It shouldn’t matter if you’re busy or feeling lazy, you deserve a tasty dinner! This Oven-Baked Lemon Chicken is your ticket to an amazing meal either way. Get ready to chow down on some juicy, perfectly seasoned chicken breasts that are loaded with buttery, citrus flavors. You can serve it over a salad, pair it with your favorite sides, or even put it on a bun to create a phenomenal dish! Oven-Baked Lemon Chicken is the way to do it, no matter how your day is going!
Ingredients
- 1 quart warm water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, pounded to an even thickness
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- black pepper, to taste
- lemon slices, to taste, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –In a large bowl, combine the warm water with 1/4 cup of the kosher salt and stir to combine until most of the salt is dissolved.
Step 2 –Add the chicken breasts to the salt-water mixture and let it brine for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to 6 hours, covered and refrigerated.
Step 3 –Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Step 4 –Rinse the chicken breasts with cold water, then pat them dry with paper towels.
Step 5 –In a medium bowl, add the melted butter, the garlic, the lemon juice, and the thyme and whisk together until combined.
Step 6 –Pour the butter mixture into a large baking dish.
Step 7 –Arrange the chicken breasts in an even layer over the top of the butter mixture.
Step 8 –Use a pastry brush to coat the butter mixture over both sides of the chicken breasts.
Step 9 –Sprinkle the chicken breasts generously with the extra salt and the pepper.
Step 10 –Garnish the chicken breasts with the lemon slices, taking care to avoid laying them directly on top of the meat.
Step 11 –Bake the chicken breasts for 5 minutes.
Step 12 –Carefully use the pastry brush to baste the chicken breasts with the butter mixture, then bake for 5 minutes.
Step 13 –Baste the chicken breasts again with the butter mixture, then bake until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 5-8 minutes.
Step 14 –Thoroughly baste the chicken again with the remaining butter mixture.
Step 15 –Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and allow the chicken to rest, about 5-10 minutes.
Step 16 –Serve.
