Easy Lemon Baked Chicken Breasts
- PREP 2hrs
- COOK 40min
- TOTAL 2hrs 40min
For the best, juicy, and tender lemon baked chicken breasts remember these three things: marinate first, bake loosely covered, and use a meat thermometer. Before baking in the oven, we marinate the chicken breasts in a magical mixture of fresh lemon, garlic, Dijon mustard, and parsley. If you’re short on time, marinate as close to an hour as you can. If you’re flexible, go for a whole two hours. And since we want to keep things safe, it’s best to marinate the chicken in the refrigerator (no matter how long you do it for).
You Will Need
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
2 large lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a large knife or minced
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Directions
Marinate Chicken
Peel or zest the thin, yellow skin (zest) from one lemon, and then juice the lemon so that you have 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice. (If the first lemon was not enough, Use half of the second lemon to make up the 1/4 cup of juice.)
Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper until the salt has dissolved. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest, and parsley (if using). Refrigerate and use within 1 to 2 hours.
Add the chicken breasts to the marinade and marinate for 1 hour or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Bake Chicken Breasts
Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 400°F (204°C). Lightly oil one side of a sheet of parchment paper large enough to cover the baking dish. (Aluminum foil can also be used.)
Transfer the chicken breasts to the prepared baking dish, removing any large pieces of garlic that might be stuck to them. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Quarter the second lemon. Scatter lemon wedges around the chicken, then cover with parchment paper, oiled side down, towards the chicken. Loosely tuck the parchment paper around the chicken.
Bake until the chicken is opaque all the way through and an internal thermometer reads 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Check for doneness in around 25 minutes, and then go from there. Most chicken breasts will take 35 to 40 minutes.
Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes, then serve drizzled with some of the liquid left in the baking dish. You can also slice the chicken and place it back into the baking dish with all the leftover cooking liquid (our favorite).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.