The Perfect Baked Chicken Breasts

   There is good food and then there is comfort food. I don't know about you, but sometimes I just desperately need a comforting meal. These lemony baked chicken breasts are comfort perfection to me. I've been making them since I was 17 and love them to this day. They bring up memories of sitting around the table and eating together with loved ones, of my beginning love of cooking, and just that feeling of a really satisfying meal. They're covered in herbs and have alight lemony zing about them. This meal usually provides you with a good amount of home made chicken broth to use or turn into gravy like I do. Give this recipe a try for a dinner with your loved ones, it'll leave sweet table time memories. 

Ingredients:

• 1 package of bone in, skin on, split chicken breasts. Usually there are anywhere between 2-4 in a pack. *The amount of 1 or 2 extra shouldn't change the cooking time or preparation. Just make sure to not overlap the chicken in the pan. 
• Half of a lemon sliced into round slices 
• 1/4 stick of salted butter softened
• 3 cloves of garlic: 2 of them finely chopped, 1 just sliced
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 T sea salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup of fresh chopped Italian herbs, plus extra for sprinkling (basil, oregano, rosemary, and lemon thyme is what I use)
• 1 cup of filtered water
• About 6 carrot sticks, or 15 baby carrots
• 6 celery sticks

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and make sure the bone in chicken breasts come to room temperature. 
2. Prepare a large baking dish by coating the bottom of the dish with olive oil. Use either a brush or a paper towel to make sure the oil is all over the pan evenly. 
3.  Randomly arrange the veggies in the bottom of the pan, as well as the 1 garlic clove that is sliced, and any extra herbs for over top of the veggies. 
4. Then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle the chicken with the rest of the salt and pepper evenly.
6. In a small bowl mix together the butter, chopped herbs, 2 T of olive oil, and 2 cloves of chopped garlic. Whip the butter a little with everything in it.
7. Spread the butter evenly all over the chicken breasts. Get the butter all over the bottom, top, and under the skin of the chicken. I usually use my hands, but gloves, or a spatula would work as well.
8. Stick a round lemon slice under the skin of each breast (pictures below). 
9. Set the buttered chicken over top of the veggies. 
10.  Pour one cup of water in the bottom of the veggie pan. 
11. Throw in any leftover lemon slices, even just a couple, into the bottom of the pan. 
12. Bake chicken dish for 45 minutes to 1 hour total.
13.  After 30 minutes of bake time you should baste the chicken. If you don't have a baster, take a large spoon, or a 1/4 measuring cup and carefully draw up some of the chicken broth from the bottom of the pan, and pour over the chicken. Pour the broth over a few times, and return the chicken to the oven for the remaining time. If you notice the chicken turning golden brown too quickly, you can cover with aluminum foil.  
14.  You can check the chicken at 45 minutes with a meat thermometer for a temp of 165 degrees or cut the breasts in half to check for clear running juices. They are done when either of those ring true. 

*Some Step By Step Pictures Below: 

   I love to serve the chicken over mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes, or a sweet potato gratin. It's especially amazing when you turn the chicken broth into gravy and drizzle it over everything. We're going right into the heart of comfort food here, so please join me, and enjoy!