Description
Bring the restaurant home with this quick and easy Lemon Butter Chicken — a golden, pan-seared chicken dish smothered in a rich, zesty lemon butter sauce that’s bold, buttery, and loaded with flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- Lemon slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Sear the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
4. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Melt butter, then add minced garlic. Stir until fragrant (30 seconds).
5. Add lemon juice and chicken broth, scraping up brown bits from the pan.
6. Simmer sauce for 2–3 minutes to reduce and slightly thicken. Add chili flakes if using.
7. Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over it. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
8. Garnish with parsley and optional lemon slices before serving.
Notes
Pound chicken to an even thickness for quicker and more even cooking. Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor—bottled lacks the same brightness. To thicken sauce, simmer longer or add 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 510mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg