Garlic Butter Baked Chicken (Print version)
Juicy chicken breasts baked in a rich garlic butter sauce with herbs—simple, flavorful, and perfect for weeknights.
# What you'll need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Garlic Butter Sauce
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
05 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
→ Optional Garnish
08 - Lemon wedges
# How to make it:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish that fits the chicken breasts snugly.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and arrange them in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Stir until well blended.
04 - Brush the garlic butter mixture generously over each chicken breast, ensuring even coating on all sides.
05 - Bake for 22–25 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear.
06 - Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with extra chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert suggestions:
01 -
- The garlic butter sauce essentially bastes the chicken for you, so even beginners get a juicy result every time.
- Four ingredients you probably already have are all that stand between you and a genuinely impressive weeknight dinner.
02 -
- Covering the dish with foil for the first 15 minutes traps steam and keeps the chicken incredibly moist.
- Pulling the chicken at 160°F is a mistake you only make once because carryover cooking will push it to 165°F while it rests.
03 -
- A meat thermometer is the single tool that will save you from dry chicken forever and it costs less than ten dollars.
- Spoon the pan juices over the sliced chicken right before serving because that liquid gold should never go to waste.