Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts (Printable)

Golden pan-seared chicken breasts finished with zesty lemon-pepper butter sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You 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 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Lightly coat each chicken breast with flour, shaking off excess to ensure even coverage.
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 tent loosely with foil.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet and allow to melt. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper to the skillet. Simmer for 1-2 minutes while scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom.
06 - Return chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon sauce over top. Heat together for 1-2 minutes.
07 - Top with fresh chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in half an hour but tastes like you spent all evening fussing over it.
  • The lemon butter sauce is so good youll want to spoon it over everything on your plate.
  • Its naturally gluten-free if you swap the flour, making it easy to adapt for any guest.
  • Cleanup is minimal since everything happens in one skillet.
02 -
  • Dont skip patting the chicken dry or the flour wont stick and the sear will be weak and pale.
  • If your skillet starts smoking before you add the chicken, pull it off the heat for a moment and lower the temperature.
  • Always use fresh lemon juice, not the bottled stuff, because the brightness just isnt the same.
  • Let the chicken rest for a minute before slicing so the juices redistribute and dont run all over your cutting board.
03 -
  • Pound thicker chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook at the same rate and stay tender.
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it, because its nearly impossible to zest a juiced lemon.
  • Taste the sauce before you pour it over the chicken and adjust the pepper or lemon juice to your liking.
  • Use a meat thermometer to avoid guessing, because overcooked chicken is dry chicken.
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