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–+ servings
Lemon pepper chicken thighs in a white baking dish

Lemon Pepper Chicken

This lemon pepper chicken is deliciously full of flavor. Coated in an easy lemon pepper butter and baked to tender perfection, this chicken dinner is super easy and quick to throw together and produces moist, flavorful chicken.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Rest 5 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Yield:4 servings

Equipment

  • Baking dish 9x9 or 9x13
  • Fork
  • Small bowl
  • Oven
  • Meat thermometer

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste, omit completely if your lemon pepper seasoning contains salt
  • 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts approximately 2-2 ½ pounds total, see Notes
  • 1 lemon sliced into rounds
  • 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less to taste
  • chopped parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
  • Layer lemon rounds in bottom of baking dish.
  • Sprinkle salt on bottoms of chicken. Flip and place salted-side-down on top of lemon slices.
  • Using a fork, mix together lemon pepper seasoning, softened butter, salt (if using), and cayenne pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
    Lemon pepper butter mixture in a small white bowl
  • Rub butter mixture all over chicken. If using chicken thighs, place some butter mixture under skin.
    Lemon pepper chicken thighs in a baking dish
  • Bake chicken for 25 to 28 minutes (for boneless chicken breasts) or 35 to 40 minutes (for bone-in chicken thighs), or until internal temperature reaches 161° Fahrenheit. Halfway through cooktime, baste chicken with melted butter drippings from baking dish.
  • Remove chicken from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to 165° Fahrenheit while resting.
    Lemon pepper chicken breasts in a baking dish
  • Portion chicken onto serving plates. Drizzle with additional melted lemon-pepper butter, sprinkle parsley on top, and serve.

Notes

  • Chicken: This recipe can be made both with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
  • Make it Keto: Be sure your lemon pepper seasoning doesn't have any sugar (or maltitol or maltodextrin!), and use chicken thighs for a boost of fat.
  • Make it Paleo/Whole30: Be sure your lemon pepper seasoning doesn't have any sugar (or sugar substitutes, if Whole30), and use ghee instead of butter.
  • Cook Times: Cook times will vary based on cut of chicken. Prepare each cut of chicken as instructed above.
    • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Cook approximately 25 to 28 minutes
    • Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: Cook approximately 35 to 40 minutes
    • Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts: Cook approximately 35 to 40 minutes
 
Photos in recipe instructions show both chicken thighs and chicken breasts. The process for either cut of chicken is essentially the same. Cook times will vary slightly based on cut and size of chicken. Different ovens can also result in different cook times.
For best results, use an internal meat thermometer to gauge whether the chicken is completely cooked, as opposed to cook times. Remove chicken from oven when internal temperature reaches 161° Fahrenheit. Chicken should reach food-safe temperature of 165° Fahrenheit while resting.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1chicken breast (or thigh) | Calories: 443cal | Protein: 61g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 212mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Potassium: 1143mg | Total Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Net Carbs: 3g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
Recipe By:Cheryl Malik