Description
Melt in your mouth chicken breast is what happens when you pound the meat thin, coat it lightly, and sear it quickly in a hot pan until it’s tender and juicy inside. Simple seasonings and a quick pan sauce tie everything together so you get restaurant-quality chicken for weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
Cooking fat:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Seasonings and aromatics:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Set your oven to 375°F and let it heat while you prepare everything else.
- Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a bowl.
- Pat your 2 chicken breasts dry with paper towels so the coating sticks better.
- Rub the oil mixture all over both sides of each chicken breast until they’re evenly coated.
- Transfer your coated chicken to a baking dish, arranging them so they don’t overlap.
- Bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F when you check the thickest part.
- Take the chicken out and set it aside for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute throughout your meat before cutting into it.
Notes
- Pound your chicken breasts to an even thickness of about three-quarters of an inch so they cook uniformly and stay moist throughout the baking time.
- Don’t skip the resting period after baking, as it allows the juices to redistribute through the meat and makes each bite more tender.
- Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled for a brighter flavor that complements the garlic and herbs better.
- If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time and check that the thickest part reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer for food safety.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 562 kcal
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 1163 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 33.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 43 g
- Cholesterol: 124 mg