Name: Baked Lemon Thyme Chicken Breasts
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (1 teaspoon fresh leaves); 1 teaspoon salt; 2 lemons (1 zested and juiced); 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3); 1/2 cup chicken broth or water

Recipe

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These baked chicken breasts with lemon thyme are juicy and have a light sauce that's delish.

I’ll show you how to bake lemon thyme chicken breasts that turn out super flavorful and juicy with very little work!

cooked chicken breasts in a pan with a few lemon slices and thyme on top

Easy Chicken Breasts with Lemon & Thyme

My grandma in Spain taught me that the best meals are often the simplest ones. She harvested lemons from the trees in her house, so fresh lemons were part of our daily meals. While I don’t have a lemon tree in my house (yet!), lemon remains my favorite choice for chicken. Add thyme, and wow!

While I’m a sucker for pan-seared chicken, I make this Lemon Thyme Chicken Recipe for my family all the time, especially when I need an almost hand-free chicken dinner I can prep in 5 minutes and let the oven work for me while I’m busy with the kids or walking the dog -yep, my dear Lucas never has enough walks!

Ingredients

I make this recipe with boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use chicken thighs. To infuse them with flavor, you’ll need olive oil, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried or fresh thyme, salt, lemon, and chicken broth (or water).

Cast Iron Skillet vs Baking Dish

You can bake chicken in the oven in a cast iron skillet or in a baking dish; both provide equally delicious results. While a cast iron skillet can be greased with oil or butter, a baking dish can also be greased with spray.

How to Make Lemon Thyme Chicken in the Oven

Here’s how to make these juicy chicken breasts:

While the oven preheats, season the chicken with a mix of seasonings, olive oil, and zest and juice from a lemon. Once in the baking dish, pour the broth (or water) into the bottom.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165F. I recommend basting the chicken breasts with the juices after 30 minutes of cooking so the meat stays juicy.
Serve after the lemon thyme chicken has rested for 5 minutes. Squeeze lemon and enjoy!

Juicy Baked Chicken Breasts

Follow these tips and your chicken breasts will turn out juicy every time:

Cook by temperature
Chicken breasts are usually cooked after 35-40 minutes in the oven, but not all ovens and chickens are the same. The best way to cook chicken breasts that are safe to eat and not overcooked (=dry) is to check doneness with a meat thermometer. When you poke the thickest part, and it reaches 165F, it’s time to remove the chicken from the oven.

Bast the juices
After 30 minutes of baking, I recommend opening the oven and basting the chicken breasts with the juices a couple of times. It will keep the meat moist and flavorful!

Let it rest
Once you remove the chicken from the oven, let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing it. This will help the juices circulate and ensure juicy and tender meat.

Easy Sides for Baked Lemon Thyme Chicken

I love serving lemon thyme chicken with nutritious sides that come together super fast, like this sautéed cabbage and this Mexican cauliflower rice that you can make in 10 minutes! If you want the oven to make an epic chicken side dish for you, prep a winter salad, lemon-roasted asparagus, or zucchini au gratin.