Preheat your oven to 400ºF. This temperature is ideal for baking chicken, ensuring it cooks through while remaining juicy.
Prepare your chicken breasts by placing them on a steady surface between two sheets of parchment or plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound each piece to an even thickness. This step ensures that the chicken cooks uniformly and remains tender.
Next, place the chicken in a 9x13-inch baking dish or similar-sized dish. You want enough room for the chicken to bake without overlapping.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, minced garlic, garlic powder, and the optional honey. This marinade will infuse the chicken with flavor.
Pour this flavorful mixture over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well coated. Sprinkle half of the kosher salt and ground black pepper on top of the chicken, then turn the pieces over and sprinkle with the remaining half. This method ensures flavor on both sides.
Pierce the chicken lightly with a fork all over. This helps the marinade penetrate deeper and allows for even seasoning.
Let the chicken marinate for 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature. This resting time is important for the flavors to develop. If you're short on time, you can bake it right away, but the marinating step adds a lot of flavor.
Once marinated, place diced pieces of butter on top of the chicken. The butter will melt during baking, enhancing the flavor and moisture.
Bake on the middle rack of your oven until the chicken is nearly finished cooking through, reaching an internal temperature of about 160ºF. This usually takes about 30 to 35 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts.
After baking, remove the chicken from the oven and transfer it to a plate. Loosely cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring juicy chicken.
Finally, slice the chicken and serve it with the pan drippings, lemon slices, and your favorite sides. Enjoy!
