Lemon Herb Chicken

5 from 1 vote

This super simple Lemon Herb Chicken is a versatile, flavorful, and easy chicken dinner! Made with staple ingredients, this yummy chicken is ready in 30 minutes or less.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian, Italian-American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: servings

Calories: 441kcal

Author: Briana

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breasts
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 whole lemons, juice and zest
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional and to taste)
½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
lemon slices, fresh chopped parsley and oregano for garnish

Instructions

In a large bowl, add raw chicken, about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, the lemon juice and zest, plus all of the salt and seasonings. Toss to combine and coat all sides of the chicken. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to marinate.
2 pounds chicken breasts, 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, 2 whole lemons, juice and zest, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 8 cloves garlic, minced
Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. When time to cook, melt butter in a skillet, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer. Don't overcrowd the pan, you may have to cook the chicken in batches. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the chicken reaches at least 165°F.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting in. Garnish with fresh parsley, oregano, and lemon slices. Enjoy!
lemon slices, fresh chopped parsley and oregano for garnish
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Spices can be adjusted to suit your personal preferences.
Fresh herbs are optional.
Cook the chicken in batches and don't overcrowd the pan. We want to make sure the chicken cooks evenly and gets a little bit of browning going on, so this helps ensure we can do that. We know it can be tempting to put all of the chicken in the pan at once, but truly they cook so quickly it's best to give them a little room.
Don't marinate the chicken too long! As mentioned, this is meant to be a quick marinade situation. There's a lot of lemon juice in this recipe, and all of the acid can begin to cook the meat if left too long. That's why we only recommend marinating for around 15 minutes with fresh lemon juice.
Allow the chicken to rest before cutting in. Allowing the chicken, (just like steak or any other protein) the time to rest makes the chicken juicier. This is because the moisture get re-absorbed by the chicken, instead of cutting right in and letting all of the juices escape.

Nutrition