Lemon Dinner Chicken (Printable version)

Bright chicken breasts cooked in lemon-garlic sauce with fresh parsley and aromatic spices.

# What you need:

→ Proteins

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 5.3 oz each)

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
07 - 1 teaspoon honey
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ For Cooking

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Lemon slices

# How To:

01 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
02 - Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish and pour half of the marinade over them. Turn to coat evenly. Reserve the remaining marinade. Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour to deepen the flavor.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade used for soaking. Sear chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
04 - Add the reserved marinade and chicken broth to the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping the bottom to incorporate browned bits. Allow the sauce to reduce for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Whisk in the remaining tablespoon of butter until melted and smooth. Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each piece, and simmer for 1 minute to rewarm.
06 - Plate the chicken and drizzle with sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon-garlic sauce tastes like a restaurant dish but comes together faster than takeout.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and feels elegant enough for company, but easy enough for a Tuesday night.
  • Somehow the chicken stays juicy even though you're cooking it quickly, and that never gets old.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry before it hits the pan; any surface moisture will steam the chicken instead of searing it, and the golden crust is what makes this whole thing work.
  • The reserved marinade is the secret to the sauce's brightness; using fresh citrus and garlic in the sauce, not just the marinade, is what gives it that restaurant-quality flavor.
03 -
  • If your pan isn't hot enough when the chicken goes in, the breasts will steam instead of sear, so give the butter a full minute to foam and smell nutty before you add the chicken.
  • Taste the sauce before serving; if it feels too acidic for your palate, a tiny pinch of honey or a whisper of butter will round it out without drowning the brightness.

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