The BEST Lemon Pepper Chicken
If you are in a chicken rut and need a flavorful, easy chicken dinner, then look no further! Lemon pepper chicken is packed with flavor and is so tender and juicy. Plus, you need just one pan and you can get this dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes! The trick to the BEST Lemon Pepper Chicken is slicing the chicken breast in half so the chicken is nice and thin and cooks fast AND stays juicy! Then I take the chicken cutlets and dredge them in a lemon pepper flour mixture! After they are seared over high heat I add in butter and lemon juice which makes a quick sauce. The sauce is so simple yet so delicious I could seriously drink it! I like to serve the chicken and the extra sauce over some pasta, mashed potatoes or even rice.
Ingredients Needed
Chicken Breast: Slice the chicken breast in half and pound them out so that they are all consistent thickness. This will ensure that the chicken can get cooked in the middle before it is too brown on the outside! Flour: We are going to dip the chicken in some flour in order to get a nice golden crust on the outside. Lemon Pepper Seasoning: This is the star of the show! Lemon pepper seasoning is slightly tangy and savory for the perfect flavors. Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning complements the lemon pepper seasoning and adds a little extra herby goodness! Sugar: A little bit of sugar really rounds out the flavors and lets that lemon pepper shine. Don’t worry, your chicken is not going to turn out sweet. Olive Oil & Butter: Olive oil and butter are used to sauté the chicken and create a bit of buttery sauce! Lemon: Fresh lemon is needed her for the best flavor! To Serve: Top it off with freshly chopped parsley!
How to Make This Recipe
To make the perfect lemon pepper chicken, follow these simple steps:
Make the Seasoning Mixture: Add flour, lemon pepper seasoning, Italian seasoning, and sugar to a shallow bowl.
Dredge Chicken: Dredge each chicken breast in the flour and seasonings, set aside.
Sauté: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. When the pan is nice and hot, add in the chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken.
Make Sauce: Turn off the heat and add in the butter and lemon juice. Swirl the pan to spread the butter around and help it melt. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately with fresh chopped parsley for serving!
Tips for Success
Don’t over cook the chicken! Chicken breast is pretty easy to over cook, so make sure you only cook it until it is at 165 degrees F. You can check the temperature using a meat thermometer! Make sure to preheat the skillet! You want the skillet to be nice and hot before adding the chicken to get a good sear! Dab the chicken dry before dredging. It is always a good idea to dab your chicken dry with paper towels before seasoning or dredging! Too much moisture means the chicken won’t sear as well.
Do I have to use chicken breast for this recipe?
While I like using chicken breast for this lemon pepper chicken recipe, you can also use any thin cut chicken like chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I would avoid using any chicken that has the bones in it, since we want this chicken to cook up pretty quickly!
Do I need fresh lemon?
You don’t need fresh lemon but I prefer fresh lemon for the taste. If you don’t have fresh lemon on hand, you can use bottled in the sauce. Most of the lemon flavor will come from the lemon pepper seasoning!
How to Store leftover chicken?
Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through!
Serving Recommendations
Lemon pepper chicken is versatile and can be served in so many ways! Try pairing it with some of my favorites:
Creamy Mashed Potatoes or Loaded Mashed Potatoes Pasta with Garlic and Oil Roasted Broccoli Leftover Mashed Potato Gnocchi Panzanella Salad Broccoli Rice Cheese Casserole
More Chicken Dinner Recipes to Try
Best Grilled Chicken Chipotle Chicken Stuffed Peppers 30 Minute Lemon Chicken Chicken Shawarma Easy Teriyaki Chicken
title: “Lemon Pepper Chicken” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-10” author: “Randall Davis”
Serve this chicken dish with a side of my Sweet Potato Mash or Chipotle Mayo Roasted Potato Wedges.
Why is lemon pepper seasoning so popular?
Lemon pepper is a popular classic seasoning that I couldn’t resist but using on chicken. To be fair it goes well with almost anything as it enhances flavours in such a simple and effective way. It’s zesty with lemon flavour and spicy from cracked black pepper. Using all fresh ingredients instead of a pre-made mix takes it to the next level! It’s also delicious on pork chops or fish, even used as a salad dressing!
How is lemon pepper chicken made?
There are many recipes that use this classic seasoning on chicken breasts, thighs and drumsticks, that are later roasted in the oven. There are even famous recipes for lemon pepper chicken wings. Yum! I wanted to create something slightly different with the same winning flavours. A chicken recipe that would have an instant visual appeal. A dish that would beg to be made and eaten ASAP. And to produce this reaction a luscious sauce was needed! So here is what you need to do.
Whip up a quick marinade of lemon juice and zest, honey and wholegrain mustard, plenty of garlic and cracked black pepper and let it do its work for about 30 minutes. The chicken breasts are cut in half lengthwise, which will allow the marinade to penetrate them quicker. The chicken breasts are seared and set aside. Then and only then our gorgeous sauce comes into picture.
How do I make the sauce?
The basis of our sauce is going to be the same lemon pepper marinade we used earlier on chicken breasts. Yes, it’s perfectly safe to use it in a sauce if it’s brought to a boil and simmered for at least 10 minutes according to health and safety guidelines. We start the sauce by gently sauteing the shallots and garlic, then adding the flavour by pouring the marinade back in with a splash of white wine. The sauce is thickened with flour but you can use cornstarch if you are gluten free. Then add some chicken stock, black olives and you’ve got yourself a stellar sauce that combines the intense flavours of lemon, pepper and mustard but is balanced out by honey and white wine. It is perfect for your tender and juicy chicken breasts!
More chicken in sauce recipes:
Chicken in Garlic Mushroom Sauce Chicken Paillard in Sherry Caper Sauce Chicken Fricassee Chicken Korma Chicken Chasseur
