Simple and delicious Italian Baked Chicken with just 5 ingredients in 30 minutes! Make this recipe once and it will quickly become your favorite of all Italian chicken recipes!
Is there such a thing as having too many easy chicken recipes with minimal prep time? lol! I think not! 😉 Seriously though, while this Italian chicken recipe might not be super gourmet, it is absolutely delicious AND so easy to make!
I even forgot to use salt the last time I made this, and my kids didn't notice... not even my pickiest eater.
And what I love most about the simple chicken marinade is that the flavors go with so many other dishes, so leftovers can be chopped up and served in pasta, salads, or wraps. Yum!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
When you look at the ingredients, this is essentially a super simple homemade Italian dressing chicken recipe made with less salt. It's a recipe your whole family will love!
- Simple Ingredients You can find all of the ingredients at the grocery store. Chicken, Italian Seasoning, garlic powder, fresh lemon, salt (optional) and olive oil. That's it!
- Easy Recipe Just a few minutes of prep time! All you do is whisk together the simple marinade and let the chicken sit in it for about 2 hours. You don't need to move the chicken from the marinade to a sheet pan before you bake it. So easy!
- Kid-Approved Why overcomplicate a recipe when you don't have to? I noticed is that my kids LOVE the simple flavors of this chicken dish. Just last night my oldest daughter asked for a piece of leftover Italian chicken by itself. So, there you go. 😍
Dietitian Tip
Chicken thighs are less expensive and more tender than chicken breasts. Tender chicken is easier to eat, which is especially helpful for kids when they are trying new foods.
The reason chicken thigh meat is more tender is because of the fat content. This is why I suggest trimming off visible fat and, over time (maybe the next time), end up using a combination of chicken thigh and chicken breast meat.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Excellent source of protein, B-vitamins, and a variety of minerals. I use skinless and boneless chicken thighs for this recipe, but thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts would work well, too.
- Lemon Fresh lemon juice. Get the most juice out of your lemons by using a citrus press.
- Seasonings Italian seasoning, garlic powder or fresh garlic cloves, and a touch of salt. A pinch of black pepper would be taste fantastic, too!
- Olive Oil I use extra virgin olive oil because it contains monounsaturated fats and polyphenols which may have an anti-inflammatory effect.
How to Make Italian Baked Chicken
Here is a summary of the steps describing how to make Italian Chicken in the oven. For a complete list of ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Place chicken thighs in a 9x9 dish. Trim off visible fat.
- Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings in a small bowl to make the marinade.
- Pour marinade over the chicken thighs. Use tongs or a fork to move chicken pieces around to be sure that all sides are covered in the marinade.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 22 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken pieces reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Helpful Tips
- If you will be making more than one recipe, use a larger baking dish.
- There will be just enough marinade to cover each piece of chicken.
- There is no reason to discard the marinade.
- Cooking time will vary based on the size and type of chicken pieces and whether you use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs.
- To add more color and flavor, add a handful of cherry tomatoes to the baking dish and let them roast as the chicken bakes.
- Let it marinade for about 2 hours for the best flavor. Still, if you are in a rush, you can bake it right away.
- If you don't have all of the ingredients to make the marinade, feel free to use store-bought Italian salad dressing instead. Italian dressing makes a delicious marinade, whether its store bought or homemade.
- The best way to know if chicken is finished cooking is to use an instant-read digital food thermometer.
What to Serve with Italian Chicken Recipes
Here are a few of my favorite recipes to serve with Italian chicken. Afterall, chicken isn't a complete meal on its own. 😉
- Garlicky Green Beans
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Tuscan Kale Salad
- Roasted Potatoes
- Orzo with Broccoli The parmesan cheese in this dish combined with the lemon from the chicken is such a delicious combination!
Questions You May Have
Not when making this recipe. Chicken recipes that cook with rice, or something else that requires a lot of moisture usually suggest you cover it while it bakes.
Let the chicken come to room temperature and then place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
When I don't have Italian seasoning, I use a combination of at least two to three dried herbs like basil, thyme, parsley, oregano, garlic, or marjoram instead.
Related Recipes
More Dinner Recipes
📖 Recipe
Easy Baked Italian Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Kitchen shears to remove visible fat
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs About 5 chicken thighs.
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 ½ tablespoons Italian Seasoning
- ¾ teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt see notes (may not need salt at all)
Instructions
- Whisk fresh lemon juice, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt together in a small bowl to make the marinade.1 lemon, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 ½ tablespoons Italian Seasoning, ¾ teaspoons garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Place the chicken thighs in a 9x9 baking dish. Use kitchen shears (scissors) to remove visible fat.1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs. Use a fork or tongs to move and flip the pieces of chicken around so that all sides are covered in the marinade.
- Cover baking dish with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
- Remove baking dish from the fridge. Remove the foil or plastic wrap from the baking dish. Place the uncovered baking dish in a preheated oven set to 375 ℉ for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165℉.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The marinade is just enough for one and a half pounds of chicken thighs. If you will be marinating more than this, increase the amount of marinade.
- If you will be serving this with something salty, you can leave the salt out altogether. I actually forgot to add salt the last time I made this, and my kids didn't even notice.
- To add more color and flavor, add a handful of cherry tomatoes to the baking dish and let them roast as the chicken bakes.
- Let it marinade for about 2 hours for the best flavor. Still, if you are in a rush, you can bake it right away.
- Use a digital instant-read thermometer to be sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you don't have Italian Seasoning, use a combination of dried Italian herbs instead (like basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, sage, or garlic).
- If you really like a lemony flavor, feel free to add another half or whole lemon (juiced) along with some lemon zest to the marinade.
- Can use 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced, in place of garlic powder. I often to this because I always have fresh garlic on hand.
Kristi says
So good! I’m making this for dinner again tonight!