Lemon Butter Chicken

I am definitely guilty of falling into that same-old, same-old chicken breast rut. Even being a food blogger, even having countless boneless skinless chicken breast recipes on my blog, I still have a handful of easy favorites that I put on frequent repeat (hi, my dear chicken bites).

It’s not that I don’t love those recipes, because I do, but sometimes it’s fun to try something different. Be a little unpredictable! Can you relate? If so, this lemon butter chicken is the perfect way to shake up your chicken game and break you out of that rut!

This is a one-pan chicken recipe that tastes like it came straight from a restaurant kitchen, with the perfect blend of seasonings and the most delicious lemon butter sauce. (“Lemon butter sauce” might just be the three best words in the English language if you ask me.) And yet I’m happy to say, this recipe is still easy enough for a weeknight. 

Garlicky Lemon Butter Chicken

Everyday ingredients. This is a recipe that relies on ingredients that are easy to find—and ingredients you probably have on hand already, like pantry spices, flour, cornstarch, and chicken broth. It’s budget-friendly and convenient.

Not difficult to make. The recipe is cooked entirely on the stovetop in a single skillet: sear the chicken to give it a nice golden crust, make the sauce right in the skillet, add the chicken back to the sauce, and the only thing left to do is dig in! That’s 20 minutes to prep, 20 minutes to cook, and lots of time to enjoy.

Goes with anything. I love that this lemon butter chicken has a flavor that pairs well with a wide variety of cuisines, ingredients, and flavors. You can serve it with fancier sides like roasted mushroom risotto to chopped Greek salad, or keep it light and simple with sautéed spinach or fresh salad greens with lemon basil vinaigrette.

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken breasts: Using boneless skinless chicken breasts maximizes convenience and minimizes cooking time. You can buy boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat, but they do take a bit longer to cook.
• Dredging mixture: A combination of all-purpose flour, salt, paprika, and black pepper is used to coat the chicken, creating a flavorful crust on the outside. 
• Olive oil and butter: You’ll use both olive oil and butter for searing the chicken, then additional butter for making the lemon butter sauce.
• Garlic: Six whole cloves of fresh garlic make the sauce delectable! Even though it sounds like a lot of garlic, you’ll find that the sauce is well-balanced and doesn’t come across as too garlicky. (If you notice green sprouts in the center of your garlic cloves, pick them out as they can be slightly bitter.)
• Chicken broth: This forms the base of the sauce. Use a high-quality one or homemade if you have it on hand! I usually use low sodium, or no-salt-added.
• Lemon: You’ll need lemon juice and lemon zest. You’ll find that it’s much easier to zest the lemon first, and then juice it.
• Cornstarch: This is added near the end of the cooking time to thicken the sauce.
• Dried thyme: Thyme is a fantastic pairing with lemon, complementing its brightness with an earthy herbal flavor. The recipe calls for dried thyme but if you happen to have fresh thyme on hand, by all means use that. The general rule of thumb is to use three times more if you’re substituting fresh herbs for dried.
• Red pepper flakes: This is totally optional, but try it and see. You may appreciate that little tingle of spicy heat. I know we do!
• Fresh parsley: Garnishing with fresh chopped parsley adds an herbaceous note and a little pop of color.

How to Make Lemon Butter Chicken

Prepare. Pound the chicken breasts so they’re about a half-inch thick. This ensures that they’ll cook quickly and evenly. If you’re starting with larger chicken breasts, you may want to slice them horizontally first and then flatten them. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; this will help the flour mixture adhere better.

Dredge the chicken. Whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a large bowl and coat the chicken breasts in the mixture, tapping off any excess.

Prep the sauce. Whisk together the broth, lemon juice, cornstarch, zest, thyme, and red pepper flakes in a liquid measuring cup until cornstarch dissolves. The cornstarch tends to settle to the bottom of the cup quite quickly so you’ll want to give it another quick stir before you add it to the pan.

Sear the chicken. Add the olive oil and butter to a skillet set over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the chicken and cook until both sides are golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes per side. The chicken should be fully cooked with an internal temperature of 165ºF.) Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.

Simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the sauce mixture (remember to give it a quick stir first!). Bring the sauce to a simmer and deglaze the pan. Scraping up all those browned bits from the bottom will incorporate them into the sauce, making it extra delicious!

Finish. Add the remaining butter. Once it melts, add the chicken to the skillet and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more, turning the chicken a few times so each side is completely bathed in that fabulous sauce. Once the sauce has thickened and the chicken is heated, remove the skillet from the heat, garnish the lemon butter chicken with parsley, and serve.

Helpful Tips

Cover the chicken with plastic wrap before pounding it. Parchment paper will work too, or pop it in a zip-top bag. This will help keep you and your kitchen clean when you pound it. You can use a meat mallet, a heavy bottle, or the heel of your hand.

Trim the edges of the chicken. If, after pounding the chicken, you have very thin edges that are less than half inch thick, trim them off before cooking. They’ll get tough by the time the thicker part of the chicken is cooked. This is up to you; it’s partly for aesthetics, and some people may like the chewier bits!

Don’t overcook the chicken. Boneless skinless chicken breasts cook quickly, but the downside of this is that they can become overcooked quickly too. I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer because temperature is the best way to know exactly when the chicken is fully cooked through.

Serving Suggestions

• Vegetable sides. Since you’re standing at the stovetop anyway, you might as well whip up some sautéed zucchini, or take the opposite tack and make smashed Brussels sprouts in the oven.
• Rice. Rich Instant Pot risotto would make an excellent pairing with lemon butter chicken. However, regular jasmine rice is always a good choice, too. If you’re feeling really sunshine-y, make yellow rice and sautéed summer squash ribbons.
• Potatoes. These crispy Parmesan potatoes are pretty amazing. If you want to drive home the lemon flavor, try these dill roasted potatoes with lemon. They’re one of our favorites!
• Other grains. Instant Pot farro is another side great for serving with saucy main dishes, and it’s a healthy whole grain. Quinoa is another healthy side that seems to go with almost anything, much like rice.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate: Store leftover lemon butter chicken with the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Freeze: This recipe can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Place it in a freezer bag with the sauce and press out the excess air, or store it in an airtight container. Thaw the chicken in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: Transfer the lemon butter chicken and sauce to an oven-safe baking dish, cover it with foil, and reheat it in a 350ºF oven until warmed through. While you can reheat it in the microwave, the chicken is more likely to get rubbery.