Roasted Chicken Breasts with Lemon and Thyme

Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter, softened, plus 1 tbsp melted
• Salt
• Grated Lemon Zest
• Thyme, minced
• Pepper
• Bone-in Split Chicken Breasts, trimmed

Steps

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine softened butter, salt, lemond zest, thyme, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Use your fingers to gently loosen center portion of skin covering breasts. Place half of butter mixture under skin on each breast and gently press on skin to spread mixture evenly over meat. Arrange chicken skin side up on rimmed baking sheet. Brush chicken skin with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Roast chicken until it registers 160 degrees, 35-40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through roasting. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Variations

with Lime and Chipotle

Substitute lime zest for lemon zest and minced chipotle for thyme.

with Ginger and Five-Spice

Substitute grated ginger for lemon zest and five-spice powder for thyme.

Notes!

"The Complete Cooking For Two Cookbook" America's Test Kitchen