30 Min Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce

Are you looking for a way to make weeknight chicken meals simple and tasty without sacrificing flavor? Oh, I totally get it! After a long day, the last thing I want is a complicated recipe that takes forever. That’s why I, Anna, a passionate food lover, am obsessed with sharing simple and flavorful chicken recipes designed to make everyday cooking easier and, honestly, way more joyful!

If you’ve been staring into your fridge wondering how to pull off a restaurant-quality dinner in under 30 minutes, I have the answer staring you right in the face: this Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce. Seriously, this recipe is pure magic. It’s vibrant, silky, garlicky, and comes together faster than you can decide what to stream on TV.

We’re talking about perfectly golden chicken bathed in a bright, dreamy lemon sauce. Forget dried-out chicken breast nightmares. This method locks in all the moisture, and the sauce is so good you’ll want to lick the plate clean. Trust me, once you try this, the Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce is going straight into your regular rotation. It’s my go-to for those busy evenings!

Essential Ingredients for Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce

Okay, let’s talk about what you need to pull off this incredible Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce. The beauty of this dish is that it uses mostly pantry staples, but the quality of a few fresh items really makes a huge difference. We need four main players here: the chicken, the dredge, the sauce base, and the finishers. Don’t stress about running to the store; look through your kitchen first!

When we get into the specifics in the next sections, I’ll explain exactly how I prep everything. Clarity here is key because a little bit of prep work upfront saves so much time when the heat is on!

Chicken Preparation and Seasoning

You’ll need two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts. My big secret here is slicing them horizontally to create four thin cutlets. This ensures they cook fast and evenly! Once they are sliced, we hit them with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then, we give them a very light dusting of flour—just enough to help that golden sear happen and thicken our sauce later.

Crafting the Bright Lemon Butter Sauce

This is where the flavor explodes! You absolutely need good quality unsalted butter; don’t skimp here! We also need minced garlic, fresh lemon juice—and I mean fresh, not that stuff in a bottle—low-sodium chicken broth, and a little extra pepper for a nice kick. The broth helps us deglaze the pan beautifully later on.

Final Touches Ingredient Checklist

For that finishing restaurant touch, we need freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Please, please grate it yourself; the pre-shredded stuff just doesn’t melt right into the sauce. And finally, some chopped fresh parsley. It adds that pop of green color and freshness that makes the whole dish sing!

Equipment Needed for Perfect Pan-Seared Chicken

You truly don’t need a whole arsenal of fancy gear for this meal, which is part of why I love it so much! We’re keeping it simple. You absolutely must have a large, sturdy skillet—cast iron is amazing if you have one, but a good non-stick pan works perfectly fine too.

You’ll also need a sharp knife for slicing the chicken, a cutting board, and a couple of bowls for your seasoning and flour dredge. Oh, and make sure you have tongs handy for flipping those cutlets!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce

This is where the magic happens, and trust me, even though it’s fast, taking a moment to respect the steps means the difference between good chicken and the best Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce you’ve ever made. We’re moving quickly, so keep your ingredients close by!

Preparing and Searing the Chicken Cutlets

First things first: take those two large chicken breasts and slice them right down the middle lengthwise. You want four nice, thin cutlets. This is vital for quick, even cooking! Once sliced, season them generously on both sides with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Now, grab a shallow bowl with your flour and lightly dredge each cutlet, making sure to shake off any big clumps of excess flour—we just want a whisper of it on there.

Heat your olive oil in that big skillet over medium-high heat. You want the oil shimmering just slightly before you gently lay the chicken cutlets in—don’t overcrowd the pan, work in batches if you have to! Sear them for about four to five minutes on the first side until they are beautifully golden brown. Flip them over and cook the other side for another four to five minutes. You must cook them until they hit an internal temperature of 165\u00b0F. Once they’re done, pull them out of the skillet and set them aside on a plate to rest while we whip up the sauce. Don’t clean that pan!

Building the Flavorful Lemon Butter Sauce

Once the chicken is resting, reduce that heat down to medium. See all those lovely browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan? That’s flavor, honey! Toss in your three tablespoons of butter and let it melt down. As soon as it’s melted, toss in your two minced garlic cloves. Stir them constantly for about 30 seconds until you can really smell that beautiful garlic aroma—but don’t let it brown, or it’ll taste bitter!

Now, pour in the fresh lemon juice, the low-sodium chicken broth, and that extra bit of black pepper. Immediately grab a wooden spoon or spatula and start scraping up all those browned bits from the bottom—that’s called deglazing, and it’s the secret to a rich sauce. Let this mixture simmer gently for about two or three minutes until it reduces slightly and thickens up just a hair. It should look a little syrupy.

Finishing the Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce

Take the pan off the direct heat for just a second if you need to, and stir in that tablespoon of freshly grated Parmesan cheese until it melts smoothly into the sauce, making it glossy. Now, bring the chicken cutlets right back into the skillet. Spoon that gorgeous lemon butter sauce right over the top of each piece of chicken. Let everything simmer together for just one or two final minutes so the chicken soaks up all that flavor and gets coated perfectly. Right before serving, sprinkle everything generously with that fresh chopped parsley. Dinner is served!

Tips for Success Making Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce

I’ve made this Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce more times than I can count, and I’ve learned a few things that guarantee perfection every time you try it. First, for that perfect golden crust, make sure your skillet is hot *before* the oil goes in, and don’t crowd the pan when searing. Overcrowding drops the temperature and you end up steaming the chicken instead of searing it—yuck!

When it comes to the sauce consistency, don’t rush the simmering step after adding the broth. Giving it those full three minutes allows the liquid to reduce enough so the Parmesan thickens it into a beautiful glaze, not a watery soup. And finally, remember the chicken keeps cooking after you remove it. Pull it off the heat right when it hits 165\u00b0F so it stays tender while you finish making the lemon butter sauce.

Serving Suggestions for Your Meal

This bright and flavorful dish is so versatile, which is what I love about it! As the notes mentioned, the silky lemon butter sauce is begging to be soaked up by something sturdy. My favorite pairing is fluffy white rice—it catches every last drop of that garlicky lemon goodness.

If you’re looking for something lighter, roasted asparagus or steamed green beans are fantastic partners. You could also serve this over a bed of angel hair pasta if you want a slightly heartier meal. Honestly, whatever you serve it with, it feels like a fancy restaurant meal, but it took you maybe 20 minutes of actual work!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Skillet Chicken

Don’t you dare waste any of this amazing Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce! Leftovers keep wonderfully. Store the chicken and any extra sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Keep in mind that the chicken texture might change slightly once chilled, but the flavor is still there.

When reheating, I strongly suggest using the stovetop. Place the chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding just a tiny splash of broth or water to loosen things up. Heat gently until warmed through. Avoid the microwave if you can, as it tends to make the thin cutlets rubbery. Here is a quick rundown of how long it lasts:

• Fridge Life: 3 Days
• Freezer Life: Not Recommended (Sauce separates)
• Reheat Method: Low and Slow Stovetop

Answering Common Questions About This Recipe

I always get so many questions after I post a new favorite, and that’s wonderful! It means you’re excited to try the Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce, and I’m happy to clear up any confusion before you start cooking. Here are the things folks ask me most often.

How long does it take to make this easy chicken dinner?

This is the best part! This truly is an easy chicken dinner because the total time is only about 30 minutes from start to finish. Prep takes maybe 10 minutes slicing and seasoning, and the actual cooking—searing the chicken and reducing the sauce—is done in about 20 minutes. It’s perfect for a Tuesday night when you’re starving!

Can I substitute the flour in the Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce?

The flour is just there to help give the sauce body and pick up some of those good brown bits. If you need to skip it for dietary reasons, you absolutely can! Just skip the dredging step entirely. To thicken the sauce later, you can mix about half a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water, then whisk that slurry into the simmering sauce right before you add the Parmesan. It works like a charm!

What is the best way to ensure the chicken stays moist?

The key to moist chicken, especially in a quick pan-sear like this, is temperature control. Don’t just guess! You must use an instant-read thermometer. Pull the chicken out of the skillet the second it hits 165\u00b0F. If you leave it in longer, that residual heat will push it past 170\u00b0F, and it’ll start getting dry. Trust the thermometer, not your eyeball!

Sharing Your Experience with Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce

Now that you’ve whipped up this incredible meal, I really want to hear all about it! Did the garlic perfume fill your whole house? Did your family ask for seconds immediately? Please drop a comment below and let me know how your Skillet Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce turned out! Sharing your success stories helps me keep creating these easy, joyful recipes for all of us! You can also see more of my favorite quick meals on Pinterest.

Print