Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts (Printable)

Pan-seared chicken breasts in a bright lemon-pepper butter sauce. Easy, elegant, and ready in under 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5.3 to 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 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Lightly dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess coating.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet and allow it 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 to 2 minutes while scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom.
06 - Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over the top. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through.
07 - Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately while sauce is warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant quality but uses ingredients you probably already have in your fridge.
  • The pan sauce comes together in under two minutes and transforms simple chicken into something you'll want to soak up with bread.
  • You can have dinner on the table in half an hour, start to finish, with only one pan to wash.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry, wet chicken will steam instead of sear and you'll miss out on all that caramelized flavor.
  • Use a meat thermometer if you're unsure, chicken is done at 165°F and checking saves you from overcooking it into rubber.
  • Let the chicken rest on the plate for a minute before returning it to the pan so the juices settle and don't all run out when you cut into it later.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking so they cook uniformly and you don't end up with dry edges and undercooked centers.
  • Use fresh lemon juice, not the bottled stuff, the brightness and acidity are completely different and worth the extra thirty seconds of squeezing.
  • If your skillet isn't big enough for all four breasts without crowding, cook them in two batches so each one gets proper contact with the hot pan.
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