Lemon Pepper Chicken (Print Version)

Pan-seared chicken breasts coated in tangy lemon-pepper butter sauce, ideal for a quick, tasty meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 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 (use gluten-free flour as needed)
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)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Lightly coat each chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess.
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 cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Remove and keep warm under loosely tented foil.
04 - Lower heat to medium. Melt butter in the same skillet. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
06 - Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over top, and heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired and serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, making weeknight dinners feel less like an obligation and more like a treat.
  • The lemon-pepper butter sauce is so good you'll find yourself spooning it over everything else on your plate.
  • Chicken stays incredibly juicy instead of turning into rubber, which honestly feels like a small miracle.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken before seasoning; any moisture keeps it from developing that beautiful golden crust that holds flavor.
  • Watch the garlic carefully in that butter because it goes from fragrant to burnt in what feels like two seconds, so don't walk away.
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before you cut it for juice, because once it's cut open it's harder to grip while you're zesting.
  • If your pan isn't large enough to fit all four breasts without crowding, work in batches; overcrowding causes steaming instead of searing, and you'll lose that golden crust.
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