Description
Creamy lemon chicken with lemon butter sauce offers a delightful Mediterranean-inspired main course. Succulent chicken breasts nestle in a silky, tangy sauce that elevates weeknight dinners to restaurant-quality elegance you’ll crave again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Dry Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Liquid and Flavor Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Liberally coat chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dust thoroughly with flour, ensuring excess is tapped off.
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until achieving a rich golden crust and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Transfer cooked chicken to a separate plate, leaving flavorful fond in the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium and melt butter, allowing it to foam slightly. Quickly whisk in fresh lemon juice, fragrant lemon zest, and chicken broth, vigorously scraping accumulated browned bits from skillet bottom.
- Simmer sauce for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened and harmonized, stirring continuously.
- Gently nestle chicken back into the skillet, allowing it to bathe in the tangy lemon butter sauce for an additional 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the chicken for a bright, herbaceous finish.
- Plate immediately while sauce is warm and chicken remains succulent, serving directly from the skillet for a rustic presentation.
Notes
- Check chicken doneness by using a meat thermometer, ensuring it reaches 165°F for safe consumption.
- Adjust flour coating thickness by patting chicken dry before dredging, creating a crispier exterior.
- Tenderize chicken breasts by pounding them to even thickness before cooking, promoting uniform and quicker cooking.
- Experiment with gluten-free flour alternatives like almond or rice flour for those with dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 254 kcal
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg