Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken (Printable)

Pan-seared chicken draped in a zesty lemon garlic butter sauce, ready in 35 minutes flat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Coating & Sautéing

03 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour if needed)
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

→ Lemon Garlic Sauce

06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Season chicken breasts evenly with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece lightly in flour, shaking off any excess.
02 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the fat is shimmering, add the chicken breasts. Cook for 5–6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3–4 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
05 - Return the chicken along with any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over each piece and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
06 - Scatter fresh parsley over the top and serve immediately, spooning extra sauce over each portion.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like something from a proper bistro
  • It uses pantry staples you probably already have sitting around
02 -
  • Do not move the chicken around while it sears or you will never get that caramelized crust
  • The fond stuck to the pan bottom is half the flavor so scrape it all up when deglazing
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for a couple minutes after searing so the juices redistribute instead of running out when you cut it
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest to avoid the bitter white pith

Go back