Pat your chicken breasts dry with paper towels—this step feels obvious, but moisture on the surface prevents browning. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika until the honey dissolves completely. This mixture is your flavor foundation for the entire elegant baked chicken breast summer experience.

Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the marinade over them, making sure each piece gets coated on both sides. Let them sit for exactly 10 minutes—not longer (you don't want the acid to over-tenderize the meat). This is my vulnerability moment: I've rushed this step before, and the result was decent but not remarkable. Ten minutes changes the texture.

While the chicken marinates, preheat your oven to 425°F. Tear off the fresh rosemary and thyme leaves from their stems and scatter them directly over the chicken in the dish. Pour the chicken broth around (not over) the chicken—the liquid will steam from below and keep everything from drying out while the top gets color.

Slide the baking dish into the preheated oven. Bake for 32-35 minutes, until the thickest part of each breast reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer. Don't skip the thermometer—beautiful juicy chicken depends on hitting this temperature without overshooting it. I've learned this the hard way.

Remove the pan from the oven and immediately add the butter to the pan juices, stirring gently so it melts into a sauce. This final step makes the pan liquid taste finished and rich instead of thin and watery. Let the stunning simple baked chicken rest for five minutes before serving so the juices redistribute throughout the meat.