Lemon Dinner Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts in a vibrant lemon-garlic sauce with fresh herbs and a hint of honey.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 5.3 oz each)

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
07 - 1 teaspoon honey
08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ For Cooking

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
14 - Lemon slices

# How To Make It:

01 - Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl until combined.
02 - Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish and pour half the marinade over them, turning to ensure even coating. Reserve remaining marinade and marinate chicken for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour for enhanced flavor.
03 - Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and discard used marinade. Sear chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked (internal temperature 165°F). Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil.
04 - Add reserved marinade and chicken broth to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Let the sauce reduce for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Whisk in remaining butter to enrich the sauce. Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over each breast, and simmer together for 1 minute to warm through.
06 - Plate chicken with sauce spooned on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in one pan while the chicken rests, so cleanup is a breeze.
  • Bright lemon and garlic make simple chicken taste like you spent hours on it.
  • It works just as well for a quiet dinner as it does when you have company over.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving half the marinade, using the stuff the raw chicken sat in will make the sauce taste murky and dull.
  • Let the chicken rest covered after cooking or all the juices run out onto the cutting board instead of staying inside.
  • Medium-high heat is your friend here, too low and the chicken steams instead of getting that golden crust.
03 -
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it, trying to zest a squeezed lemon is a mess and you'll lose half the oils.
  • Use a meat thermometer, guessing doneness by color alone is how you end up with dry chicken or undercooked centers.
  • Scrape those browned bits from the pan, that's where all the flavor hides and it makes the sauce taste like it simmered for hours.

Go Back