Baked Lemon Chicken breasts are an easy and flavor-packed way to spice up an ordinary chicken dinner. Use leftover sauce to drizzle on top before serving!
Baked Lemon Chicken Breasts
Who doesn’t love a good easy baked chicken recipe?! Finding new and fun ways to dress up baked chicken is always a fun task and these baked lemon chicken breasts are truly ones to take note on.
Juicy and tender bone-in chicken breasts are topped with fresh spices and lemon slices and oven baked until they reach perfection. It’s really one of those recipes that will never let you down.
How To Make Baked Lemon Chicken Breasts
You’ll want to note that this recipe calls for bone-in chicken breasts, that’s why the overall cook time is a little longer than most chicken breast recipes. I prefer to use the bone-in because cooking with the bone in allows for a juicier and more flavorful end product. Don’t let the longer cook time deter you though, this is still a great easy recipe that doesn’t take a lot of effort. Options included below for boneless chicken.
- Start by preheating the oven and combine the salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, cumin, and olive oil in a bowl and stir until well mixed.
- Next, wash the lemons and thinly slice.
- Place chicken breasts bone side down in a glass baking dish. Evenly coat with the spice mixture and then top with lemon slices.
- Bake uncovered until chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165F.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the baking dish to a serving platter.
- Collect the pan juices and serve alongside the chicken as a sauce. Top chicken with a bit of chopped parsley, Serve and Enjoy!
Can I Make This With Another Type of Chicken?
Yes, you can make the recipe with other types of chicken. You will just have to adjust the cooking time based on the type of chicken you decide to make the recipe with. Each type of chicken will have a different cooking time, so here’s a guide below on how to adjust your cooking time based on your cut of meat.
Chicken Cooking Times
Boneless chicken breasts: 25-30 minutes
Chicken tenderloins:Â 15-20 minutes
Bone-in chicken thighs:Â 35-45 minutes
Boneless chicken thighs:Â 20-25 minutes
What To Serve With Baked Lemon Chicken
A recipe as classic as a baked lemon chicken can really go with anything. Pair it with your favorite sides for an easy weeknight dinner.
I usually serve this alongside my Garlic Rubbed Roasted Cabbage Steaks (they have the same cook time and temperature!). An easy Arugula Salad on the side takes no time. Feeling like something a bit more hardy? Try my Instant Pot Rice, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (Dairy Free), or even Classic Potato Salad (my Mom’s recipe!).
Recipe Tips
- The longer you leave the spice marinade on the chicken, the more flavor you are going to get so feel free to mix up the spices and oil and put it on the chicken the night before or in the morning.
- The size of bone-in chicken breasts can really vary. As a general rule, a 1/2 pound per person is usually perfect as 2 to 3 ounces will be bones and the cooked portion will always be smaller than the uncooked portion. I calculated each serving size as 5-ounces cooked chicken plus 1/6 of the marinade.
- To always be sure your chicken is cooked all the way through, use a meat thermometer and remove the chicken from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Like This Recipe? Check Out More Easy Chicken Recipes
Dinner is about to get a whole lot easier once you check out even more of my favorite chicken dinner recipes. All easy, healthy, and full of flavor. A dinner ever busy mom dreams about!
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Baked Lemon Chicken breasts are an easy and flavor-packed way to spice up an ordinary chicken dinner. Use leftover sauce to drizzle on top before serving!
- 1.25 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium organic lemons washed and thinly sliced
- 3 pounds bone-in skinless chicken breasts (usually 4 to 6 pieces)
- parsley for garnish
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Preheat the oven to 400F. Begin by combining salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, cumin and olive oil until well mixed.
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Wash lemons and thinly slice.
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Place chicken breasts bone side down in a glass baking dish. Evenly coat with spice mixture and then top with lemon slices.
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Bake uncovered for 50 to 55 minutes until chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165F. Remove the chicken breasts from the baking dish to a serving platter. Collect the pan juices and serve alongside the chicken as a sauce. Top chicken with a bit of chopped parsley, Serve and Enjoy!
Recipe Video
- The longer you leave the spice marinade on the chicken, the more flavor you are going to get so feel free to mix up the spices and oil and put it on the chicken the night before or in the morning.
- The size of bone-in chicken breasts can really vary. As a general rule, a 1/2 pound per person is usually perfect as 2 to 3 ounces will be bones and the cooked portion will always be smaller than the uncooked portion. I calculated each serving size as 5-ounces cooked chicken plus 1/6 of the marinade.
- To always be sure your chicken is cooked all the way through, use a meat thermometer and remove the chicken from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in June 2013 and was updated in July 2019 with new photos, step-by-step instructions and more helpful information.
Harrison says
Definitely trying this! I have some lemon slices left over from a juice cleanse and everything else is in the fridge or pantry!
EverydayMaven says
Nice, I love when recipes work out like that – enjoy it Harrison!
kellie@foodtoglow says
We don’t eat meat very often but this looks so good and easy we might just need to try it. I use these spices a lot but usually with beany and tofu-y things. Love the lemon slices, they go so juicy and almost caramelised when cooked this way. Lovely
Medeja says
Simple recipe, but looks very flavorful! I don’t think I have tried making chicken with lemon, will save this recipe 🙂 thanks.
Norma Chang says
Great recipe. I would double the amount so as to have leftovers for salad and/or sandwich.
EverydayMaven says
Great idea Norma!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love roasted chicken, the lemon is a must!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
I could eat lemon roast chicken daily!
Faith says
Delicious! I have been using smoked paprika like crazy lately! It adds such great flavor to so many things. This looks like a yummy meal, especially with those cabbage steaks!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
A perfect dish to celebrate the beginning of summer. Love the lemon slices 🙂
Hannah says
What a beautiful dish, Alyssa! I love the lemon slices on top, too. I’ll bet they help keep the breasts nice and moist, as well. Love your summer orange nail polish! 🙂
EverydayMaven says
They do Hannah and some of the lemon juice drips into the pan juice and makes for a nice sauce!
Mr. & Mrs. P says
This looks amazing…. Love that you put the lemons ontop of the chicken before roasting….
EverydayMaven says
Roasted lemon slices are sooooo good!