Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Breast (Printable version)

Juicy chicken breasts baked in garlic butter sauce with herbs for a comforting weeknight main dish.

# What you need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)

→ 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 fresh thyme, chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
06 - ½ teaspoon paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Optional Garnish

09 - Fresh lemon wedges
10 - Extra fresh parsley

# How To:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken breasts in a single layer.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and place them in the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, parsley, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over the chicken breasts, making sure to coat both sides thoroughly.
05 - Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and juices run clear.
06 - For a golden, slightly crisp top, broil for 2–3 minutes after baking.
07 - Remove from oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The garlic butter pools in the baking dish and becomes a sauce you will want to drag bread through.
  • It uses one dish and takes almost no prep, which means cleanup is done before the chicken even finishes resting.
02 -
  • Do not skip the resting step because cutting too early lets all those flavorful juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
  • If your chicken breasts are very thick, pound them to an even thickness first so the centers cook through before the edges dry out.
03 -
  • A meat thermometer is the single tool that will save you from overcooked, dry chicken forever.
  • Spoon the butter from the bottom of the dish over the chicken halfway through baking for extra moisture and flavor.

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