Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- Chicken:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1½ lbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- Lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Pound chicken breasts to ¾ inch thickness.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Dredge in flour. Shake off excess.
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken. Do not overcrowd.
- Cook 5 to 6 minutes without moving until golden.
- Flip. Cook 5 to 6 more minutes until done (165°F).
- Transfer to plate. Cover with foil.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add butter.
- Add garlic. Cook 30 seconds.
- Add broth, lemon juice, zest, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Simmer. Scrape up brown bits.
- Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until sauce reduces.
- Return chicken to pan. Spoon sauce over. Cook 1 to 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with lemon slices. Serve hot.
Notes
- Pound chicken to even thickness for uniform cooking
- Do not skip flour dredge — creates crust and thickens sauce
- Get pan hot — chicken should sizzle
- Do not move chicken while cooking
- Use meat thermometer — done at 165°F
- Scrape brown bits for flavor
- Serve immediately while sauce is hot
- Chicken thighs work — cook 7 to 8 minutes per side
- Store leftovers up to 3 days
- Fresh lemon juice tastes better than bottled