Lemon Pepper Chicken (Printable View)

Juicy pan-seared chicken breasts with zesty lemon-pepper butter sauce. A quick, flavorful dinner perfect for weeknight meals.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5.3-6.3 oz each)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Lemon-Pepper Butter Sauce

06 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - Juice of 1 large lemon (approximately 3 tablespoons)
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Lightly dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess coating.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet and allow it to melt completely. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper to the skillet. Simmer for 1-2 minutes while scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom.
06 - Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over the top. Heat for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
07 - Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant-level flavor with ingredients you probably already have sitting in your fridge.
  • The lemon butter sauce clings to every bite and somehow makes even overcooked chicken taste like you knew what you were doing.
  • Cleanup is just one pan, which means more time eating and less time scrubbing.
  • It works for a quiet solo dinner or when you need to impress someone without breaking a sweat.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the chicken, even a little moisture will prevent a good sear and make the flour gummy instead of crisp.
  • If your chicken breasts are thick and uneven, pound them gently with a pan or your palm so they cook at the same rate and stay juicy.
  • Watch the garlic like a hawk, it goes from fragrant to burnt in seconds and burnt garlic will make the whole sauce taste bitter.
  • Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, bottled juice lacks the brightness and can taste flat or chemically in a sauce this simple.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest on the counter for ten minutes before cooking so it sears evenly instead of steaming from the cold center out.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness instead of cutting into the chicken, slicing it early lets all the juices run out and leaves you with dry meat.
  • If the sauce looks too thin, let it simmer an extra minute, if it looks too thick, add a tablespoon of water or white wine to loosen it up.
  • Save any leftover lemon halves and toss them into the pan at the end for an extra burst of caramelized citrus flavor.
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