Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken (Print Version)

Golden chicken in a bright, savory 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
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
09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Season chicken breasts evenly with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece lightly in flour, shaking off any excess coating.
02 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the fat is shimmering, add the chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil to rest.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Cook the minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
04 - Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until it begins to reduce slightly.
05 - Return the chicken along with any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over each piece and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to let the flavors meld.
06 - Scatter fresh chopped parsley over the chicken and serve immediately, spooning extra sauce from the pan over each portion.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together from pan drippings so every drop tastes like concentrated chicken love
  • It looks like something you would order at a nice place but uses ingredients you probably already have
02 -
  • Do not move the chicken once it hits the pan, letting it sit undisturbed is what creates that caramelized crust
  • The fond, those browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, is where half the flavor lives so scrape it all up when you add the broth
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken sears more evenly than cold straight from the fridge, so pull it out ten minutes before cooking
  • Do not let the garlic go past fragrant or it will turn bitter and take the whole sauce down with it

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