Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Chicken
Juicy, tender chicken breasts smothered in a zesty, buttery garlic sauce — a simple 5-ingredient dinner that’s bursting with flavor.
Sometimes the simplest ingredients make the most memorable meals. This Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Bake is a perfect example: juicy chicken breasts are baked in a rich, buttery sauce infused with fresh garlic, bright lemon, and white wine. With just five ingredients, it’s a quick, flavorful dinner that feels a little fancy but takes almost no effort.
Perfect for weeknights, meal prep, or even a casual dinner with guests, this recipe delivers juicy, golden chicken with a buttery, garlicky, citrusy kick in every bite. Serve with a Tossed Green Salad, Easy Rice Pilaf, and Dinner Rolls, for the ultimate meal.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Baked Chicken
We love a good baked chicken: Pizza Chicken Bake, Baked Feta Chicken, Baked Breaded Chicken, and this is no exception.
- Minimal ingredients, maximum flavor. Butter, garlic, lemon, and seasoning do all the work.
- Juicy and tender chicken every time.
- Quick and easy. Prep takes less than 10 minutes.
- Versatile. Pair it with pasta, rice, roasted veggies, or a simple salad.
🧄 Ingredients for Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 pieces)
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lemons, juice and zest
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Optional: salt, pepper, and fresh parsley for garnish
🔥 Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. To your preference, season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) .
- Sear Chicken: Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in an oven safe skillet, over medium high heat, and add seasoned chicken breasts. Sear chicken in a large skillet over medium high heat, until browned on both sides.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, melt the butter and stir in garlic, white wine, lemon juice from 1 lemon, and zest from one lemon.
- Add sauce to the chicken: When chicken breasts are seared on both sides, remove from heat, and pour the lemon garlic butter over the top. Slice second lemon, and place in the oven safe skillet around the chicken.
- Bake: Cook for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is cooked through. This varies based on the thickness of the chicken
- Serve: Spoon any pan juices over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
🍽 Serving Ideas
Pair this Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken with:
- Garlic mashed potatoes or rice to soak up the buttery sauce
- Roasted asparagus, green beans, or broccoli
- A crisp side salad with vinaigrette for a lighter option
💡 Tips & Variations
- Optional sear: You do not have to sear the chicken in a hot skillet for 2–3 minutes per side before baking to lock in flavor and get a golden crust. But it adds to the flavor. However, if you are in a hurry, you can skip that part.
- Extra lemony: Add a squeeze of fresh lemon after baking for even more citrus flavor.
- Herb twist: Sprinkle fresh thyme or rosemary along with the Italian seasoning for added depth.
This Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Bake proves that you don’t need a ton of ingredients to make a flavorful, elegant dinner. Juicy, buttery, and zesty, it’s a weeknight-friendly recipe that tastes like it took hours to make—but comes together in under 30 minutes.
More Quick Recipes
Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 pieces)
- 5 tablespoons butter melted
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lemons juice and zest
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Optional: salt pepper, and fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. To your preference, season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) .
- Sear Chicken: Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in an oven safe skillet, over medium high heat, and add seasoned chicken breasts. Sear chicken in a large skillet over medium high heat, until browned on both sides. About 2-3 minutes per side.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, melt the butter and stir in garlic, white wine, lemon juice from 1 lemon, and zest from one lemon.
- Add sauce to the chicken: When chicken breasts are seared on both sides, remove from heat, and pour the lemon garlic butter over the top. Slice second lemon, and place in the oven safe skillet around the chicken.
- Bake: Cook for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is cooked through. This varies based on the thickness of the chicken
- Serve: Spoon any pan juices over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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