Garlic Butter Baked Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Juicy chicken breasts baked in a rich garlic butter sauce with Italian herbs—simple, flavorful weeknight comfort.

# 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 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnish

08 - Lemon wedges

# How-To Guide:

01 - Preheat 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, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper.
04 - Brush the garlic butter mixture generously over the chicken breasts, ensuring they are well-coated on all sides.
05 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
06 - Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The garlic butter sauce practically makes itself while the chicken bakes, so you get a rich pan sauce with zero extra work.
  • Four ingredients you likely already have transform plain chicken into something you will genuinely look forward to eating leftover the next day.
02 -
  • Covering the dish tightly with foil for the first fifteen minutes traps steam and keeps the chicken incredibly moist, then uncovering it lets the tops brown beautifully in the final ten minutes.
  • A meat thermometer is the single tool that will save you from the disappointment of overcooked, dry chicken breasts, and it costs less than a single ruined dinner.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness between sheets of plastic wrap before baking and you will never again deal with the thin end drying out while the thick end finishes cooking.
  • Baste the chicken with the pooled butter from the bottom of the dish at the fifteen minute mark and you will get a more evenly golden, flavorful finish than brushing alone can achieve.

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