Baked Lemon Chicken

by: Katerina Petrovskapublished: Jul 22, 2020updated: Jul 27, 2020

This tender Baked Lemon Chicken is full of amazing flavors and one of my family’s favorite recipes. It’s an easy, tangy baked chicken recipe that’s perfect for summer!

An Easy and Healthy Chicken Dinner Idea

This simple chicken dinner has a homemade garlic lemon marinade and a 3-ingredient spice rub. It uses flavorful spices and fresh lemons to keep it delicious, yet healthy! And delicious! 😋 

This restaurant-style chicken recipe will have your family clearing their plates in no time. Marinating your chicken in lemon gives it a tasty hint of citrus and keeps it extra juicy and tender. The marinade is real easy to make, and it’ll make all the difference when it comes to your chicken’s texture and flavor.

You can’t go wrong with these lemon baked chicken breasts. 🍽 

Recipe Ingredients

For the Lemon Chicken

• Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Minced Garlic
• Salt
• Dried Thyme
• Dried Oregano
• Black Pepper
• Chicken Breasts: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
• Lemon: You’ll need one whole lemon, cut into thin slices, to bake in the pan with your chicken.

For the Spice Rub

• Paprika
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder

How to Make Baked Lemon Chicken

1. Make Marinade: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, thyme, oregano and black pepper. Remove 3 tablespoons of the marinade and set aside in a small cup or bowl; cover and refrigerate.
2. Marinate Chicken: Pour the remaining marinade in a large resealable bag; add chicken breasts to the bag. Seal the bag, turn to coat and set aside for 30 minutes, or keep in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
3. Heat Oven: Preheat oven to 350˚F.
4. Remove Chicken from Fridge & Let Stand: Remove the bag of chicken breasts from the fridge and set it on the counter for 12 to 15 minutes, while the oven preheats.
5. Grease Pan: Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange your lemon slices on the bottom of the baking dish and set it aside.
6. Make Spice Rub: In a small mixing bowl, combine paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
7. Dry Chicken: Remove chicken breasts from the bag and lightly pat them dry with paper towels.
8. Assemble for Baking: Sprinkle the chicken breasts with your prepared spice rub and set them over the lemon slices inside the baking dish. Drizzle reserved marinade over the chicken breasts.
9. Cook: Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165˚F.
10. Remove from Heat: Remove your baking dish from the oven, remove the covering and let the chicken stand for 5 to 8 minutes before cutting it.

Tips for the Best Lemon Chicken

• Brown to Your Liking: You can remove the cover a few minutes before the chicken is cooked through and set the chicken under the broiler to get a bit of browning on top.
• Marinate for At Least 30 Minutes: In order for your chicken to stay juicy and soak up the flavor of the marinade, let it sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
• Use an Internal Read Thermometer: Not sure how to tell when your chicken is done? The best way is to check its internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Once it registers at 165˚F, it’s perfect!

Serving Suggestions

There are so many sides that go great with lemon baked chicken. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Potatoes: Everyone loves chicken and potatoes! I like to serve this chicken with my Crispy Parmesan Smashed Potatoes or these Garlic Herb Grilled Potatoes in Foil.
• Vegetables: Keep your dinner nice and healthy by adding a side of Easy Oven Roasted Veggies. 
• Rice: If you’re pressed for time or just want to keep things simple, serve your chicken with my Fluffy Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.
• Pasta: Cut up your lemon chicken and serve it over your favorite noodle variety with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese!

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• To store your chicken breasts for later, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge once they’re cooled. You can also store them in an airtight container and place in the fridge.
• Enjoy your leftover chicken within 2 to 3 days. To reheat it, either microwave it or heat it in the oven until hot.

More Baked Chicken Breasts Recipes

• Garlic Brown Sugar Baked Chicken Breasts
• Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
• Sheet Pan Garlic Herb Chicken Breasts

ENJOY!

Tools Used in this Recipe

Ziploc Freezer Bags with New Grip 'n Seal Technology, Two Gallon, 10 Count,...

Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set: 7 Cup and 7 Spoon Metal...

Pyrex Basics 3 Quart Oblong Glass Baking Dish, Clear 9 x 13 inch (Set of 2)

Kizen Instant Read Meat Thermometer - Best Waterproof Ultra Fast Thermometer...

4.78 from 9 votes

Print

Baked Lemon Chicken

11 11 11

WW Freestyle: 9

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time35 mins

To Marinate30 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

This tender Baked Lemon Chicken is full of amazing flavors and browned to your liking. It's an easy, tangy baked chicken recipe that's perfect for summer!

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4

Calories: 387

Author: Katerina | Diethood

Equipment

• Oven

Ingredients

• ▢ 1/2 cup olive oil
• ▢ 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ▢ 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ 1 large lemon, thinly sliced

For the Spice Rub

• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions 

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, thyme, oregano and black pepper.

  Remove 3 tablespoons of the marinade and set aside in a small cup; cover and refrigerate.
• Pour the remaining marinade into a large resealable bag; add chicken breasts to the bag.
• Seal the bag; turn to coat and set aside for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350˚F. Remove bag with chicken breasts from the fridge and let stand on kitchen counter for 12 to 15 minutes, while the oven preheats.
• Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange lemon slices on the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
• Remove chicken breasts from the bag and lightly pat dry with paper towels. Discard marinade that's in the bag.
• Sprinkle chicken breasts with prepared spice rub and set chicken breasts over lemon slices inside the baking dish.
• Drizzle reserved marinade over the chicken breasts.
• Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165˚F.
• Optionally, remove the cover several minutes before the chicken is cooked through and set it under the broiler to get a bit of browning on top.
• Remove from oven; remove cover and let stand 5 to 8 minutes before cutting.

Notes

NET CARBS: 4 g

Nutrition Facts

Baked Lemon Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 387 Calories from Fat 270

% Daily Value*

Fat 30g46%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Cholesterol 73mg24%

Sodium 425mg18%

Potassium 493mg14%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 25g50%

Vitamin A 280IU6%

Vitamin C 22mg27%

Calcium 21mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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