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Baked Lemon Chicken

Tender baked lemon chicken coated in a flavorful lemon butter sauce. An easy 30-minute meal that requires only 7 simple ingredients!

Other easy chicken recipes we have been making lately include this crusted parmesan chicken, oven baked BBQ chicken and these lemon pepper chicken wings!

lemon chicken in skillet
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One-Pan Lemon Chicken Breast

This baked lemon chicken recipe gets a 5 star review from every member in my family. It’s a tried and true dinner idea that is always included in our monthly rotation along with my lemon baked fish, ranch chicken recipe and oven baked tilapia.

The baked chicken is made with a lemon butter sauce that is light and so flavorful. I love to add in asparagus before baking to save time and have less dishes. Plus the lemon sauce cooks into the vegetables adding the perfect flavor. We also love adding asparagus to chicken madeira!

If you really want the lemon flavor to shine, use my lemon pepper seasoning recipe, add a slice of lemon on top of each breast before baking like I do with oven baked salmon and add an extra Tablespoon of lemon to the sauce.

cooking lemon chicken in skillet

Reasons We Love It

  • One pan meal. Both the chicken and veggies cook together in the same skillet, making this recipe an easy one pot meal with hardly any cleanup!
  • 30 minutes. Let’s be honest…30-minute meals are my saving grace on busy weeknight and this recipe is one of my favorites!
  • Healthy. Oven baked lemon chicken is low carb, high protein and made with whole food ingredients. If you need a healthy dinner idea that’s quick, easy and delicious, this is it!
lemon chicken with asparagus in pan

Cooking Tips

  • Boost the flavor. Feel free to add some red pepper flakes or extra lemon pepper to give it a little kick. And for even more lemon flavor, add a lemon slice on top of each breast before baking and an additional Tablespoon of lemon juice to the sauce.
  • Tenderize or slice the chicken. You want the chicken to be about 1/2″ thick. This ensures it will cook quicker and more evenly. I use a meat tenderizer to pound my chicken until the desired thickness is reached. You can also slice the breasts in half if they are on the thicker side.
  • Add extra veggies. I love to add extra veggies to the pan to make this dish a complete meal. Simply add in veggies like asparagus or green beans right before baking. They cook in the sauce, resulting in amazing flavor!
  • Spoon the sauce. About halfway through baking, I love to spoon the sauce from the bottom of the pan over the chicken and veggies. This really helps to bring out the flavors. Then right before serving, spoon more sauce on top again.
lemon chicken with sauce

More Easy Dinner Ideas:

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lemon chicken

Baked Lemon Chicken

5 from 5 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
Tender baked lemon chicken coated in a flavorful lemon butter sauce. An easy 30-minute meal that requires only 7 simple ingredients!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt , more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper , more to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons salted butter
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice , 1 lemon
  • ½ Tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic

Optional: Asparagus or green beans, fresh lemon slices and parsley for serving

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pound the chicken to about 1/2" thickness. If using thicker breasts, cut in half to create 2 thinner pieces. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
      chicken on cutting board
    • Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet (or oven-safe pan) over medium-heat. Once melted, add the meat. Cook each side about 2 minutes, or edges have begun to lightly brown.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey and garlic. Then pour the sauce over the chicken. Add green beans or asparagus if desired. Then bake for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken has reached 165°F. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken half way through and just before serving.
    • Garnish with lemon and parsley if desired. Serve while hot.
      lemon chicken

    Notes

    Spice: Feel free to add some red pepper flakes or extra lemon pepper to give it a little kick.
    For more lemon flavor: Add a lemon slice on top of each breast before baking and an additional Tablespoon of lemon juice to the sauce.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 472mg | Potassium: 430mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 209IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: American

    Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

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