This oven baked 4-ingredient lemon butter chicken bake is one of those cozy Sunday supper recipes that feels a little special without asking much of you. My aunt made this every year on the Sunday before Easter, and the baking dish was always scraped clean before we even thought about dessert. The chicken bakes up golden with browned edges, swimming in a rich, tangy lemon-butter sauce that you can spoon over everything on your plate. It’s simple enough for a busy weeknight, but it still has that “company’s coming” feel that makes it perfect for family gatherings.
This chicken is all about that buttery lemon sauce, so serve it with something that can soak it up. Fluffy white rice, buttered egg noodles, or mashed potatoes are all wonderful. Add a simple green side—steamed green beans, roasted asparagus, or a tossed salad with a light vinaigrette—to balance the richness. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are also great for mopping up every last bit of the sauce from the baking dish.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Lemon Butter Chicken BakeServings: 4
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
1 packet (about 1 ounce) dry Italian salad dressing mix
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish so the chicken doesn’t stick and cleans up easily.
Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels so they brown better, then arrange them in a single layer in the baking dish. Try not to overlap them so each piece cooks evenly and gets a bit of color around the edges.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the melted butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and dry Italian salad dressing mix until the seasoning is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks smooth.
Pour the lemon butter mixture evenly over the chicken breasts, making sure each piece is coated and there is sauce in the bottom of the dish. Spoon some of the mixture over the tops if needed.
Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, for 30–40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). The edges of the chicken should be lightly browned and the sauce will be bubbling and slightly thickened.
About halfway through the baking time, carefully spoon some of the hot lemon butter sauce from the bottom of the dish over the tops of the chicken breasts. This helps keep them moist and gives them that rich, glossy finish.
Once done, remove the dish from the oven and let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes so the juices settle. Spoon the buttery lemon sauce over the chicken right before serving, and bring the baking dish straight to the table so everyone can help themselves.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters who are sensitive to strong lemon flavor, use 1/4 cup lemon juice and add 2 tablespoons of water to the butter mixture to soften the tang. If you only have salted butter, reduce the dry Italian dressing mix slightly or taste the sauce before pouring it over the chicken. You can also make this with chicken thighs—use boneless, skinless thighs and bake 5–10 minutes longer, until cooked through. If you like a touch of sweetness, whisk 1–2 teaspoons of honey into the lemon butter mixture before baking; it rounds out the tartness and is usually a hit with kids. To get even more browning on top, switch the oven to broil for the last 2–3 minutes, watching closely so the edges don’t burn. Leftovers reheat nicely in the oven, tightly covered with foil at 325°F (165°C) until warmed through; add a splash of water or chicken broth to the pan if the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge.
