This lemon pepper chicken is an easy chicken breast recipe with a burst of citrusy flavor. It combines juicy, tender chicken breasts, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon pepper seasonings, and a touch of garlic for the ultimate chicken dinner recipe.
As a busy mom, wife, and nurse for decades, I learned quickly that the best recipes are the ones that are as easy to make as they are delicious. Over the years, I’ve put my slow cooker, and later my Instant Pot, through their paces, but I also like making dishes that have the wonderful browned exterior that only pan-searing or baking can provide. That’s why this lemon pepper chicken has been such a favorite of mine for so many years. Even though my kids are gone, I still make this simple baked chicken recipe for me and my guy to this day. It’s just so easy and so good! It only takes about a half hour to go from ingredients to a delicious dinner!
Lemon Pepper Chicken
This recipe starts with chicken breasts that I cut in half to make individual portions. I coat them in oil, garlic salt, and pepper, and then bake them. Finally, I brush the breasts with a lemon pepper butter mixture and broil them for a few minutes until golden brown. That’s all there is to it! I love to serve these with pasta or vegetables and mashed potatoes for a full meal that’s quick, easy, and absolutely delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe
- This delicious lemon chicken recipe combines lemon juice and lemon zest with the bold and tangy flavor of lemon pepper seasoning for a winning combination of flavors.
- It’s an easy recipe that is versatile and can be served as a main dish or can be served easily with other dishes like salads, bowls, and pasta dishes.
- It’s made with boneless skinless chicken breasts and uses simple ingredients with a few steps even novice cooks can easily make this savory and flavorful lemon pepper chicken recipe.
Lemon Pepper Chicken Ingredients
It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this delicious lemon pepper chicken. They’re so simple, in fact, you might only have to shop for the chicken. Anything you might happen to need is found easily at any grocery store anywhere.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half, lengthwise
- Vegetable oil
- Garlic salt
- Black pepper
- Melted butter
- Lemon pepper seasoning
- Lemon juice
- Zest from lemon
How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken
Making this recipe is just as simple and easy as the ingredients needed for it. All it takes is a little baking and mixing the lemon butter. The entire recipe only takes few simple steps and about 35 minutes from start to finish.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Step 2: Season the Chicken
Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and place them in a large mixing bowl. The, add the oil, garlic salt, and pepper and toss until fully coated.
Step 3: Bake
Place the coated breasts on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, turning over halfway through cooking.
Step 4: Brush and Broil
Combine the melted butter, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl Then, brush both sides of the chicken with the mixture. Broil the chicken for a few minutes until browned, not burned. Garnish with lemon slices and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t rinse your chicken. It doesn’t prevent bacteria spread, and it makes it harder to pat the breasts dry.
- Use tongs to easily coat the chicken in the oil and seasoning mixture.
- Watch the chicken carefully while broiling it. You want it to get nicely golden but not burned.
Variations
- This seasoning and butter coating works well with beef, pork, or seafood.
- Try adding a little red pepper flakes for a kick of heat.
- If you’re watching your salt intake, simply use garlic powder in place of garlic salt.
What to Serve with Lemon Pepper Chicken
This easy, delicious lemon pepper chicken pairs well with a wide variety of side dishes. Almost any kind of vegetables, from roasted to steamed and almost any of your favorite potato, pasta, and rice recipes will work well with this chicken. Try it with classics like:
- Vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, corn, just to name a few.
- Potatoes
- Pasta
- Rice
- Garlic bread
Recipe FAQ
Lemon pepper is a seasoning mix made with granulated lemon zest and cracked black peppercorns. Homemade lemon pepper is made with lemon juice and zest combined with black pepper.
The acidity of lemon juice helped break down the muscle fibers of chicken, making it more tender and juicy when cooked.
Lemon and black pepper work well together because the bright, tangy flavor of the lemon and the earthy, slightly hot flavor of the pepper combine to temper one another and create a punch of flavor.
Like all chicken, lemon pepper chicken will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can. This chicken will stay fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer when stored properly.
How to Store and Reheat Lemon Pepper Chicken Leftovers
Refrigerate your chicken for up to 3 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
To reheat the chicken, defrost it if frozen. Then, place it in a covered baking dish and bake at 350 until heated through.
Try This Delicious Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe Today
This lemon pepper chicken is as easy as it is delicious, and it’s so versatile that you can pair it with almost any of your favorite sides, from vegetables to starches like potatoes, rice, or pasta. In less than an hour, you’ll have a delicious, zesty chicken recipe that the entire family will love. Give it a try, and I know you’ll make it a permanent part of your recipe rotation.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Enjoy
This Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls are a hearty, savory, and delicious chicken recipe made with tender, juicy boneless skinless chicken breasts, broccoli, carrots, and fluffy rice, with a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce.
Lemon Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken breasts, cut in half, lengthwise?
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Zest from 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Pat dry chicken with paper towels and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add oil, garlic salt and pepper to chicken and toss to coat.
- Place chicken on prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 mins or until internal temperature has reached 165 degrees. Turn over halfway through.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine melted butter, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir well.
- Once chicken breasts are done cooking, remove from oven and brush both sides with the lemon butter mixture.
- Turn on broil and place chicken back in oven. Broil for a few minutes until browned, but not burned. Carefully remove from oven and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
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Made this and the Mississippi chicken this week, both were winners! I loved the flavors of this one, I thought it may be too lemon-y while prepping, but it was perfect!
Thank you so much for sharing, Kristin! I’m glad it perfect and you enjoyed this recipe too! And, thank you so much for the 5-star rating! :)
This sounded so delicious that I swapped the chicken for pork chops….since I had them on hand.
Easy recipe..and most of us have the ingredients in the house.
I served m dinner with asparagus,.that cooked on the baking sheet, with the pork chops. Basted the asparagus with the butter/lemon pepper/ lemon juice. Served with rice.
Will keep this recipe
Hi Brenda, Thank you so much for sharing! Your pork chops sound amazing along with the asparagus. Thank you for the 5-star rating too! :)