The 5-Star Ina Garten Chicken Recipe That Will Never Let Me Down (I’ve Already Made It Two Weeks in a Row)

When asked to test Ina Garten’s famous lemon chicken breast recipe, I didn’t expect to be wowed. Don’t get me wrong — she never disappoints. Lemon, garlic, chicken, and herbs are a classic combination that I knew would work; I just didn’t expect it would blow me away like it did. After making it, I completely understand why it has more than 1,000 five-star reviews. It’s simple and extraordinarily flavorful. That’s what makes it so ingenious. With its minimal prep work, the promise of deep, rich flavor, and that signature Ina elegance, it’s a simple dish I’ll now turn to again and again.

Get the recipe: Ina Garten’s Lemon Chicken Breasts

The key ingredients — garlic, lemon, olive oil, white wine, oregano, and thyme — are the kinds of modest pantry staples you probably already have on hand. The rest is as easy as throwing everything into a baking dish and letting the oven do the work. Here’s how I do it.

First, make the sauce. Start by warming some good olive oil in a pan and adding minced garlic (nine cloves, because Ina does not skimp on flavor). Let it cook for just a minute without taking on any color. Once it’s fragrant, take it off the heat and stir in white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc), fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh thyme, dried oregano, and salt. Pour all of that deliciousness into a baking dish.

Next, pat the chicken breasts dry (Ina calls for skin-on, boneless chicken breasts). Lay them skin-side up in the pan, brush them with olive oil, and season them generously with salt and pepper. Tuck the leftover lemon wedges around the chicken, and your work is done! 

Pop it in the oven at 425°F for about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts. It’s ready when the skin is crispy and golden, and the chicken has cooked through. You just have to let it rest for 10 minutes before eating. But this might be the most challenging part when you smell how incredible it is. 

It’s just as good as everyone says — perhaps even better. It’s unlike any other lemon garlic chicken I’ve ever tasted. I must have uttered, “This is so good,” at least a dozen times in between bites at dinner. My whole family raved about it, with even my pickiest eater saying she “loved everything” on her plate. If you think you might like this combination of ingredients, don’t wait to try it. This dish is going to become a regular in your rotation. It’s a one-pan wonder that’s quick to prep, easy to bake, and packed with so much flavor that you’ll wonder how a few simple ingredients can taste this incredible. As a recipe developer and food writer, I’ve made countless versions of really good lemon garlic chicken, but nothing beats this one.

The chicken is juicy, the lemon and garlic are bright and fresh, the wine is unassuming, and the herbs are earthy and grounding. It feels way more impressive than the minimal effort you put into it. One of the standout parts for me was how well the ingredients worked together. They married with a beautiful complexity that I didn’t expect. The resulting sauce is something I’d bottle up and keep on hand in my fridge to eat regularly. It’s great on chicken (obviously), over roasted broccoli or steamed broccoli, on rice or mashed potatoes, on orzo or other small pasta, and as a dip for a knob of bread. We didn’t let a drop of it go to waste! And let’s not forget that crispy skin. I could eat just that and be happy, but the juicy meat underneath is the real showstopper. We really couldn’t get enough. I now understand why this recipe has over 1,000 five-star reviews. Mark my words: When more people find out about it, it’ll have 5,000-plus five-star reviews. It’s genuinely that good. 

• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. The recipe calls for boneless skin-on chicken breasts, which tend to be more expensive and harder to find. If you go for bone-in, skin-on breasts, however, the skin crisps up beautifully and the bone helps keep the chicken moist and flavorful. I used larger breasts and they were still very juicy. 
• Don’t skip the white wine. It adds depth and richness that complements the brightness of the lemon. If you don’t have wine on hand, make another dish that night and make a trip to the store to pick up a bottle. The wine takes this dish to another level. If you don’t drink alcohol, try a quality non-alcoholic wine. Traditional substitutes like chicken broth won’t yield the same result.
• Broil for extra-crispy skin. If you love super-crispy skin, place the chicken under the broiler for the last two minutes, watching it closely, to get it perfectly golden-brown.
• Rest before serving. The 10-minute resting period is not a suggestion. It helps lock in all those succulent juices so you don’t end up with dry chicken.

Get the recipe: Ina Garten’s Lemon Chicken Breasts