Lemon Pepper Panko Crusted Chicken Baked in 30 Mins!

Name: Lemon Pepper Panko Crusted Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts ((6 breasts, 4 ounces each) or cutlets *See Notes); 2 tablespoons avocado oil (olive oil, or melted butter); 1/4 cup lemon juice ((approx. 1 large or two small lemons)); 1/2 cup Italian seasoned panko ((Japanese bread crumbs) or gluten free panko); 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon fine ground sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 lemon (cut into slices); 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

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A bit of citrus and a touch of heat is what makes this panko crusted chicken so irresistible! It has the perfect balance of flavors. You won’t believe how juicy and tender lemon pepper chicken breast is, and just wait until you hear the crunch of the panko breading.

Four pieces of panko breaded chicken on a white serving plate.

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Why We Love This Recipe

A healthy baked recipe.
We use lean white meat, and even though it includes breading, the dish is oven-baked, not deep-fried. This means it isn’t bogged down by excess oils that sit heavy in your stomach.
Quick and easy to prepare.
Chicken breasts are relatively inexpensive, and all of the seasonings can be found year-round in almost any store. One of our specialties is making delicious entrees easy and accessible. You and your family are going to love this yummy and easy 30-minute meal!
You can bake it in the oven or the air fryer.
Versatility is the name of the game with this lemon pepper chicken recipe!

If you enjoy quick and easy chicken dinners, be sure to check out our super simple recipe for recipe chicken pot pie with bisquick! There’s no pie crust to mess with because this classic is topped with biscuit dough!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Labeled ingredients for making lemon panko crusted chicken.

Chicken Breasts – To help the meal cook more quickly, you’ll be cutting each breast in half horizontally. This creates what are essentially cutlets. Feel free to use those if you’d like. Want to learn how to properly cut chicken breast? Check our post!
Italian Seasoned Panko – You can also toss unseasoned bread crumbs with Italian seasoning to get the same result. (If you’re looking for an oven-baked chicken recipe without breading, learn how to cook chicken tenderloins in the oven.)
Lemon Pepper Seasoning – A pre-mixed blend of dried lemon zest, salt, and pepper. This is another seasoning you can make from scratch with some fresh lemons — and we do have fresh lemon juice in this recipe, so you’ll already have them on hand!

Recipe Variations

The breast part is our favorite for panko breaded chicken because they’re easy to coat and cook well, but you can really use any cut of boneless skinless meat. You could even use tenders (though we recommend one of our tender-specific recipes if that’s the cut you want to use).

As for the seasonings, there are some other things you can add to the breading:

Parmesan cheese is really easy to add to the bread crumbs and it doesn’t melt when it bakes.
A bit of paprika, cayenne, or even chili powder will add a tiny kick of spice to your panko crusted chicken than the black pepper on its own.

A secret ingredient you can use (that is hotly debated!) is mayo. Use it to coat the meat along with the oil and lemon juice — or in place of it. The bread crumbs stick to it well, and it helps to keep the meat moist and flavorful. To keep the meal healthier, use fat-free mayo.

Looking for other healthy baked chicken dinner ideas?

Some of our most popular recipes are also the healthiest! Family favorites include oven baked marinated chicken tenders and our chicken piccata recipe from Cheesecake Factory.

Tips for the Best Panko Breaded Chicken

Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten the breasts.
A mallet is faster and easier, but a rolling pin will also do the trick. Even an empty wine bottle or bottom of a heavy skillet or saucepan will work.

The idea is to get the breasts to an even thickness so that they cook faster as well as cook evenly.

Several pieces of uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast on a piece of plastic wrap, next to a bowl of bread crumbs.

Use your fingers to help the bread crumbs stick.
To prevent the breading from falling off the, use your fingers to press the crumbs into the breasts.
Keep the pieces in a single layer on the pan.
Overlapping the cuts is a surefire way to end up with undercooked meat. Whether oven baking or air frying, you want to be sure all surfaces of the panko crusted chicken cook at the same rate.

Coating chicken breast in panko breading.

Don’t cook it all the way through!
We’re going a little against our normal method here – shoot for an internal temperature of 163°F., not 165°F. This is because baked meat continues to cook as it rests after coming out of the oven.

By doing this, the panko breaded chicken will be perfectly moist and juicy, more so than if you cook it completely before letting it rest.

A boneless skinless piece of poultry in a dish with breading.

🎯 TFN Pro Tip

The term ‘carryover cooking’ describes the process where food continues to cook after it has been removed from its heat source.

An instant-read digital cooking thermometer is required to perform the carryover cooking method.

Platter of panko crusted chicken pieces.

Recipe FAQs

How do you get panko to stick to the meat?

Using oil helps to create well-coated panko crusted chicken. The technique is also important – press gently and wiggle the piece as you press it down into the breadcrumbs.

Generally, it’s easier to get a thick coating of crumbs using the press method rather than shaking them in a Ziploc bag.

What is panko breading?

Steamed bread is used to create this Japanese-style of breadcrumb. The pieces are bigger and flakier than traditional breading. Panko is the key to creating extra crispy baked lemon pepper chicken breasts!

How do I store and reheat this?

Keep leftover panko breaded chicken breasts in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat in the oven, lay the pieces on a baking sheet and reheat at 350°F. until warmed through – 5 or 10 minutes. You can broil for the last few minutes to really regain the crunch!
To reheat in the air fryer, set to 350°F. and reheat for 3 to 5 minutes. This is definitely the best reheating method for very crispy leftovers!

Baked lemon pepper panko crusted chicken breast on a plate with cooked pasta.

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