This Lemon Garlic Chicken and Broccoli Bake is a recipe you’ll come back to again. We love a good easy dinner that’s all made in one pan. We also love our recipe for The Best Roasted Broccoli Ever so we combined the two to create one easy dinner that the whole family could love. The result is a fantastic meal that takes just minutes to put together. It’s perfect for those busy nights when you just need to get something put together fast!
You may also like our one pot chicken broccoli and rice casserole or our easy broccoli cheddar soup.
Why Our Recipe
- Super easy to put together and it bakes in one dish. Use either a 9×13 pan or a sheet pan.
- Lemon garlic and parmesan are a classic flavor combination that go perfectly with both chicken and broccoli.
- A nutritious and delicious meal that can be served plain or with steamed rice, pasta, couscous, or quinoa.
Lemon, garlic, and parmesan is a classic flavor combination which means you can’t really go wrong here! Serve it on its own or add some rice, pasta, couscous, or quinoa for a full meal the whole family will love. You get a balanced meal with great flavor and minimal effort.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts: You want evenly sized chicken breasts for even cooking. Try to buy chicken that hasn’t been injected with saline for best results.
- Broccoli Florets: Cut into medium-sized (bite-size) florets. Frozen broccoli can be used, but it will be much softer.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic packs the most flavor. The jarred kind work too, but the flavor always has a little more bitterness.
- Lemon (Zested and Juiced): You are using both the zest and the juice on this one so don’t forget to zest it first!
- Lemon Pepper: This seasoning blend adds a big punch of lemon zing. We love it!
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated or shredded is best. Avoid the powdered kind as it may not melt as well.
Saline Injected Chicken vs Natural
When shopping for chicken, you might notice terms like “saline-injected” or “enhanced” on the packaging. This means the chicken has been infused with a saltwater solution, often to boost its moisture and keep it looking fresh on store shelves. While this added solution can help the chicken stay juicy, it can also affect how your vegetables cook.
Saline-injected chicken typically releases more liquid during baking, which can make your broccoli a bit softer as the extra moisture limits browning. To keep your veggies on the crispier side, consider roasting them on a sheet pan if using saline-injected chicken.
Natural or unenhanced chicken doesn’t release as much liquid, allowing the vegetables to roast evenly alongside it for that ideal texture. For the best results—and to avoid paying extra for added water—look for “natural” chicken on the label.
Sheet Pan or 9×13
The recipe as written calls for a 9×13 pan, but you can also use a sheet pan to make this dinner. What’s the difference? Using a 9×13 pan will hold in more steam and juices, resulting in a saucier bake that keeps the chicken and broccoli extra moist. This is great if you plan to serve it with rice or pasta, as you can spoon some of the pan juices over for added flavor.
A sheet pan allows more liquid to evaporate, creating a slightly crispier texture on the chicken and broccoli. The broccoli will have lightly caramelized edges. Feel free to use whichever one works for you.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with a warm side of steamed rice, fluffy quinoa, or buttery couscous to soak up the delicious lemon-garlic sauce. A simple pasta like angel hair also works well. Another great option would be to serve it up with some of our delicious garlic bread.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave on high in 30-second increments.
Reheating in the Air Fryer at 350°F. Place the chicken and broccoli in a single layer in the basket and heat for 3-5 minutes, or until warm.
More easy chicken dinners…
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
I followed Rachel’s advice and bought natural chicken – we’re trying to eat a bit healthier so I subbed a low cal butter (Land O Lakes) for the real butter. Still good. I had to cook mine closer to an hour to get the chicken done but it was still very tasty and flavorful. Next time I will add more broccoli because it cooked down quite a bit. Fresh and healthy tasting dinner option. We served with rice.
This honestly was delicious! As someone who has tried recipes from various websites from time to time, I quickly learned that all but a few live up to the photo or expectations. Though my chicken was not as photo- fabulous, the taste and smell did not disappoint. The cheese sent it over the top! Trader Joe’s has a really nice shredded cheese. I am exciting to try more recipes from this site!