Our Baked Lemon Chicken Recipe

Changing eating habits and revamping your diet isn’t easy. Xyngular has created powerful bundles and kits designed to get your weight loss efforts off to a great start. When used in conjunction with exercise and a healthy diet, it can help jump start your lifestyle change in only eight days. The challenge then becomes finding recipes that taste good, while still providing the nutrients your body needs to function at its peak. Our Baked Lemon Chicken is both healthy and delicious. It’s lean and packed with flavor and nutrients. You can feel good about adding it to your weekly meal plan as part of your new, healthy lifestyle and the perfect companion to your Xyngular bundle or kit.

BAKED LEMON CHICKEN

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

● 4 chicken breasts

● 2 Tbs vegetable oil

● ½ c chicken stock

● 4 Tbs lemon juice

● 1 garlic clove

● 1 tsp Italian seasoning

● salt and pepper to taste

● 4 lemon slices

● fresh rosemary

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat oil on the stovetop in an ovenproof pan and brown the chicken on both sides.
While the chicken is browning, mix the chicken stock with the lemon juice, pressed garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a bowl.
Pour sauce over the browned chicken breasts.
Garnish with lemon slices and rosemary and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
Let the chicken rest for about five minutes before plating and serving.

HOW DO YOU BAKE CHICKEN WITHOUT DRYING IT?

Baking chicken for too long, or at too high of a temperature can leave it dry and unappetizing. As chicken bakes in the oven, it releases moisture. High heat or long baking times cause the chicken to release moisture even faster. The real secret though is to pull the chicken out when the internal temperature in the thickest part of the chicken reads 160 degrees F. Then, let it rest for about five minutes. During this time, the internal temp will actually go up about five degrees, and the chicken will finish cooking completely. Pulling the chicken out with those few minutes remaining, and letting it rest before cutting and serving, not only keeps the moisture from escaping, but it allows the juices to distribute evenly throughout the chicken.

HOW DO YOU KEEP CHICKEN MOIST WHEN BAKING?

The secret to a good lemon chicken recipe is all in the chicken. After all, it is the star of the dish. To keep your chicken moist when baking in the oven, start on the stovetop. By quickly searing the outside of the chicken breast before putting it in the oven, you lock in the juices that may otherwise escape in the initial baking process. While your oven preheats to 400 degrees (the optimal temperature for baking chicken), simply add some oil to a skillet or oven proof pan and sear each side of the chicken. This quick step will lead to the best and juiciest chicken ever.

IS IT BETTER TO BAKE CHICKEN COVERED OR UNCOVERED?

To cover, or not to cover, that is the question. The answer all depends on what kind of chicken you’re baking. If you’re baking a whole chicken or chicken pieces like breasts or drumsticks, leave it uncovered to allow the meat to cook evenly and the outside to get to the desired texture. If you’re making a stewed chicken recipe, you will want to cover it to keep the moisture in and allow the sauce to reduce.

HOW CAN I MAKE MY CHICKEN MORE FLAVORFUL?

Chicken doesn’t have a ton of flavor in and of itself, but it doesn’t take much to really bring the flavor out in it. Using salt, pepper, and other seasonings before cooking your chicken will help infuse the meat with great flavor. The lemon juice and lemon slices in this recipe, as well as the fact that it is cooked in a flavorful broth, really punch up the flavor.

WHAT DO YOU EAT LEMON CHICKEN WITH?

If you’re looking for a healthy, low-calorie, low-carb side to serve with your baked lemon chicken recipe, veggies are a great option. Green beans, sautéed spinach or a simple spinach salad, or roasted Brussels sprouts all pair nicely with chicken dishes like this one. Or you can go with a salad loaded with veggies and a little dressing.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CHICKEN, LEMON, GARLIC, AND ROSEMARY?

All of the ingredients in this healthy chicken dish help support a healthy lifestyle. The chicken breast is an excellent source of lean protein. Protein is a building block for muscle tissue throughout your body. Plus, chicken is low in fat, which reduces your risk of developing high cholesterol and heart disease.

When life gives you lemons, use them to get healthy. Lemons are great for supporting your immune system, helping ease sore throats, lowering fever, increasing your metabolism, and helping regulate your digestive system. Lemon juice is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin E, niacin, magnesium, and folate.

Garlic doesn’t just keep vampires away, it can keep the doctor at bay too. Garlic has been praised in recent years for its ability to boost the immune system. But be careful, too much garlic can keep your family and friends away too.

Finally, rosemary also has many benefits, including “its ability to boost memory, improve mood, reduce inflammation, relieve pain, protect the immune system, stimulate circulation, detoxify the body, protect the body from bacterial infections, prevent premature aging, and heal skin conditions” according to Organic Facts. Rosemary is also a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, manganese, iron, and calcium.

So as you eat this baked lemon chicken, you’re doing more than just eating a tasty dinner. You’re improving your health, one forkful at a time.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER HEALTHY CHICKEN MEAL IDEAS?

In addition to this baked lemon chicken recipe, we’ve got lots of other healthy chicken meal ideas. Some of our favorite Xyngular chicken recipes are Garlic Chicken and Sautéed Zucchini, Garlic Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower, Juicy Chicken with Green Beans and Almonds, and Keto Roasted Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts. Each of our Xyngular recipes is easy to make and will help you stay on track and reach your goals.

You can also bookmark our Recipes and Resources pages to stay up to date on all the Xyngular recipes. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more great Xyngular meal ideas, tips, and Xyngular product announcements.