Baked Cilantro Lemon Chicken

Two pieces of chicken thighs in a plate with veggies and fork

4.25 from 4 votes

This Baked Cilantro Lemon Chicken is one of my favorite sheet pan recipe for weeknight dinners. It’s full of delicious flavors, healthy and super easy to make.

Prep Time15

Cook Time55

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Mariam Ezzeddine

Ingredients

8 pieces Chicken breasts or thighs, bone in, skin on
2 whole Lemons squeezed, about ½ cup
½ cup chicken broth low sodium
½ cup cilantro chopped and packed
6 cloves garlic minced
1½ tsp. Salt or less to taste
2 large carrots sliced, or use carrot chips
¼ cup olive oil split in half (2 tbsps. each)
2 tbsps. rosemary and garlic seasoning I used Tone's brand
1.5 lbs golden or red potatoes quartered
Olive oil spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F.
In a bowl mix together the lemon juice, chopped cilantro, salt, rosemary and garlic seasoning, 2 tbsps. of olive oil, salt and minced garlic.
Place the chicken in a bowl and pour in the marinade. If you have time, marinate for 30 minutes or just cook right away.
In a non stick skillet over high heat, add in 2 tbsps. olive oil and pan sear the chicken pieces on each side to give it a golden color on the outside. About 3-5 minutes on each side. Do not add in the extra marinade. Just the chicken pieces. Save the marinade in the bowl for the next step.
Transfer the chicken into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Add in the potatoes, carrots.
Add the chicken broth into the extra left over marinade and pour all the marinade over the chicken and potatoes.
Spray with olive oil and bake in the oven on 400 F for 50-60 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken. Internal temperature must be 165 F.
Remove from the oven, top with some fresh cilantro or parsley, fresh lemon slices, then serve.

Notes

Use a preheated oven.
A great way to marinate the chicken is to put it in a ziplock bag then pour in the marinade. Squeeze out all the air and allow to marinade if you have time.
Pan searing the chicken on both sides until just browned is only to seal in moisture and add color, it is not to fully cook the meat.
You can check the doneness of the chicken by using a meat thermometer. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. The thermometer should read 165F.
Sprinkle with some chili near the end of the bake, for a spicy kick.
Top with some fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lemon slices.
If you are going to use this recipe for meal prep, try dicing the chicken into bite-sized cubes. This makes reheating the chicken so much easier.

Nutrition