Description
A simple, juicy, and flavorful oven-baked chicken breast recipe topped with a rich garlic herb butter. This low-stress meal delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal active effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels.
- If chicken breasts are thick, pound them gently to an even 3/4-inch thickness.
- Season both sides of the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, mix softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
- Place chicken on a prepared baking sheet or roasting pan.
- Spoon the garlic herb butter mixture generously over the top of each chicken breast, spreading it evenly to cover the surface.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Slice against the grain and serve immediately, drizzling with pan juices.
Notes
Ensure butter is at room temperature for easy spreading. Do not skip the resting period to keep the chicken juicy. For a pan sauce, deglaze the pan with white wine or broth after removing the chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
- Calories: 320
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 1
- Protein: 35
Keywords: oven-baked chicken, garlic herb butter, juicy chicken breast, easy weeknight dinner, healthy chicken recipe, gluten-free dinner