This Easy Baked Lemon Chicken recipe is . . . easy! Heat olive oil with garlic, lemon juice, wine and herbs, pour into the bottom of a baking dish and set the chicken on top. Spoon some of this seasoned oil on top of the chicken and bake!
3tablespoonminced garlic,6 - 9 cloves, depending on size
⅓cupdry white wine
1tablespoonlemon zest,finely grated
3tablespoonlemon juice,freshly squeezed
1 ½teaspoondried oreganoor 4 ½ teaspoons fresh
1 ½teaspoondried thymeor 4 ½ teaspoons fresh
sea salt and pepper
1whole lemon,for slicing and garnish
8bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs OR 4 boneless skin-on chicken breastsor boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Prepare the sauce. Gently heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the minced garlic and heat until tender but not browned, about 1 minute.
Remove from heat, add the wine, lemon zest and lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper and stir.
Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Pat chicken dry. Place skin side up in the dish. Spoon some of the sauce over top to coat completely.
Slice the lemon and tuck it in, skin side down (otherwise it will scorch) between the chicken pieces.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, (less for boneless breasts) depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Check for doneness. (165°F.) If the skin isn't crispy, place the dish under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until browned.
Remove from oven, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Spoon some of the sauce from the bottom of the dish over the chicken just before serving.
Notes
Helpful Tips:If you keep the skin on while baking, it keeps the chicken moist. If you use boneless, skinless breasts, be sure to baste frequently during cooking to keep them from drying out.I prefer thighs over chicken breasts for this recipe as the thighs have more flavour and don't dry out like breasts tend to do, but either will work. Just be sure to baste the chicken with the sauce a few times during baking. If using boneless chicken pieces, you can reduce your baking time.Check your chicken with an instant-read meat thermometer to make sure it is cooked to a safe temperature of 165°F.