Description
Lemon Butter Chicken Skillet is a bright, flavorful one-pan dinner made with juicy seared chicken simmered in a rich lemon garlic butter sauce. This easy skillet recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and delivers a perfect balance of buttery richness and fresh citrus flavor. Serve this lemon butter chicken over pasta, rice, or vegetables for a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon capers
Instructions
- 1. Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
- 2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
- 3. Sear chicken for 5–6 minutes per side until golden brown and remove from skillet
- 4. Reduce heat to medium and melt butter in the skillet
- 5. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant
- 6. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the pan
- 7. Stir in fresh lemon juice and lemon zest
- 8. Simmer sauce for 3–4 minutes to slightly reduce
- 9. Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over the top
- 10. Cook 5–7 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F
- 11. Finish with parsley, honey, capers, and red pepper flakes before serving
Notes
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor
- Avoid browning the garlic to prevent bitterness
- Pound chicken breasts slightly for even cooking
- Let the sauce simmer gently rather than boil
- If sauce tastes too tart add a little honey
- This dish pairs well with pasta, rice, or potatoes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Reheat gently with a splash of broth
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
Keywords: lemon butter chicken skillet, lemon garlic chicken, one pan chicken dinner