Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken (Printable Version)
Pan-seared chicken in a bright lemon garlic butter sauce, ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Coating & Sautéing
03 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour if needed)
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
→ Lemon Garlic Sauce
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge lightly in flour, shaking off any excess.
02 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Once hot, add chicken breasts. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
03 - Lower heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Sauté garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Return chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon sauce over the chicken and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately, spooning extra sauce over each piece.
# Expert Insights:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in minutes from pantry staples you probably already have
- It tastes like something from a restaurant but uses zero fancy techniques
02 -
- Do not skip scraping the browned bits from the pan because that is where half the flavor actually lives
- Overcooking the garlic even by thirty seconds turns it bitter and ruins the whole sauce
03 -
- Use a stainless steel or cast iron skillet instead of nonstick so you actually get those flavorful browned bits to scrape up
- Room temperature chicken sears more evenly than cold straight-from-the-fridge pieces