all even or slice through the middle to make two thinner pieces.
Make the sauce – Whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and olive oil and pour it into a baking dish.
Season the chicken – Place the chicken in a baking dish and pour the sauce over it. Season with salt and pepper and top with lemon slices.
Cook – Roast the chicken breasts, uncovered, in a 450℉ oven until the internal temperature reaches 160-165℉.
Rest, then serve – Tent the chicken with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve garnished with fresh minced parsley and with extra lemon wedges.
Variations
- Browning the Chicken. If you like a little more color, try browning the chicken in a skillet before adding to the baking dish. Or, broil during the last couple of minutes of the cooking time.
- Different Seasonings – In place of Italian seasoning, you could try lemon pepper, a garlic herb seasoning or simply garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Or use fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary.
- Baked Lemon Chicken Thighs – Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. Cook at the same temperature for at least an additional 10-15 minutes.
- On the Grill – For grilling, marinate in the sauce for 15-30 minutes, then preheat an outdoor grill to 450℉ (med-high) and grill 4-5 minutes per side.
Serving Suggestions
The best way to serve lemon chicken is over rice pilaf or with your favorite pasta, like simple buttered noodles or pasta primavera.
If it’s potatoes you’re craving, my crispy Roasted Red Potatoes might be just the thing!
Of course, the simplest way to round out a meal is with a garden salad and a nice loaf of bread.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftover Chicken
If you’re planning to use the chicken again within 3-4 days, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. If not, store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating – Chicken breasts are very lean and, therefore, can dry out easily when reheated. My trick is to saute in a little bit of butter to reheat – keeps the meat moist!
Recipe Tips
- Depending on the size and thickness of your chicken breasts, it could take longer than the recommended time. You want to make sure they are all close in size and that you have a meat thermometer on hand to watch the internal temperature.
- Fresh herbs and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top is a nice way to finish off this dish.
- Make sure to zest the lemon first, then slice it in half for juicing.
- You can marinate the chicken for 30 minutes to an hour which will give you a more intense lemon flavor.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Corn Chowder
- Honey Lemon Chicken and Green Beans
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
- Healthy Chicken Fajita Bowls
- Chicken Street Tacos
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken
Baked Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 medium sized breasts
- 2 Garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 Lemons divided
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450℉. If needed, lightly pound chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap so they are even in thickness.
- Grab one of the lemons and gently roll it on the counter with your palm to release the juices. Use a microplane to zest the lemon, then cut in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl.
- To the bowl of lemon juice, add the lemon zest, minced garlic, Italian seasoning and olive oil. Whisk until well combined.
- Arrange chicken breasts side by side in a 13×9-inch baking dish. Pour the lemon juice mixture evenly over the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and arrange a few lemon slices on top of the chicken.
- Bake in the preheated 450℉ oven for 18-20 minutes, basting once or twice with the juices, until the internal temperature reaches 160-165℉. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, it could take more or less time.
- *Optional Step – To brown chicken, turn the oven to broil for the last few minutes to brown the top of the chicken.
- Tent with foil and allow chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes serving.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges, if desired.
I added capers before cooking for a nod to a chicken piccatta. Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome Sarah! Thank you for the feedback.
I’ve made it twice already, once with boneless chicken thighs and once with chicken breasts as written. Fabulous either way! My husband and I both love this recipe and agree that it’s a keeper. Thanks so much!
You are so welcome Mary! Thanks for stopping by.
Easy, really enjoyed the chicken.
Thanks Michy!
Hey thanks for the recipe and all the heart and soul you pour into your cooking! 🙂 Just a quick note; there are DIFFERENT TYPES OF OLIVE OIL. Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a low smoke point, so yes, it should only be eaten raw (salad dressings and drizzled on EVERYTHING for flavor and all the nutrients, vitamin E, and liver-detoxing properties!) But REFINED OLIVE OIL (which is NOT virgin) has a HIGH SMOKE POINT and therefore is a great cooking oil. Trader Joe’s of course sells both (lots of EVOO choices. I use their regular Olive Oil to cook everything and it works great! Great for sauteeing too! Food doesn’t stick.
This is one of the most outstanding chicken recipes I’ve ever tried. A+++! It’s so simple too. We LOVED it and it’s a keeper!
Awesome recipe! I’m going to try today after work. Is it okay if I subsitutie the lemon with lime?
Quick, easy and full of flavour. I have made this great recipe a few times now and it is very good. Thank you for the recipe, it’s perfect for weekday meals!
I like how you made chicken bowls with other veggies, beans and rice or noodles. It looks so appetizing, I don’t know why but I love it!!
Tried the baked lemon chicken. It was exquisite! Soft and tender and super easy super quick. The whole family enjoyed it. The supermarket had run out of lemon so I substituted with a mix of orange and lime. The lime zest and juice and the orange zest and slices.
That combination sounds amazing!
In the text you talk about using lemon zest, and the pictures show lemon slices on the chicken. But the actual recipe doesn’t say anything about lemon zest or when you put the lemon slices on the chicken? I’m assuming you put the slices on the chicken for the entire bake time, but how much lemon zest do you use and do you mix it into the liquid or sprinkle it on top?
I updated the recipe. You’re right, the zest was left out. The lemon slices were part of the garnish at the end, but can also be baked on top like I did in the photos.
Kristin — THANK YOU for an awesome recipe! Thanks also for the info on the olive oil. I keep reading warnings with no info. I appreciate you taking the time to include the info!
You’re welcome, so glad you enjoyed this recipe!