Description
Simple Lemon Chicken is bright, juicy, and effortlessly elegant—a quick skillet dinner ready in 20 minutes with a silky lemon butter sauce that pairs beautifully with rice, pasta, or roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thin cutlets. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce slightly reduces.
- Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over the top.
- Simmer for 1–2 minutes until heated through.
- Garnish if desired and serve warm.
Notes
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley for color and aroma.
- Serve with rice, pasta, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
- To lighten, use light butter or reduce butter by half.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2–3 days; reheat gently.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet, Pan-seared
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
Keywords: Simple Lemon Chicken, lemon butter chicken, quick chicken dinner, 20-minute dinner, skillet chicken, easy lemon chicken, garlic lemon chicken