Lemon Pepper Chicken (Printable Version)

Pan-seared chicken breasts coated in a zesty lemon-pepper butter sauce. A simple, elegant dish ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5.3–6.3 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 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
02 - Lightly coat each chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess flour to ensure even coverage.
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 completely. 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 caramelized bits from the pan bottom.
06 - Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over each piece. Heat for 1–2 minutes until chicken is warmed through and coated with sauce.
07 - Transfer chicken to serving plates and drizzle remaining sauce over top. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen but you're done in thirty minutes flat.
  • The lemony butter sauce clings to every bite and makes even plain rice feel special.
  • You probably already have everything you need sitting in your pantry right now.
  • It reheats beautifully for lunch the next day without getting rubbery.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken, wet chicken steams instead of sears and you'll miss that gorgeous crust.
  • If your butter starts to brown too fast, pull the pan off the heat for a moment, it only takes seconds to go from nutty to bitter.
  • Use a meat thermometer the first few times until you get a feel for doneness, overcooked chicken is sad chicken.
03 -
  • Pound your chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking so they cook at the same rate and stay tender all the way through.
  • Let the chicken rest under foil while you make the sauce, it keeps the juices inside instead of running all over your cutting board.
  • Taste the sauce before you pour it, you might want more lemon or pepper depending on your mood and your lemon's tartness.
Go Back