Elevate your dinner with this easy lemon chicken recipe; it’s not only healthy but packed with flavor.
This dish promises a juicy chicken, topped off with a heavenly lemony sauce, perfect for any day of the week!
Note: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. See my full affiliate disclosure policy here.
This recipe is perfect for both a quick weeknight dinner and as a special meal for guests. With its fresh ingredients and simple preparation, it’s sure to become a new favorite in your home. Enjoy the natural, bright lemon flavor that makes this dish uniquely satisfying.
How to Make Lemon Chicken
First, gather your ingredients.
Ingredients
For the best taste, always use the highest quality ingredients you have access to.
To make this Lemon Chicken recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Chicken breast
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Chicken broth
- Garlic cloves
- Italian seasoning
- Lemon juice
- Heavy cream
- Unsalted butter
- Lemon zest
- Parsley
Adding a splash of white wine to the pan before adding the broth can introduce an additional layer of complexity to the flavor.
Cooking Lemon Chicken
Lemon Chicken is a simple recipe that can be made in just a few steps.
First, cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create thinner cutlets. If chicken tenders are attached, remove them and use them in the recipe.
Note: many grocery stores sell chicken split breasts, sometimes labeled “thin chicken breasts.” If you can find these, this will eliminate this step.
Next, in a large bowl, mix together the flour, half the salt, and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken into the flour mixture to coat each side.
Then heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
Transfer the semi-cooked chicken to a plate.
Make the creamy lemon sauce
Keep the flame/ stove on medium heat and deglaze the pan with chicken broth. Use your spoon to scrape off any browned bits into the liquid.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and mix in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, fresh lemon juice, the remaining salt, and heavy cream (or coconut cream, if you opt for a dairy free version). Let it simmer for a few minutes, then stir in the melted butter.
Return the chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the chicken. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce on low heat for a few minutes, then cover the pan and let it cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Uncover the pan and turn off the heat. Let the chicken rest in the pan for a few minutes to help the sauce thicken.
Serve the chicken directly from the skillet or on a platter, garnished with lemon slices or lemon zest and chopped parsley.
Pair it with a green salad or angel hair pasta for a complete meal.
Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Always use common sense and good judgement when it comes to leftovers, though! If something looks or smells funky, don’t eat it.
Side dish suggestions for lemon chicken
If you’re looking for a side dish to go with lemon chicken, these recipes make a great side dish that complements the tangy lemon sauce beautifully.
- roasted green beans with shallot
- rainbow roasted vegetables
- air fryer baked potatoes
- roasted sweet potatoes
- roasted garlic mashed potatoes
- oven roasted potatoes
- roasted broccoli and mushrooms
- simple Instant Pot jasmine rice (this would be good with the lemon sauce on it)
- Instant Pot sweet potatoes
Share this recipe
Did you try this recipe? Give it a star rating. Pin it and share it if it looks good to you. And be sure and stay connected on social media!
Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok
Be sure and check out all my favorite kitchen tools in my Amazon store (affiliate).
Lemon Chicken
Elevate your dinner with this easy lemon chicken recipe; it's not only healthy but packed with flavor. Classic and delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast large, about 1 pound
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (you can sub coconut cream, if desired)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Lemon zest as garnish
- Chopped parsley as garnish
Instructions
-
Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create two thinner pieces of chicken. If the chicken tenders are still attached, remove them and you can use them in this recipe. Alternatively, you can just buy split chicken breasts, if your grocery store carries them.
-
In a medium shallow bowl, mix together the flour, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken into the flour mixture, coating on each side.
-
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and cook for 4 minutes per side. Transfer the semi-cooked chicken pieces to a plate & set aside.
-
Keep the flame on medium heat and deglaze the pan with the chicken broth. Mix and use your spoon to scrape off any browned bits into the liquid.
-
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and mix in the minced garlic, italian seasoning, lemon juice, remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and heavy cream. Simmer for 2 minutes, then mix in the butter.
-
Add the chicken back to the pan and nestle it into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the chicken. Allow the chicken to simmer over low heat in the sauce for 3 minutes, then flip each piece of chicken in the sauce. Cover the pan and simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until the chicken has reached at least 165°F on a meat thermometer.
- Uncover the pan & turn off the heat. Allow the chicken to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, which will help the sauce thicken too.
- Serve chicken in the skillet with the sauce spooned over it, or on a platter. Serve with lemon zest & chopped parsley.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator. Each serving is one half of the large split chicken breast.
Feel free to use another type of broth such as vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
If your store has split chicken breasts (sometimes labeled thin chicken breasts), I suggest using those for convenience.
Leave a Reply