Herb Chicken Breast

Make this delicious Herb Chicken packed with tons of fresh flavor from herbs, lemon juice, and garlic. Serve it with some Crispy Baked Broccoli or Easy Roasted Potatoes.

You heard it here first: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the new black. Okay maybe they're not something you wear but they seemingly go with everything, right? I can't think of one period of time in the past, say, six years when I haven't had at least two packages in the freezer. They're a go-to protein, as easy to throw on the grill as they are to throw in the crock pot. You can make them any which way and they're still delicious.

That being said, however, I do realize that sometimes we all fall into ruts. You find a recipe that you love and keep making it over and over. And just when you think you'll never get tired of it, one day, you just...can't eat one more bite.

That's why I think one of the most common requests we hear from folks is the need for new and exciting recipes for boneless and skinless chicken breasts. It's such a common choice for people looking to lose weight or eat clean but the reality is that the same simple baked or boiled chicken day in and day out can get boring.

That's where this recipe for herb chicken breast comes in handy. The next time you stare at a package of chicken breasts, don't despair! Try this recipe and forever change how you think about chicken. The recipe yields a moist and delicious chicken every time and the best part is that you can mix it up lots of ways!

How Can I Customize This Herb Chicken Breast?

As many recipes as there are for chicken (a gajillion, right off the top of my head) are the numbers of ways you can change this recipe up. Whatever you choose, just follow the instructions below for a guaranteed moist and delicious chicken every time.

• Change out the parsley for rosemary, oregano, tarragon, sage, dill, or cilantro — or a mixture of some or all of them.
• Use lime juice or orange juice instead of the lemon juice.
• Add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce to kick the flavor up to your favorite spice level.
• Add Cajun spices to the chicken and feel like you're down in New Orleans.
• Toss in some shallots or green onions.
• Cover it in herbs and Parmesan for a yummy, cheesy baked chicken crust.
• Add Dijon (dried or out of a bottle) to the mixture if you like a good mustard flavor.

How Can I Freeze this Herb Chicken Breast?

Chicken is so easy to batch cook. Oftentimes you find chicken in huge packages anyway and I always think if you're going to go through all the effort to cook something, might as well make it a double batch and free some (or use it for leftovers).

You can freeze it one of two ways:

1. Season the chicken and then lay it down in a single row on a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet, and pop them in the freezer. After the chicken has frozen (a couple hours should do it), take the breasts off the sheet and put them in a Ziploc bag, then back into the freezer.
2. Freeze fully seasoned and cooked chicken once it has reached room temperature. You can go ahead and put this chicken in a bag or airtight container and skip the parchment paper step.

The chicken will keep for about 2-3 months either way in your freezer.

Can I Use Chicken Thighs?

Yes, chicken thighs are great in this dish as well and also take on just about any marinade or spice blend you can dream up. Keep in mind that the chicken thighs are slightly higher in fat and calories, though some people swear by the taste of them over that of the white breast meat. If your thighs are on the smaller side, they will cook more quickly. Pay attention while they cook so that they don't become overdone.

Whether you choose breasts or thighs or some other chicken preparation, there's one sure way to know when they are done. Stick a meat thermometer into the meatiest part. If it reads 165 degrees F, you're good to go!

Tips & Tricks for Cooking Chicken

• Go ahead and pound that chicken into a cutlet to ensure even baking time. To avoid a mess, pound it between two pieces of plastic wrap or in a plastic baggie with the air taken mostly out.
• There is no need to rinse your chicken first, and in fact, studies have shown that rinsing your chicken only contaminates more surfaces in your kitchen. If your chicken is too moist, you can always pat it down with paper towel before seasoning.
• For the most moist chicken (say that three times fast), leave your chicken out about 20-30 minutes before cooking it to allow it to come to room temperature. Rumor has it all the best chefs do that before cooking their chicken.
• If you can, only flip that chicken once to ensure even cooking. If it doesn't easily come up to flip after cooking on one side — it's not ready!