Pan-Seared Lemon Pepper Chicken (Printable Version)

Pan-seared chicken breasts in a zesty lemon-pepper butter sauce. Ready in 30 minutes for an elegant weeknight dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (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
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

# How-To 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 loosely cover with foil.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet and melt. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper. Simmer for 1-2 minutes while scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom.
06 - Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each piece, and heat through for 1-2 minutes.
07 - Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • It tastes like you fussed for an hour but you'll be plating in thirty minutes flat.
  • The sauce clings to the chicken like it was made for it, bright and peppery and just rich enough.
  • One skillet means one pan to wash, which matters more than anyone admits.
  • It's fancy enough for company but forgiving enough for a weeknight scramble.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken, wet chicken will never brown properly and you'll end up with a gray, steamed mess instead of a golden crust.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness, overcooked chicken is dry and sad, and undercooked chicken is worse, so aim for exactly 74 degrees Celsius.
  • If your skillet isn't big enough for all four breasts without crowding, cook them in two batches, crowding traps steam and ruins the sear.
03 -
  • Use a stainless steel or cast iron skillet instead of nonstick, you need those browned bits on the bottom to build the sauce, and nonstick won't give you that.
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold chicken straight from the fridge, so let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes before you start.
  • If you want extra lemony flavor, add a few thin slices of lemon to the skillet when you return the chicken for the final heat-through.
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