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Home » Main Courses » Breaded Lemon Chicken with Garlic-infused Olive Oil

Breaded Lemon Chicken with Garlic-infused Olive Oil

by Beth Lee · Published: Sep 5, 2018 · Modified: Feb 11, 2021

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Breaded Lemon Garlic Chicken is like a kitchen miracle! You use olive oil instead of eggs to help the breading adhere to the chicken and it is insanely juicy and delicious. First posted in 2011, this recipe never gets old - we love it just as much now as we did then.

Another great chicken recipe to try is my apricot jam chicken.

For ease of browsing, here are all my main dish recipes in one place.

Brenda's Breaded Lemon Garlic Chicken: Simple and Flexible

Multi-tasking. We usually thinking of it in the context of work or school, but I really appreciate it in the kitchen. I love multi-purpose ingredients, finding creative ways to use small amounts of soon-to-expire foods, and leftovers I can use to create other dishes. This super-simple breaded lemon chicken recipe from my dear friend, Brenda, qualifies for all of the above.

A serving of breaded lemon garlic chicken on a white plate with lemon garnish.

The Secret to this Chicken? Garlic-Infused Olive OIl

One simple twist makes this lemon garlic chicken stand out from your usual breaded lemon chicken recipe. You dip the chicken in garlic-flavored olive oil instead of an egg or milk mixture before coating with the breading.

And if you have leftovers (unlikely!), there are many creative ways to use them. When I make the bread crumb mixture with Italian seasonings, I might use the leftover chicken for chicken parmigiana sandwiches the next evening. You could cut the leftovers into strips and prepare a caesar chicken salad the next day or you can just reheat the chicken and eat it as is.

Close up of lemon garlic chicken on a white plate with lemon twist on top and a sprig of fresh rosemary to the side.

The Basics of Breading

The breading is also a smart way to use up leftover bread/bread crumbs/crackers/even cereal in your house. Use whatever strikes your fancy. Sometimes I use homemade crumbs from leftover bread, sometimes Japanese panko, sometimes store-bought bread crumbs, sometimes leftover crackers or even cereal that isn’t too sweet - corn flakes or raisin bran for example.

And be creative with how you season the crumbs. Recently I tried fresh rosemary from my garden and that married so nicely with the lemon!

Close up of breaded chicken on  showing crispy panko breading, lemon garnish, and fresh herbs on top.

This recipe works well with the amounts indicated but consider it a starting point. You decide how much chicken to use and what type (boneless skinless thighs or breasts or pre-cut breast tenders). And based on what you have on hand, decide what breading to use and what olive oil you have and then create the best breaded chicken you will ever taste.

A Lemon Lift

I added lemon zest to the bread crumb mixture and a squeeze of lemon at the end. Because in our house, everything tastes better with lemon. I have made this lemon garlic chicken recipe at least 20 times with everything from breasts to thighs to pre-cut tenders and it has always been moist and flavorful. My family smiles when they see me making this and yes they frequently exclaim OMG! Yummy when they eat it. Really they do.

Breaded lemon chicken on a white plate with a head of garlic, a cut lemon and  sprig of fresh rosemary next to the serving.

How to Make Breaded Lemon Chicken

The key to making this super juicy and crispy chicken is the garlic-infused olive oil.

While you are preparing your breading and your chicken pieces, place the olive oil and garlic in a small pan and let it heat up. Not boil, just heat up and let the garlic flavor permeate the oil.

Prepare your chicken pieces as needed.

Mix your bread crumb mixture in a plate or bowl or tray so you can dip the chicken in the mixture.

Breaded chicken ready to bake on sheet tray.

Once the olive oil garlic mixture is cooled, dip each piece of chicken in it and then in the bread crumbs and place on a baking tray (parchment or foil-lined if you like).

If you have extra bread crumbs or olive oil, sprinkle it over the top of the chicken pieces.

Bake your chicken according to the recipe below.

A serving of breaded chicken on white plate and dark background garnished with fresh lemon wedges and a twist of lemon on top.

What to Serve with Breaded Lemon Garlic Chicken

Roasted Asparagus Salad with Preserved Lemon

Simple Summer Chopped Salad

Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Kale and Apple Salad

Supplies for Making Lemon Chicken

This post contains Amazon affiliate links – if you click on one and purchase something, I receive a very tiny percentage of the sale. Your price is never affected.

The most important kitchen tool is a sheet tray for baking the chicken. I use these types of sheet trays for so many things from baking to roasting to organizing ingredients. I also use parchment paper all the time. Panko bread crumbs are also very handy to have around - they make for a nice light and crispy breading but remember to use what you have on hand!

Also check out my Amazon shop that includes some of my favorite food and food-related products. I am always updating it – please visit often. And let me know if you need specific products recommendations – I am happy to help!

Brenda, who shared this recipe with me, is not only creative in the kitchen, she has one of the most positive attitudes about life of anyone I know. You can learn more about her approach to living a balanced, happy life on her website: Clarity Works

Buy my cookbook now!

P.S. If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or a review in the comment section below. I so appreciate your feedback! AND find more inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Signup for my email list, too!

breaded lemon garlic chicken on napkin and wood

Brenda's Breaded Chicken

Breaded Lemon Garlic Chicken will quickly become your favorite baked chicken recipe. The secret is the garlic-infused olive that helps the breading adhere to the chicken. Your chicken will come out juicy and delicious every single time!
5 from 14 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 264 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3-4 garlic cloves cut in half
  • ½ - â…” cup olive oil
  • Boneless skinless chicken - about 20 tenders 6 or 7 half breasts or 12 thighs
  • 2.5 cups bread crumbs cracker crumbs, or cereal (any combination you like)
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 small lemon zested, juice reserved for after chicken is cooked
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

  • Place garlic cloves and olive oil in a small saute pan on med low and let the oil and garlic heat up - but don’t let it boil. 5 or 10 minutes will do it. Then let it sit for a bit to cool down.
  • While the oil is being infused with the garlic on the stove, prepare the bread crumb mixture on a large plate. Combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. (This step is where you can be creative if you want - add some cayenne or crushed red pepper; skip the Italian seasoning and go for cumin and chili powder or try rosemary or oregano or basil; eliminate the parmesan cheese or use romano or asiago instead)
  • Once olive oil is cooled down, dip each chicken piece in the olive oil mixture and then bread crumb mixture and place on a non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • If you have extra bread crumbs or olive oil, sprinkle the extra over the top of the chicken.
  • Bake at 325 convect or 350 regular for about 20 minutes convect, 30 minutes regular (exact time will depend on thickness of chicken pieces and the temperature of your particular oven)
  • Right before serving, squeeze some lemon juice on the chicken from the lemon you zested. 

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 23gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 418mgPotassium: 290mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 75IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 144mgIron: 2.4mg
Keyword chicken, garlic, lemons
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jenni

    July 19, 2020 at 3:05 pm

    My spin on this is in the oven Right Now and it smells amazing! So easy to make too! Thank you for the great recipe and easy instructions! xo

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      July 19, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      Yay - I can't wait to sit down and watch you making it. Thanks so much for featuring it on your Sunday cooking video XOXO.

      Reply
  2. Lisalia

    April 23, 2020 at 9:46 am

    5 stars
    Yummy! This is my favorite flavor combo - chicken and lemon. So fresh and perfect for spring. Turned out perfectly. Thanks for this new favorite.

    Reply
  3. Beth

    April 23, 2020 at 9:09 am

    5 stars
    This looks like a dish that my family will gobble up! I love your idea of seasoning the bread crumbs with fresh rosemary from your garden - fabulous!

    Reply
  4. Little Cooking Tips

    September 27, 2018 at 2:52 am

    5 stars
    This is a great way to infuse olive oil with garlic for immediate use in a recipe and we'll be definitely trying this! We often have ready-made garlic-rosemary infused EVOO in our pantry which we add as dressing in salads etc. We let the garlic and the fresh rosemary stay in the olive oil for 1 day and then we strain it and keep it in the pantry. The reasoning behind this, is that we use cold-pressed EVOO which keeps all of the vitamins so we prefer not to heat it up, if using it raw, in salads etc. Ever tried it this way yourself Beth?
    Now, the chicken in this recipe must be SO AMAZING! We bet the crust must be super-yummy and we loved that you baked and didn't fry these. So, you also didn't use the classic flour-eggs-crumbs technique. SO interesting!!!
    Excellent work dear, really!
    xoxoxo

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      September 27, 2018 at 10:46 am

      Oh I am so intrigued by the cold pressed oil information. I haven't tried doing my own infusions in oil. I did make a lemon rosemary salt recently - I have a herb garden that was overrun with rosemary and a meyer lemon tree full of lemons. And I used some of it in a version of this chicken. So good. You have inspired me to try an olive oil infusion. Thanks my friends for all of your comments and feedback. You really made my day. XOXO

      Reply
  5. Jane Saunders

    September 20, 2018 at 12:51 pm

    5 stars
    I like your idea to include rosemary. We have a bit stash in the garden that is being under-used right now. So many great variations in here - I'm very intrigued about dipping in olive oil rather than egg.

    Reply
    • Beth Lee

      September 20, 2018 at 12:56 pm

      I also discovered that you freeze fresh rosemary or dry it or make lemon rosemary salt with it. Hopefully that will help you use up some that stash!

      Reply
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Beth
Hi! I’m Beth Lee. In 2010, I realized I prefer pita chips to memory chips and started this blog. My family is a mix of Jewish/Hawaiian/Korean heritage and my food reflects our diversity. My virtual kitchen is always open. Let’s cook together!  See all my recipes...

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