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: 15-20 minutes
Bone-in chicken thighs: 35-45 minutes
Boneless chicken thighs: 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.
I was not ready for the deliciousness of this chicken dish. I followed the recipe to the letter because I’m weird like that. I agree with what was said about the more spice on the chicken the more flavorable. My family really enjoyed it. .. even my 5hr old. I even shared the recipe with a couple of people. Thank you!
Hi Amanda! Thank you so much for the feedback – so glad everyone enjoyed it – especially your 5-year old!!! 🙂
I made this for the first time, using (gasp!) frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I used a basting brush to put the oil-seasoning mix onto the chicken, and I loosely covered with foil for the first 40 minutes (because they were frozen), and removed the foil for the last 20. I did it at 400 degrees. It was GREAT! The chicken was very moist and flavorful. This definitely goes into my “tried and true” file, to be made again. I served it with sauteed sliced red onion and broccoli.
Hi Sue, So great to hear! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and let me know 🙂
This was so good! Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you liked it Anastasia!
Just finished eating this. I was looking for something quick and easy, and this was delightfully DELISH!!! Even our just-turned-2-year-old devoured a whole piece.
So glad to hear it Anna – thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know! 🙂
Everyday Maven – absolutely love this recipe!! Have you ever tried Limes instead of lemons? Just curious as I am planning on doing that tonight.
Being new to cooking and such, I’m trying to find quick and easy recipes that taste great and that I can enjoy on my Paleo eating plan! This was just the ticket! Thanks
No, I haven’t Scott. How did the limes work out?
Your chicken recipes looks good to try. I have been searching for lots of chicken recipes to make.
Come back and let me know how you like this one Ruth!
Love this recipe! I make it all the time!!
So glad you love it Rikki-Lynne and thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know!