Lemon Garlic Chicken is chicken breasts flavored with a blend of parsley, Italian seasoning, and lemon zest, then pan-fried in butter with garlic and lemon juice. It’s an easy, yet delicious way to serve tender, flavorful chicken that the entire family will love. And, you can have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes! I also have recipes for Lemon Gnocchi with Chicken and Honey Garlic Chicken, two more family favorites!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Chicken: Look for boneless, skinless chicken breasts to use. Pound them to an even thickness for the best results when cooking. In addition, make slits on one side of each chicken breast. This allows all the delicious seasonings to infuse the chicken for the most flavor in each bite! You could also make this with chicken thighs if preferred. Adjust the cooking time as needed.
Italian Seasoning: Italian seasoning is a key ingredient in this recipe, enhancing the flavor with its mix of herbs.
Lemon Flavor: You will need a large lemon for the lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Butter: The seasoning chicken is pan-fried in unsalted butter for more flavor and helps give the chicken a golden-brown crust.
Garlic: With garlic in the title of the recipe, we can’t forget about that! You will add the garlic to the pan with the lemon juice to round out the dish.
What To Serve With Lemon Garlic Chicken
Lemon Garlic Chicken pairs well with a variety of side dishes. Here are some options:
- Roasted vegetables like asparagus, green beans, and Brussels sprouts would each be delicious!
- Wedge Salad
- Mashed Potatoes (or Cauliflower Mashed)
- Roasted Potato Wedges
- French Baguette
- Easy Dinner Rolls
How To Store Lemon Garlic Chicken
To store lemon garlic chicken, first, let it cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to 3-4 days. I think leftovers would be delicious when cut up and added to a lettuce salad for added protein!
Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
- ¼ cup (53 g) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large lemon, juiced (about ¼ cup juice)
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Use a sharp knife to make 4-5 cross-hatch cuts on one side of each chicken breast, ensuring not to cut all the way through.
- In a small bowl, combine oil, parsley, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Rub the seasoning mixture evenly into each chicken breast, making sure to season between the cross-hatch cuts as well.
- To a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add butter. Once the butter has melted, add chicken, cross-hatch side up, and cook for 5 minutes, basting with the butter every few minutes. Flip and repeat on the opposite side, until cooked through and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. (Depending on the size of the chicken breasts, cooking times may vary.)
- Flip the chicken over, cross-hatch side up. Add lemon juice and garlic. Continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes, cooking garlic and combining the sauce.
- Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Video
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
This would be the perfect choice for a quick and easy weeknight meal. The method we used to cook this basically guarantees that every bite will be packed with flavor!
Elizabeth
This tastes like a light and bright dish if that makes sense. It's super flavorful and will be a new way I prepare chicken breasts (since they can get boring).
Rachael
I love lemon! This is a delicious, juicy flavorful chicken. If you need to elevate your chicken, this is the way to do it.
Annabelle
This chicken is so good! The lemon flavor comes through but doesn't overwhelm, and the chicken is so juicy!
Bella
Lemon and garlic is a great way to make chicken very flavorful! It is so tasty. If you love the tang from lemon, this is a great recipe to try.
Selena
Super flavorful and delicious. The leftovers would be great on a salad as well!
This was really good!