Description
This Baked Lemon Butter Chicken recipe features tender boneless, skinless chicken breasts baked in a flavorful lemon butter sauce infused with garlic, herbs, and a hint of spice. Quick to prepare and perfect for a weeknight dinner, the chicken is seared before baking to lock in juices and topped with a fresh parsley garnish for a bright finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Butter Sauce and Seasoning
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the chicken.
- Prepare Butter Mixture: In a small saucepan or skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat and stir in olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
- Season Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season each breast evenly with the prepared seasoning mixture by applying it thoroughly on both sides.
- Heat Skillet: Use a large oven-safe skillet and heat olive oil over medium-high heat until hot.
- Sear Chicken: Place the seasoned chicken breasts into the hot skillet and sear each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown to lock in juices.
- Add Liquids and Lemon: Pour in fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken broth into the skillet with the chicken, stirring the butter mixture again to combine all flavors.
- Coat Chicken: Spoon some of the lemon butter sauce from the skillet over each chicken breast to ensure they are well coated.
- Bake Chicken: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) and is cooked through.
- Rest Chicken: Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute and retain moisture.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the freshly chopped parsley over the chicken for added freshness and flavor. Serve the baked lemon butter chicken with your favorite side dishes, spooning extra buttery lemon sauce from the skillet over the chicken for enhanced taste.
Notes
- Patting the chicken dry before seasoning helps the butter sauce adhere better and promotes browning.
- If you don’t have fresh lemon zest and juice, bottled lemon juice and dried zest can be used as substitutes, though fresh ingredients give the best flavor.
- Use an oven-safe skillet to avoid transferring the chicken to another dish before baking.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to taste if you prefer less or more heat.
- Allowing the chicken to rest after baking ensures juicier results.
