Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe
Published August 29, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This simple-to-prepare Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe features lightly browned chicken breast simmered in a rich citrusy butter sauce. It’s the ultimate weeknight meal, and you will love how quickly this tasty dish comes together.
Weekdays can be extremely busy, and it’s easy to get into the same old routine. If you love bold flavors and comfort food and want to try some new chicken recipes, try my Chicken Satay or Chicken Adobo.
Lemon Butter Chicken
Lemon butter chicken is a simple dish of seasoned pan-seared chicken cooked and served with a lemon-butter sauce. To me, it is a perfect cross between Chicken Francese and Chicken Piccata. It comes together in under 30 minutes and can be modified by adding onions or shallots and fresh herbs.
This dish doesn’t have an origin story and seems to have been created in the United States as an easy go-to staple that is great for weeknight dinners but also classy enough to impress guests with. Watch my video below, where I create an entire dish out of this and feed a family of four for under 40 dollars.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts are best, but boneless skinless thighs may also be used.
- Liquid – Chicken stock is best, but you can use vegetable stock, brodo, or water.
- Flour – You can use all-purpose or bread flour.
- Garlic – Sliced garlic cloves are used. Substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of garlic granules or powder.
- Herbs – Fresh parsley is used for garnish and is optional.
- Lemon – Freshly squeezed lemon juice is used in the sauce.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content.
- Seasoning – Only coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper were used. You can also add crushed red pepper flakes.
How to Make Lemon Butter Chicken
Slice the chicken breasts in half widthwise.
Whisk together the flour with salt and pepper in a cake, pie tin, or shallow bowl.
Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan or rondeau pot over medium heat. It will be ready to use when you add some flour, and it fries but does not burn, which takes about 1 ½ to 2 minutes.
Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
In batches dredge a chicken breast in the flour on both sides and pat off any excess.
Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned and almost cooked through. Set the chicken aside on a plate.
Turn the heat down to low, add the garlic, and cook while stirring for 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour in chicken stock and cook over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.
Next, stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, salt, and pepper over low heat until the butter is melted.
Add the chicken back in and cook for 2-4 minutes to finish cooking and heating it up. Garnish with optional minced fresh parsley.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 30 minutes ahead. Just keep it warm in the sauce over low heat before serving.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of lemon butter chicken to a saucepan and a few tablespoons of water. Cook over low to medium heat until hot, about 6-8 minutes.
Chef Notes + Tips
- If using garlic granules or powder, there is no need to cook it. Once you add the chicken stock, simply whisk it into the pan.
- Optionally lightly pound each sliced chicken breast with a mallet and set aside.
More Chicken Recipes
Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, 12 to 14 ounces each
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- juice of 1 lemon, about 3 to 4 tablespoons
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- minced fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half widthwise.
- Whisk together the flour with salt and pepper in a cake, pie tin, or a shallow bowl.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan or rondeau pot over medium heat. It will be ready to use when you add some flour, and it fries but does not burn, which takes about 1 ½ to 2 minutes.
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
- In batches dredge a chicken breast in the flour on both sides and pat off any excess.
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until browned and almost cooked through.
- Set the chicken to the side on a plate.
- Turn the heat down to low, stir in the garlic, and cook while stirring for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in chicken stock and cook over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until the amount of liquid is reduced by one half.
- Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, salt, and pepper over low heat until the butter is melted.
- Add the chicken back in and cook for 2-4 minutes to finish cooking it and heating it up.
- Garnish with optional minced fresh parsley
This recipe is so delicious and easy, the family loved it. The sauce was also delicious on roasted potatoes. The lemon zest was not written into the list of ingredients, so I got another lemon out for the zest and then just had to make some cocktails before the lemon dried out. (ha ha). You won’t go wrong making this recipe!!
Amazing!
Made this OMG!!! Excellent!!! Soooo delicious…made it with Mashed Potatoes & Sauteed Green Beans and of course a glass of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 🥳🥳😋😋😋
Thanks for giving it a shot!
Perfectly done chicken, and a tasty sauce. I did saute mushrooms and shallots first and set them aside. Added them back with the chicken at the end.
Excellent!
Made this recipe this week and it is now a favorite. So simple and the favor it great.
Excellent!
This is super good and easy enough for a weeknight meal. There are many recipes for lemon chicken but this one stands out due to Chef Billy’s timing PLUS do take the time to slice the garlic. I haven’t seen any other recipe with that in it and it’s a big plus.
Many thanks!
I’m a home cook, but not a novice. My sister was a chef, who taught me much. The chicken was tender and juicy—not an easy feat for breasts, and the sauce easy to make without breaking. I had leftover sauce, which I used for quickly sautéed shrimp the next day. I think it would be a useful technique for shrimp or lobster as well.
Thank you for giving it a shot!
Made this recipe for my Italian wife last week, it was so good that it’s requested ro put on our weekly menu at home. Thank you!👌🏻
Excellent!
Excellent choice, as always. Added some red pepper flakes, thicken sauce a little serve over fettuccine
So good!
I made this recipe for my family last night! I loved it and it was easy to follow and it tasted devine. VERY flavorful with simple easy ingredients. I love the recipes that are tasty because I have a 13 year old to feed and also a 3 year old…so this made sense for our family! I added in a side of sauteed zucchini/mushrooms and we devoured it. Thank you Chef.
Excellent!
Chef curious what is the difference with this and chicken francese which is one of my personal favorites and in our menu rotation
dipped in egg wash before frying. Put it side by side with my other recipe and you’ll see.
I made this chicken last week for dinner, without the flour, and it was delicious. It also reheats to taste just as good as the first time you make it.
Excellent!
A recipe fit for a queen. If your goal is to impress then I recommend then this chicken recipe will do it.
Thank you!
I made this amazing chicken tonight for my San Diego peeps. Super hit. I tossed in some white wine at the end of the reduction process. Sooo good but I tend to over lemon cuz I love lemon 🍋 A few capers, too.
Excellent!
Great recipe ideas. Thank you
My pleasure!
Excellent weekend dinner, easy and flavorful
Thank you for giving it a shot!
Just made this dish for the first time. I put the chicken and sauce over egg needles. This will be my go to when I don’t know what to make.
Thank you so much!
This Lemon Chicken is delicious…so good. I have served mine on top of a BIG Salad and a nice Crunchy Artisan Bread. so good. I make this dish a lot in the Summer time and it comes together so quickly and taste amazing. Great recipe Chef…
Luv your recipes … Lemon chicken is soooo good … like to use lemon in lots of food …
Thank you
God Bless