Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts (Printer-Friendly)

Pan-seared chicken breasts with zesty lemon-pepper butter sauce. Easy 30-minute dinner for four.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5-6 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

# Direction Steps:

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 excess coating.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 5-6 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 let melt. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper. Simmer 1-2 minutes while scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom.
06 - Return chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over the top. Heat for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
07 - Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like a restaurant splurge but uses basics you probably already have.
  • The sauce is so good you will want to spoon it over everything on your plate.
  • Chicken stays juicy without any marinating or fussy prep.
  • Clean-up is just one skillet and a cutting board.
02 -
  • If your chicken breasts are thick and uneven, pound them gently to an even thickness or they will cook unevenly and dry out on the edges.
  • Do not walk away during the garlic step because it goes from fragrant to burnt in seconds, and burnt garlic tastes bitter and ruins the sauce.
  • Let the chicken rest on the plate for a minute before adding it back to the sauce so the juices settle and do not flood the pan.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness instead of cutting into the chicken, so you do not lose all those juices onto the cutting board.
  • If the sauce tastes too sharp, whisk in a tiny pinch of sugar or honey to round out the acidity without making it sweet.
  • Save any extra sauce in a jar and use it to dress pasta, drizzle over roasted vegetables, or toss with shrimp the next day.
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