This recipe for Sautéed Chicken Breast with Lemon Butter Sauce is incredibly simple and can be prepared in just 30 minutes! Quick and easy, the zesty garlic and lemon butter sauce is THE BEST. Perfect for busy dinner nights.
If you love easy Italian chicken dinners, also check out my Italian Chicken Cutlets and Lemon Ricotta Pasta - both weeknight staples in my house.
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Jump To
- Why You'll Love This Lemon Chicken
- What ingredients are needed to cook the lemon chicken?
- How to bread boneless skinless chicken breasts:
- Ingredients needed for the lemon butter sauce:
- How to make easy lemon butter sauce:
- How to Make Lemon Chicken Recipe with Lemon Butter Sauce:
- Expert tips for Easy Lemon Chicken
- Variations and Substitutions
- What to serve it with
- How to Store
- More Chicken Recipes to Try:
- Easy Chicken with Lemon Sauce Recipe
This lemon chicken recipe is one of my mom's - and it has been on our dinner table for as long as I can remember. She called it chicken limone, and the name stuck. Chicken breasts are breaded and pan fried until golden, then finished right in the pan with a simple garlic lemon butter sauce that is tangy, rich, and absolutely irresistible. You will want bread on the table to mop up every drop.
What I love most about this dish is how fast it comes together. From start to finish you are looking at 30 minutes, which makes it one of my go-to recipes on busy weeknights. Even the pickiest eaters in my family devour it every time. The sauce is thinner than a cream sauce - bright, buttery, and lemony rather than heavy - and that is exactly what makes it so good with pasta or a crusty loaf alongside.
The technique here is simple but important: double-dredge the chicken through flour, egg, and flour again for a coating that holds up in the pan. Then you cook the sauce right in the same skillet so it picks up all those golden bits from the chicken. Pure comfort food with an Italian soul.
Why You'll Love This Lemon Chicken
- Great leftovers: Store the chicken in the sauce and it reheats beautifully the next day.
- Fast weeknight dinner: Ready in 30 minutes with straightforward steps anyone can follow.
- Big flavor from a short ingredient list: Garlic, lemon, and butter do all the heavy lifting.
- One pan, easy cleanup: The sauce is built right in the same skillet used for the chicken.
What ingredients are needed to cook the lemon chicken?
- Chicken breasts: Main protein source for the Lemon Chicken dish.
- Olive oil: Used for sautéing the chicken. I always use extra-virgin olive oil.
- Eggs: Used as a part of the egg mixture to coat the chicken.
- Sea salt: Enhances the overall taste of the dish. Use kosher salt if that's what you have on hand.
- Freshly ground black pepper: Adds a subtle kick of spiciness. Omit, if you prefer.
- All-purpose flour: Used to coat the chicken before frying, creating a crispy exterior.
How to bread boneless skinless chicken breasts:
Full printable recipe is below, but this is the summary.
Gather all the ingredients: The recipe has some steps, so make sure to get all your ingredients together for frying chicken and making the sauce.
1. Slice chicken breasts: With a sharp knife, cut chicken breasts lengthwise in half.Beat the cutlets to even thickness with a meat tenderizer.
2. Egg wash: Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, and a little bit of water.
3. Breading: In a separate bowl, add the flour.
4. Dredge: Press chicken breasts, one by one, in the flour, shaking off excess.
5. Coat: Carefully coat both sides of breaded chicken in egg wash. Shake off excess.
6. Dredge again: Place chicken breast back in flour mixture and coat both sides, shaking off excess. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
7. Pan fry Chicken. Add oil to a hot skillet, and when oil is shimmering, add breaded chicken and cook 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165˚F with an Instant Read Thermometer.
8. Set aside cooked chicken: On a paper towel lined baking sheet or casserole, place cooked chicken pieces.
Ingredients needed for the lemon butter sauce:
Check recipe card below for exact quantities, but here is a summary.
- Unsalted butter: Forms the base of the flavorful Lemon Butter Sauce.
- Garlic cloves: Infuses the sauce with a rich and aromatic taste.
- Chicken broth: Adds depth and richness to the sauce.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: Provides a tangy and refreshing flavor.
- Italian Parsley (optional garnish): Adds freshness and visual appeal to the dish.
- Sliced lemon (optional garnish): Enhances the presentation and provides a hint of citrus flavor.
How to make easy lemon butter sauce:
Really simple 5-minute lemon butter sauce is just delicious. Fresh lemon juice, butter, and garlic make a tangy and creamy sauce. The flavors combined together are great!
For an even faster dinner, if you don't mind using two pans, prep this EASY sauce in a small saucepan or skillet as you cook the chicken. When chicken is ready, pour the sauce over cooked chicken. Other option is to cook chicken, remove from the skillet, add sauce ingredients to the hot skillet. Make the lemon butter sauce, and when it's nicely simmering, add back the chicken.
Here are the easy steps:
- Add the butter and the olive oil. As soon as the butter melts , add the garlic
2. Saute' garlic until it's just fragrant.
3. Stir in the lemon juice, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Cook the sauce over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until it's simmering. The sauce will thicken a little bit, but it's not meant to be a thick sauce.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Recipe with Lemon Butter Sauce:
Find the detailed full instructions listed in the recipe card below. Here is a short summary .
- Bring sauce to simmer: As soon as the sauce is simmering and thickening, add the chicken breasts to the sauce.
- Simmer a few minutes: Let the chicken simmer in the sauce, making sure to carefully flip and coat the other side of the chicken.
3. Plate it up: Once it's heated through, plate up and sprinkle on some of the chopped parsley. Buon Appetito!
Expert tips for Easy Lemon Chicken
- If you choose to use whole chicken breasts, the meat will be quite thick so you'll need to finish the dish off in the oven to make sure that the chicken is cooked through and safe to eat.
- For a tangier flavor, add a touch of lemon zest to the flour mixture.
- To ensure juicy and tender chicken, let the cooked chicken rest for a few minutes before adding the sauce.
- If desired, you can add a splash of white wine to the sauce for a delightful twist.
- Serve the Lemon Chicken with your favorite side dishes like roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes for a complete meal.
Variations and Substitutions
- Chicken thighs: Boneless skinless thighs are juicier than breasts and work beautifully here. Add a couple of extra minutes to the cook time.
- Gluten-free: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour.
- Lighter sauce: Use all olive oil instead of butter in the sauce, or reduce the butter to 2 tablespoons.
- Different citrus: Try orange or a mix of lemon and orange for a slightly sweeter sauce.
- Add capers: Stir in 2 tablespoons of drained capers when you add the lemon juice for a piccata-style variation.
What to serve it with
- This EASY chicken recipe is ready in 30 minutes. My favorite way to serve Lemon Chicken is with a side of pasta. It's a heavenly combination. You could make this easy garlic and oil pasta, it's delicious! Or just double the chicken's lemon butter sauce and cook up some pasta to go with it.
- You can also serve it over rice, mashed potatoes, or with a gorgeous crusty no-knead Italian bread.
- To stay low-carb, serve with cauliflower rice, zucchini or butternut squash or noodles.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the chicken in the sauce so it stays moist. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened. I do not recommend freezing this dish once cooked - the coating loses its texture.
More Chicken Recipes to Try:
- Sheet Pan Chicken Cacciatore - A really easy way to make one of my favorite Italian chicken recipes.
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders - If you have an air fryer, you have to try this recipe!
- Balsamic Fig Glazed Chicken - The combination of figs and balsamic vinegar is delightful!
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Soup - When it's soup season, you need to try this recipe!
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Easy Chicken with Lemon Sauce Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts 4 small or two large sliced horizontally to create 4
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for seasoning
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour may need more while you're dredging chicken
- ½ cup olive oil I used extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- For the sauce:
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ lemon juiced
- ½ lemon sliced
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth use homemade if you have some on hand
- 2 to 4 Tablespoons freshly minced Italian parsley use amount to your taste
Instructions
- Cook the chicken:
- Prepare ingredients: With a sharp knife, cut chicken breasts lengthwise in half. Beat the cutlets to even thickness with a meat tenderizer. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper (if you like). In a shallow bowl or flat-bottomed dish, whisk the eggs and a little bit of water together until well blended to make the egg wash. Prepare a separate dish with flour. Line a baking sheet or large casserole with parchment paper.
- Bread chicken: Coat the chicken in a thin layer of flour, ensuring to remove any excess. Dip it into the egg batter, allowing any extra batter to drip back into the bowl. Dredge the chicken in flour once more, shaking off any remaining excess. I press down on the chicken with my clean fingers to pat the flour in place all over the surface of the chicken. Be sure to wash your fingers after you touch the chicken and continue cooking. Place each piece of chicken on a plate until all are prepared.
- Fry chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, hot, but not smoking, carefully place the chicken into the pan. Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet in a single layer and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Using tongs, flip and cook, covered, until cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, an additional 8 minutes. Reduce the heat if chicken browns too quickly.
- Once cooked: transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels and loosely cover it with foil to keep it warm.
- Make the sauce:
- Blot excess oil: With paper towels, carefully remove any excess oil from the skillet, leaving only a thin layer, along with any bits that may have stuck to the pan. When you blot out the excess oil, make sure you're not touching oil with your fingers, as you could burn your fingers.
- Lower heat: Finally, reduce the heat to medium-low. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape and loosen any thing stuck on bottom of the pan. With the pan on medium-low, add butter and garlic. As soon as the garlic has cooked until it is fragrant, add lemon juice and stir.
- Reduce sauce: Cook a few minutes while it reduces. Add in the chicken broth, and lemon slices, and stir. Turn the heat back to medium-high. Stir to combine and cook a couple minutes more until it slightly thickens and reduces a little, for about 5 minutes. Keep in mind, this sauce is on the thinner side and does not get very thick. Use a spoon to taste the sauce and if you like, adjust flavor to your liking with a little bit more lemon juice, salt, and some pepper.
- Simmer chicken in sauce: Lower heat back to medium-low. Carefully place the cooked chicken in the skillet letting it simmer gently in the sauce, turning it over halfway, about 4 minutes. Spoon sauce to coat the other side and once it's heated through, it's ready to serve.
- Serve chicken: Place chicken on a large serving plate or plate it up. Garnish with finely chopped parsley and generously drizzle the sauce over each portion before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Chicken: You could make chicken tenderloins or even chicken legs or thighs.
- Sauce: The sauce does not thicken a lot, it is on the thinner side. Adjust to your flavoring. If you like it more tart, add some more freshly squeezed lemon juice. Check salt, and adjust to your taste.
- Serve: The chicken pairs nicely with a side of steamed rice, pasta, or low-carb cauliflower rice. It even goes great with a nice and big salad.
Nutrition
Yes, you can! Make this delicious recipe with chicken breast, chicken tenderloins, or chicken thighs (or legs.) Follow the recipe and adjust the cooking time depending on how big the thighs (or legs) are. The internal temperature will have to be 165F on an instant-read thermometer.
Yes, you can. If you prefer to prepare dinner ahead of time, you can slice the chicken and combine it with the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to cook. Marinating the chicken will enhance its juiciness and tenderness. Then, simply proceed with the rest of the recipe instructions.
Yes, you could! Slice the chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. Prep the sauce and continue with the rest of the recipe.
Yes, you could add zucchini, green beans, or even spinach. The spinach cooks up very fast.
Using an internal meat thermometer, check chicken on thickest part of the bread.The chicken should always read between 165°F and 175°F. Using meat thermometer is the safest way to make sure the chicken is fully cooked.
Be sure to use your internal meat thermometer to check if chicken is cooked read between 165°F and 175°F. As soon as it reaches the right temperature, take it off the heat. The longer you keep it cooking, the more chances it will get dry.
IF you cook the chicken alone in lemon juice, it could dry it out. But when it's combined in the broth and butter to make the sauce, it does not dry out the chicken.
Delicious! I added the zest of one lemon and the juice of a whole lemon because my homegrown lemons were mild in flavor.
I served it with green beans and egg noodles. The flavor was perfect and the chicken was tender and juicy
Hi Patrice-Really happy to hear you thought the chicken with lemon sauce is delicious...thank you for letting me know! That's so nice you have your own lemons to add zest and juice to the chicken. I like that you served with egg noodles and green beans! Enjoy!
Wow I absolutely loved this recipe. It was easy to make, instructions and photos were clear, my family loved it. I ended up making it with the juice of three lemons as I wanted more sauce. Added poultry seasoning and paprika to the chicken before egg and flour. My family loved it. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Tamiko-THANK YOU for taking the time to let me know you loved the chicken with lemon sauce. My mom will love that you added paprika to the chicken (she always does!). Great idea to make extra sauce!!
Such a delicious and perfect chicken. So retro and great company dish!
Thank you for taking the time to leave me comment. It is very retro! So happy you enjoyed!
Just love this buttery lemon sauce...by the way, I added 2 more cloves of garlic (my boyfriend loves extra garlic). This was easy to make! I'm saving it!
Can this be cooked in an airfryer.
An oldie but a goodie...I remember my nana making a chicken like this! This turned out delicious! I even added a splash of white wine to the butter sauce that I had just opened and it was amazing!