Simple Zesty Lemon Chicken with hints of lemon, garlic, onion and black pepper.
This a very simple and elegant looking dish, packed with zesty lemon flavor. If you are looking to save time, this recipe can easily be made at the beginning of the week and re-heated for an easy weeknight meal. So elegant looking, I have made this dish for company – topping the chicken breast with lemon slices which makes it look so pretty and professional, like you are eating at a nice restaurant. Best of all, the ingredients are simple, healthy and easy.
Truth be told, finding a chicken recipe my husband will actually eat is a tough task… he is a beef hound. Anything steak he will eat. The only time he likes chicken is if it is on a wing or fried and dipped in Buffalo sauce – but this recipe he loves! That’s right, my meat lover of a husband loves this recipe. And that to me says A LOT! Not to mention that my kids gobble it up and ask for seconds.
Best of all this is a healthful dish, with simple ingredients that are low in calories and fat with no artificial flavors or any of that junk… which means I feel good about serving it to my family.
So if you are looking for a flavor packed chicken recipe that is sure to please even the, “chicken sceptic” then this Simple Zesty Lemon Chicken recipe is your ticket.
Enjoy, and happy eating!!!!
Kristina, AKA “Mamma”
- 6 large lemons (4 for the marinade and 2 for topping the chicken)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 1 galloon sized zip lock bag
- Baking dish or pan
- Remove chicken from packaging, pat dry with paper towels and set aside.
- In a bowl, juice and strain 4 lemons (straining out the pits); then whisk in the pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning followed by the olive oil. Make sure the oil is completely incorporated into the mixture by whisking vigorously.
- Place chicken breasts into zip lock bag and make sure they are laying flat; pore marinade over the chicken breasts saving a ¼ cup for basting. Zip the bag making sure to remove as much of the air as you can and turn bag over a few times making sure all of the chicken breasts are coated well. Refrigerate chicken for one to two hours to allow marinade to penetrate the chicken breast.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees; spray a baking dish or pan with cooking spay; remove chicken from marinade making sure to drain off extra marinade and place into baking dish.
- Place two slices of lemon on each chicken breast then baste with marinade and bake for approximately 25 minutes.
- Half way through cooking, baste chicken again with the reserved marinade. Two ensure your chicken breasts are cooked properly take temperature after 25 minutes to make sure the thickest part of the chicken breast registers 165 degrees with an instant read probe thermometer. If you find it does not, then cook for another ten minutes and re-check temp.
- Remove chicken from oven and let stand for 5 minutes; plate, serve and enjoy!
Hi! Nice to meet you. I’m Kristina... I love to cook, create recipes and take pictures of delicious food. 
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