Description
This Easy Lemon Chicken Skillet recipe provides a quick and flavorful dinner option featuring tender chicken breasts cooked in a zesty lemon garlic sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights, this one-pan dish combines savory spices, fresh lemon juice, and garlic to create a bright, satisfying meal that pairs well with rice, pasta, or steamed vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into cutlets or thin slices)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Cooking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken breasts evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to infuse flavor before cooking.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes on each side until golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Pour in the chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the pan with a spoon. Let it cook for 2–3 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
- Combine and Finish Cooking: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and spoon the lemon sauce over the top. Simmer everything together for another 2–3 minutes until heated through and well-coated with sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken for a fresh herbal note and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Serve with rice, pasta, or steamed vegetables to make it a complete meal.
- For an extra creamy and rich sauce, stir in a splash of cream at the end of cooking.
- Make sure not to overcook the chicken to keep it juicy and tender.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest for the best bright citrus flavor.
