Are you in a chicken rut? Cooking the same ol’ boring chicken breast week after week? Yeah, then you need to try this Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken ASAP. It’s savory, tart, and peppery, and has a delicious pan sauce that you’ll want to spoon over your entire plate! This one is so quick and flavorful, I know it’s going to go into your regular rotation. ;)
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What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?
This quick skillet cooking method requires thin chicken pieces that cook quickly, like boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into thinner pieces), chicken tenders, thin-cut chicken breast, or chicken thighs. This method is not suitable for bone-in chicken.
Do I Need Fresh Lemon?
Nope! While I did garnish this dish with some fresh lemon slices (I had those leftover from another dish), you actually don’t need fresh lemon to make this lemon pepper chicken! Most of the lemon flavor comes from the potent lemon pepper seasoning. The small amount of lemon juice added to the pan sauce can be bottled.
What Is Lemon Pepper Seasoning?
The lemon pepper seasoning I used to flavor this recipe is a mix of lemon zest, pepper, citric acid, and salt. Most major spice brands in the U.S. as well as many major generic store brands make their own lemon pepper seasoning, so it should be easy to find in just about any grocery store in the U.S. If you can’t find lemon pepper at your local store, there are plenty of recipes online for homemade lemon pepper seasoning.
Make sure to check if the lemon pepper seasoning you have contains salt. If it does not, you may need to add more salt to the recipe below.
What to Serve with Lemon Pepper Chicken
I went full-on lemon and served my Lemon Pepper Chicken with Lemon Parsley Pasta, but it would also go great with some Sautéed Vegetables, Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad, Roasted Broccoli, Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus, Spinach Rice with Feta, Spanish Chickpeas and Rice, or Pasta Primavera.
Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken
Servings 4Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lbs. total) ($6.79)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 1 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning ($0.30)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.08)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth ($0.07)
- 1 Tbsp butter ($0.14)
- 1 tsp lemon juice ($0.02)
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional) ($0.10)
- 1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to carefully fillet the chicken breasts into two thinner peices (or use thin-cut chicken breasts).
- Combine the flour and lemon pepper seasoning in a bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of the chicken breast pieces and then rub it in until the chicken is fully coated.
- Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium. When the skillet and oil are very hot, add the chicken and cook on each side until golden brown (about 5 minutes per side). Remove the cooked chicken to a clean plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add the butter and minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for about one minute.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet and whisk to dissolve all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the lemon juice and allow the sauce to simmer in the skillet for 3-5 minutes, or until it has reduced slightly. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed (I did not add any).
- Finally, return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over top. Allow the chicken to heat through. Season with a little freshly cracked pepper and fresh chopped parsley (optional), then serve.
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Nutrition
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How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken – Step by Step Photos
Use a sharp knife to carefully fillet two boneless, skinless chicken breasts into thinner pieces (or use thin-cut chicken breasts).
Combine 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour and 1 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning in a bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of the chicken pieces.
Smear the flour mixture over both sides of the chicken until they’re evenly coated.
Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a skillet over medium. Once hot, add the chicken pieces and cook on both sides until golden brown (about 5 minutes per side). Remove the cooked chicken to a clean plate and cover to keep warm.
Add 1 Tbsp butter and one minced clove of garlic to the skillet. Sauté the garlic for about one minute.
Pour ½ cup chicken broth into the skillet and whisk to dissolve all the browned bits off the bottom. Add 1 tsp lemon juice to the broth, then let the broth simmer in the skillet for 3-5 minutes, or until it has reduced just slightly. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed (I did not add any, but this will depend on the salt content of your lemon peppers seasoning and broth).
Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over top. Allow the chicken to heat through (a few minutes).
Top the chicken off with some freshly cracked pepper and chopped parsley (optional), then serve!
The lemon helps keep the chicken extra tender, juicy, and flavorful! Enjoy!
I’ve made this a couple of times and decided to make it for my parents. My Dad doesn’t like chicken because it’s boring, so I thought this recipe would appeal to him since the flavor is so bright. He took seconds and repeatedly complimented it. He also told me to pass on the compliment to whoever I got it from, so here I am. It’s super easy to make. I served it alongside sautéed zucchini, squash, and onions and also Brussels sprouts.
Just made this for my kid. We both loved it. Had the great flavor like chicken wings but with healthier cut of meat. We’ll be making this again and again.
Wonderful flavor & so tender & juicy!
Thank you!
5 picky teenagers and my husband ALL gave this 5 stars. I shared it with my siblings and their families loved it too. A complete win! Thank you!!
Absolutely delicious! It was so easy to make and I followed the recipe exactly. 100% recommend!
This was excellent. Flavor was on point . Served it with angel hair pasta and broccoli and my family really enjoyed it . Only wish i had made more of the sauce for the pasta.
I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs and it was delicious! Toddler ate it too!
so easy and so delicious!
I made this recipe last night and it turned out great! Literally the ONLY thing I changed was that I used chicken tenders instead of breasts because that’s all I had. The amount of chicken was basically the same. The flour/ lemon pepper seasoning rub was perfect. Next time I’m going to try to double the ingredients for the sauce because my husband and I couldn’t get enough! I served this with whole wheat penne lightly buttered.
This is seriously an amazing recipe. I make it all the time. Chicken is always a bit scary for me and I often mess it up but this recipe is very forgiving and always tasty even if the chicken is a bit over cooked !! I can’t help but drink the leftover sauce when I’m cleaning up… my boyfriend and I call it ‘the forbidden juice’
Very nice and easy. Taste just as good as it looks!
This. Was. So. Delicious.
This was absolutely delicious. I didn’t have lemon pepper seasoning so I added 1 tsp of pepper and salt to the flour and more lemon juice to the sauce. My husband loved it!!! Served it with orzo and asparagus.
Have you ever made this in the oven?
Nope. You definitely won’t get the same browning effect in the oven, which is important for adding flavor to this sauce.
Delicious! I worry about overcooking chicken breasts, but this turned out great! Thank you—I’ve been in a cooking slump, and your recipes inspire me.