Sometimes I am craving the flavors of a Thanksgiving dinner, but I don't want to cook a whole turkey. This baked split chicken breast is the perfect way to enjoy the flavors of Thanksgiving for one (or two) servings! Garlic compound butter is smeared under and over the chicken skin to ensure it is juicy and well-flavored. And the drippings are the perfect base for creating the garlic compound butter pan gravy. Serve this oven baked bone in chicken breast with mashed potatoes and stuffing. Now you can celebrate Thanksgiving any time of year with this easy baked chicken.

overhead view of chicken on a bed of mashed potatoes and peas and covered in gravy

I always make a compound butter when I am making my oven roasted turkey. To me, it is the easiest way to flavor the meat with minimal mess. Because they are both poultry, the flavors of garlic, dried herbs, onion, and lemon, are the perfect complement to oven roasted chicken breast as well. AND they give you a ready to go base for the chicken sauce.

If you want to see a similar version of this recipe for a turkey and gravy dinner, check out my posts for How to Cook the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey and Turkey Pan Dripping Gravy.

For another tasty pan sauce, try Creamy Boursin Chicken.

Pair this flavorful chicken breast recipe with mashed potatoes or Instant Pot Rice Pilaf.

baked chicken with peas, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy

Benefits of cooking with split chicken breast vs. boneless skinless chicken breast

We all know and love cooking with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. It's easy, it's versatile, and it's perhaps the most popular protein source in most american kitchens. But I want to shed a light on the benefits of split chicken breasts for a second!

Cost: Bone in chicken breasts are cheaper per pound that boneless. The current national average of boneless, skinless chicken breasts is 2.46, whereas the national average for bone in chicken breasts is 1.41. That is more than a full dollar difference! There is of course a small amount of weight to be factored in for the skin and bone, but that is very lightweight compared to the dense meat.
Flavor + Texture: Keeping the bone in and skin on flavors the meat AND keeps it moist. I like to think of the skin as a little blanket for holding all of that delicious compound butter flavor in and not allowing the moisture too escape. Boneless skinless chicken breasts can dry out and get tough if cooked incorrectly, so keeping the bone is a safety net and helps to ensure things stay moist!

Ingredients

bone-in chicken breast
butter
thyme
rosemary
salt
garlic
lemon + zest
flour
onion
chicken stock
chicken bouillon

How to cook chicken with compound butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine room temperature butter, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest,and minced garlic. Mix until well incorporated.

garlic compound butter ingredients in a small bowl.

garlic compound butter mixed in a small bowl.

Gently separate the skin of the chicken from the meat, being careful not to rip or fully detach. I like to take off any jewelry while doing this step.

one chicken breast with skin pulled back

Rub half of the garlic compound butter under the skin and the remaining half on top of the skin.

raw chicken on a white plastic cutting board covered in herb-garlic butter

Place chicken on a bed of onions and lemon. I don't bother peeling the onions, as the onion skins give a nice color to the chicken sauce.

lemon onions cut and placed in white baking dish.

raw chicken covered with compound butter.

Place in oven, uncovered, and bake from 45-55 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

baked chicken on a bed of onions and lemons

How to make pan gravy

When chicken is done cooking, place on a cutting board to the side. Use a spoon or turkey baster to remove the drippings from the pan and pour into a glass measuring cup.

up close of glass pyrex with chicken drippings

The fat/butter will rise to the top. Because we are only cooking with one chicken breast, there will not be much juice. Pour entire measuring cup of drippings into a shallow pan. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk together to create a roux.

chicken roux in a dark grey skillet with a whisk

Slowly add in additional chicken stock while whisking continuously.

completed gravy in a dark grey skillet with a whisk at an angle

Taste sauce and adjust flavor as needed with chicken bouillon.

Best Temperature for baked bone in chicken breast

My go to temperature for baking chicken whether it is bone in or boneless is 425 degrees F. This gives the best texture and least chance of drying out! With this buttery chicken breast recipe, it also helps ensure the skin gets nice and golden brown.

The bone in chicken breast cook time will vary on the size of the breast. Anywhere from 45-55 minutes is typical for a large baked chicken breast with the bone at 425 F. You may make this baked chicken at 400 degrees F if you prefer a lower cooking temp, simply adjust the cooking time up as needed.

HINT: An instant read thermometer is going to be your best friend here. Chicken needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F to be considered safe for consumption.

Storage

Butter freezes super well, so if you feel like making a big batch of compound butter ahead of time and freezing-- feel free. The compound butter can also be kept in the fridge for over a week with no noticeable decrease in quality.

Any leftover chicken can be pulled off the bone to be used in soups you'll love this (mien ga soup), wraps, or chicken salads. If you don't plan on using the chicken right way, pull it apart and freeze it. It will be ready to go for recipes in the future.

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