Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken (Printable Version)

Golden chicken simmered in a zesty lemon garlic butter sauce, ready in 35 minutes.

# What You 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 excess.
02 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Once hot, add chicken breasts. Cook for 5–6 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
03 - Lower heat to medium. Add 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 browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 3–4 minutes.
05 - Return chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, spoon sauce over, and simmer 2–3 minutes.
06 - Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately, spooning extra sauce over each piece.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together from pan drippings so every drop carries real depth instead of feeling added on
  • It looks like something from a restaurant but uses ingredients already sitting in your fridge
02 -
  • Not letting the butter get hot enough before adding the chicken is the number one reason the crust does not form properly
  • Scraping the fond from the pan bottom is where half the flavor lives so do not skip it or wash that skillet too soon
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest on the plate for at least two minutes before returning it to the sauce so the juices redistribute
  • Zest your lemon before juicing it because the zest is nearly impossible to get cleanly after the fruit is squeezed

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