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Easy Baked Lemon Chicken

A delightful baked chicken dish infused with zesty lemon and aromatic garlic, perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or use canola oil)
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
  • 1 each lemon (zest and juice)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Season the chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breasts and sear them on both sides until golden-brown, about 4 minutes per side.
  4. Remove the chicken from the skillet and arrange it in a single layer in a casserole dish.
Making the Sauce
  1. In the same pan, add the chicken broth, melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
  2. Mix everything to form a rich sauce and pour it over the chicken breasts in the casserole dish.
Cooking
  1. Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160-165°F.
  2. Spoon some sauce over the chicken halfway through the cooking time.
  3. Serve the chicken hot from the oven with extra sauce drizzled on top.

Notes

For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in the seasoning for a few hours or overnight. For added crispiness, broil the chicken for a few minutes after baking. Consider substituting chicken thighs for juicier meat.