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 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnish

08 - Lemon wedges

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken breasts in a snug single layer.
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 black pepper. Stir until well blended.
04 - Brush the garlic butter mixture generously over each chicken breast, ensuring all surfaces are evenly coated.
05 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. The internal temperature should reach 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer.
06 - Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with additional chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The garlic butter sauce basically self bastes the chicken, so even forgetful cooks end up with juicy results every single time.
  • It goes from fridge to table in about 35 minutes, which means you can start it after work and still have energy to do the dishes.
02 -
  • Covering the dish with foil for the first 15 minutes traps steam and keeps the chicken incredibly moist, then uncovering lets the tops brown beautifully.
  • An instant read thermometer is your best friend here because chicken breasts go from perfect to dry in just a few minutes.
03 -
  • If your chicken breasts are wildly different sizes, place the smaller ones on the outer edges of the dish so the larger ones in the center cook through without the small ones turning tough.
  • Basting halfway through baking redistributes the garlic and herbs, giving you a more even flavor across every single bite.

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