If you’re searching for a stress-free, flavor-packed Sunday dinner that’ll have your family singing your culinary praises, my Baked Lemon Butter Chicken is your answer.
Ingredients
10 dark meat chicken pieces (I used drumsticks and thighs, trimmed of any excess fat)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp Montreal chicken seasoning blend or any chicken seasoning of choice (bullion is fine)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
Once the butter is melted, add onions and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
To the onions, add chopped parsley and garlic. Mix well to combine and add lemon juice, followed by red pepper flakes.
Add chicken stock followed by Parmesan cheese. Mix well to combine and then add heavy cream.
Bring to a simmer for a minute, then turn off the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly.
While the sauce cools, season chicken with salt, smoked paprika, and chicken seasoning. Toss well to combine and pour the sauce over the chicken in a baking dish.
Bake UNCOVERED on 375 degrees for 1 hour & 45 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Broil on the skin side until golden brown.
Baste in sauce to finish and enjoy!
Notes
If you need to cook this dish faster, simply increase the temperature of the oven to 400 degrees and roast instead of bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is tender!
Remember, there are different factors for how long chicken takes to cook, especially dark meat chicken. If your chicken pieces are bigger it could take longer. If the chicken pieces are smaller it might be done sooner. Ovens also vary and if you have your chicken at room temp for at least 30 minutes it will also cook faster and more evenly. My chicken took about an hour and 45 minutes because my chicken was NOT room temp and also my pieces were pretty big. Your chicken might be done sooner!
Use your eyes as the ultimate test to tell you the chicken is done. If you see the meat pulling away from the bone and meat appears fork tender and looks nice and brown on all sides then it’s ready! Also, use a meat thermometer to be 100% certain 
