Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts (Printer-Friendly)

Golden pan-seared chicken breasts finished with a zesty lemon-pepper butter sauce and fresh parsley. Complete in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5-6 oz each)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Lemon-Pepper Butter Sauce

06 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
02 - Lightly dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess flour.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet and allow to melt. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper to the skillet. Simmer for 1-2 minutes while scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom.
06 - Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over each piece. Heat for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
07 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It takes half an hour from fridge to fork, no marinating or fuss required.
  • The lemon butter sauce is so good you will want to spoon it over everything on your plate.
  • It feels restaurant fancy but uses ingredients you probably already have.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and make incredible sandwiches the next day.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the chicken, wet skin will never brown properly and you will end up with pale, sad looking meat.
  • Watch your heat when adding garlic, it can go from fragrant to scorched in seconds and ruin the whole sauce.
  • Let the chicken rest on the plate while you make the sauce, it stays juicy and the pan stays hot enough to build flavor fast.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking so they cook at the same rate and stay tender.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness, guessing leads to overcooked dry chicken or undercooked centers.
  • Zest the lemon directly over the pan so the fragrant oils fall right into the sauce.
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