I made Ina Garten's easy lemon chicken breasts for my family and friends. They were a huge hit.

Photo of Ina Garten next to photo of lemon chicken on a plate with Brussels sprouts and sweet potato — Ina Garten's lemon chicken recipe was easy, even for a beginner like myself.
Andrew Toth/Getty Images; David Silbert

I'm guilty of overcooking chicken breast, but Ina Garten's recipe helped me prepare a tender entrée.
I couldn't find boneless chicken with the skin on, so I substituted it for split halves.
The recipe provides plenty of downtime to prepare sides. I made sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

As a beginner cook, I'm always looking for easy meals that taste great.

Ina Garten's recipes have quickly risen to the top of my to-cook list. Her meals are simple with just a few ingredients and they're also flavorful.

This time, I prepared her lemon chicken breasts for my parents and a few friends, and we were all impressed.

The recipe requires just nine ingredients. All I had to buy was chicken.

Packages of chicken breast, thyme, two lemons, juicer, olive oil on counter — I already had most of the ingredients for the chicken.
David Silbert

Two of the main ingredients are right in the title: lemons and chicken breasts.

The other ingredients — olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, oregano, and fresh thyme — were already in my kitchen.

The recipe also called for 1/3 cup of dry white wine. I used a chardonnay that my mother graciously spared for the occasion.

Pick, mince, and measure out your thyme beforehand.

Thyme in a plastic container — The recipe called for a teaspoon of minced thyme leaves.
David Silbert

Garten's recipe asked for a teaspoon of fresh, minced thyme.

To collect the leaves, I ran my fingers across a few branches, then chopped them a bit finer.

Tip: Read through the recipe and measure your ingredients before turning on the burner.

The bulk of the prep involved seasoning the oil.

Minced garlic in oil on a pan on a hot stovetop — Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before you start.
David Silbert

Next, I turned on the oven and heated ¼ cup of olive oil in a small pan. Once the oil started to bubble, I added the minced garlic.

Careful, though: Garten recommends heating the garlic for just a minute. If it turns brown, you've cooked it too long.

The recipe made good use of the lemons.

Microplane zester filled with lemon zest above two shaved lemons — Two lemons provided just the right amount of zest.
David Silbert

The recipe called for two lemons that Garten cleverly uses in three ways: sliced, squeezed, and zested. I found the two lemons provided just enough zest for the recipe (one tablespoon).

With the garlic done, I turned off the heat, moved the pan to a cool part of the stove, and added the zest.

Then, I cut one of the lemons in two and gave each end a hearty squeeze into the pan. I also added the chardonnay (though any dry white works).

Between the garlic and fresh citrus, my kitchen smelled wonderful.

I finished the oil with thyme, oregano, and salt.

Oregano and Thyme on top of a pot of hot oil on stovetop — The thyme and oregano enriched the flavor profile.
David Silbert

All that remained was to season the oil. I added thyme, salt, and oregano, per Garten's instructions.

Where plenty of chicken recipes call for various seasons and blends, Garten opted to do more with less. I appreciated the simplicity.

Next, I spread my oil evenly across a baking sheet.

Pouring pan of hot, seasoned oil onto a metal baking sheet — I chose to add a little more thyme.
David Silbert

I transferred the oil to a large baking sheet, and then rotated the pan so it was spread out evenly.

I had a lot of thyme left so I threw some on the sheet, too.

Preparing the chicken was surprisingly simple.

Raw chicken on cooking sheet next to pastry brush in container and salt and pepper shakers — The recipe called for olive oil, salt, and pepper.
David Silbert

In a twist, Garten's recipe didn't say to baste the chicken with the pan oil. Instead, I placed each breast on the pan and brushed them with olive oil.

They were good to go with a few pinches of salt and pepper.

Notably, the recipe is intended for four pieces of boneless, skin-on chicken breast. Despite asking several butchers, I couldn't find boneless meat with skin, so I substituted it for split halves.

I also had room on the pan to add two more breasts, so I did.

I used lemon wedges as the final garnish.

Lemon slices on cutting board alongside knife and seeds — None of the lemons went to waste.
David Silbert

Remember the second lemon? It came back into play here.

I sliced it into wedges and then placed them between the chicken breasts.

Despite using just nine ingredients, I was impressed by the artistry of this recipe.

I had plenty of time to prepare side dishes while the chicken cooked.

Brussels sprouts in a large wok, cooked — I made sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts.
David Silbert

The recipe says to bake the chicken at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on your oven.

I set a timer for the full 40 and used the opportunity to prepare some easy side dishes.

With oil, salt, and pepper already in front of me, I diced up some sweet potatoes to bake alongside the chicken. I reheated the stove and worked on preparing Brussels sprouts while watching TV.

The chicken came out delightful.