Garlic Herb Roasted Chicken (Printable version)
Juicy oven-roasted chicken breasts with garlic, rosemary, and thyme for a satisfying main dish.
# Ingredient list:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each)
→ Marinade
02 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Optional Garnish
11 - Extra chopped parsley
12 - Lemon wedges
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, thyme leaves, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until a uniform paste forms.
03 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Rub the marinade evenly over each piece of chicken, ensuring all surfaces are well coated on both sides.
04 - Place the seasoned chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or in a baking dish, spacing them at least 1 inch apart for even heat circulation.
05 - Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part and juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
06 - Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
07 - Serve the chicken garnished with extra chopped parsley and lemon wedges alongside your choice of roasted vegetables, a green salad, or steamed rice.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon zest and fresh herbs create a crust that tastes like you spent three hours when you barely spent fifteen minutes prepping.
- It is genuinely difficult to mess up, which makes it perfect for those evenings when you are tired but still want something real for dinner.
02 -
- If you pull the chicken out when the thermometer reads exactly 165 degrees it will already be slightly overcooked by the time you serve it because carryover heat keeps cooking it, so take it out at 162 and let the rest period finish the job.
- Marinating for even thirty minutes in the fridge transforms the texture, but if you have four hours the herbs penetrate deeply enough that every single bite tastes seasoned rather than just the surface.
03 -
- Pound thicker chicken breasts to an even thickness before marinating so you never end up with one end dried out while the other end is still pink.
- Let the chicken sit in the marinade at room temperature for fifteen minutes before baking rather than going straight from fridge to oven, the even cooking that results is worth the short wait.