Chicken in a Lemon Butter Sauce made with boneless chicken breasts sautéed; then topped with a lemon butter sauce. Perfect for weeknight dinners or large get togethers.
How many of you are over 40? Well if you're not there yet, let me tell you that once you pass that milestone the brain goes. I don't know where it goes, but information is cycled in and out on a daily basis and you only get to keep what's happening in the near future in the forefront.
That is until you wake up in the middle of the night remembering something that was funneled in at one point and you forgot all about it. Now, these can be REALLY important things or things that in the grand scheme of things aren't as important but they matter nonetheless.
Which brings me to today's post. About 2 weeks ago, I woke up and remembered that my Aunt Renee had asked me if I had a Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce recipe.
At the time, all I had was a Chicken Francaise recipe (which is in the cookbook), but she said that wasn't it as it wasn't battered in egg. So I told her I'd make it soon and gone it went into the abyss!
It's generally hard for me to make something that I haven't tasted before myself, but this one seemed easy enough. Well, at least I hope it's the same thing she was thinking of.
So I made this Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce in honor of my aunt and I hope she likes it. Since she lives in Michigan and I'm in New Jersey, it's not like I can have her try it out with me there.
How do you make Chicken with a lemon butter sauce?
To make this recipe you'll need boneless chicken breasts, flour, oil, butter, garlic, chicken broth, lemons, chives and thyme.
Start by slicing the chicken horizontally into three or four thinner pieces, then pound flat using a meat mallet. Dredge the chicken into the flour until all pieces have been coated.
Next, heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick saute pan, then add the chicken. Allow to brown and cook through on each side; approximately 3-5 minutes per side depending on their thickness.
Once done, place in an oven safe dish until all of the pieces have been cooked.While the chicken is cooking, make the lemon butter sauce.
First, melt butter in a medium saucepan and add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute, then whisk in the flour forming a roux.
How do you make the Lemon Butter Sauce?
Top the chicken with the sauce, then bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Seriously, this is one of the best lemon sauces for chicken I've ever tasted! Since posting recipe my aunt tried it and said it was spot on! In fact, she has made this recipe over and over again since its first posting.
reviews
- "Wow!! Made this tonight for dinner, and it was delish!! I love lemon chicken, but most recipes are too lemony or too thick or too something. Carrie, this was perfect! Thanks so much for sharing and taking time out of your day to write a blog. I appreciate you!"
- I have made this a few times now…rarely do I comment on recipes (even the really good ones), but this recipe is fabulous! Super simple, a person doesn’t need to go buy a tons of ingredients as a lot of the items can be found in a typical kitchen, and it is amazingly delicious. Thanks for food blogging for the benefit of the rest of us ;)."
- "I make lemon chicken all the time, many different ways. This is my all time favorite recipe!!! So flavorful! I added fresh broccoli and cauliflower to the pan with the chicken, then poured on the sauce and baked. SO GOOD!"
- "I made this dish in a mad rush as my husband and son had limited time before heading out the door. I love that the ingredients aren’t complicated and neither is the technique. Because of it’s simplicity and my haste, I really didn’t have high hopes that I’d be wowed. I ended up having seconds. I never have seconds. And I had the left overs for lunch the next day. I’ll be making this again soon for sure. Thank you for sharing such a tasty, easy recipe."
Visit the recipe index to search for more recipes by category.
More Lemon Chicken Recipes
- Chicken Costoletta (The Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
- Chicken Francaise
- Lemon Chicken Broccoli Spaghetti Squash
- Skillet Lemon Chicken
- Gluten Free Lemon Chicken Spinach Pasta
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Chicken in a Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
For the Chicken in a Lemon Butter Sauce
- 24 ounces boneless chicken breasts
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tabespons butter
- prepared lemon butter sauce
For the Lemon Butter Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- 1 tablespoon chives
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Slice chicken horizontally into three or four thinner pieces, then pound flat using a meat mallet. (You can also use 2-3 ounce chicken tenderloins).
- Dredge the chicken into the flour and lay them on a plate until all pieces have been coated.
- Heat oil and butter in a large non-stkck skillet over medium high heat; then add the chicken. Allow the chicken to brown and cook through on each side; approximately 3-5 minutes per side depending on their thickness. Once done, place in an oven safe casserole dish until all of the pieces have been cooked.
- Top with the prepared lemon butter sauce; then bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes. Serves 6 (approximately 12-14 pieces of chicken)
For the Lemon Butter Sauce
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic. Saute for 30 seconds; then whisk in the flour forming a roux.
- Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking as you are pouring so as not to form lumps.
- Next, add the lemon zest and juice, chives, and thyme. Bring to a boil then allow to simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
Anita at Hungry Couple says
I have to try this one. It really looks delicious!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thanks Anita, it was! 🙂
Michael Ann says
With all the recipes that float down my screen on Face Book, this one caught my eye! Looks great!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
I'm so glad Michael Ann!
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Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thank you.
Kirsten Madaus says
Carrie,
I know what you mean about the 'over 40' thing. Good thing I take photos so I know what's going on.
I made a creamy lemony sauce last night, but to go over linguini and roasted asparagus. Should have used more flour--because I'm here to tell ya that whisking in more flour *after* you've been cooking the sauce for a while just leads to lumps. Ah well, it tasted good.
Thanks to you and your Aunt Renee!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Oh that sounds wonderful Kirsten, my husband would love it with the asparagus. And yes, it will lead to lumps after the fact. Next time, use a mixture of cornstarch and cold water if it still needs to be thicker and you won't get the lumps. 🙂
Kyle-Carpet Cleaning Fargo ND says
This dish is delicious!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thanks for stopping by Kyle!
The Red Apron says
Well, let me try to make this and tell your Aunt she is invited to my house for dinner. Where here in Michigan is she? 🙂
This looks delicious Carrie.
And I do agree about being 40+ let me tell you sometimes I look for things and I can't find it anywhere,
You know why?
Because I was actually holding it!!!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thank you and she's in Rochester Hills. I'm sure she'd love that! LOL And I've done that a few times myself as I'm yelling at the kids thinking they took it! 🙂
Barbara Giacometti says
We do a very similar thing with chicken, only adding capers to the finished dish. This looks beautiful and I love anything where lemon is involved.
Cheers!
Barbara
Sunday at the Giacometti's
Adam says
I have made this a few times now...rarely do I comment on recipes (even the really good ones), but this recipe is fabulous! Super simple, a person doesn't need to go buy a tons of ingredients as a lot of the items can be found in a typical kitchen, and it is amazingly delicious. Thanks for food blogging for the benefit of the rest of us ;).
carrieexpktchn@optonline.net says
Adam, I am truly grateful and honored that you loved the recipe so much that you came back to share your feedback with me. I love sharing my love of food with all of you and it's just nice to know that people like you appreciate it. I'm a lot like you, if I see a recipe and it has a list a mile long with ingredients I tend to shy away (or tweak it to make it a little simpler). In my opinion, preparing a meal should be fun, not cumbersome. Thanks again! 🙂
Betty says
Wow!! Made this tonight for dinner, and it was delish!! I love lemon chicken, but most recipes are too lemony or too thick or too something. Carrie, this was perfect! Thanks so much for sharing and taking time out of your day to write a blog. I appreciate you!
PS -- why do people leave comments like, "I have to try this"? Try it and then comment. I want to hear from people who tried a recipe, not from people who "think it looks good." Okay. I'm off my soap box. Just had to vent a little!!
carrieexpktchn@optonline.net says
Thank you so much for stopping back to let me know Betty. I'm so glad you liked this recipe and I love your outlook on commenting! The way I look at it is at least they're acknowledging they're seeing the post and hopefully they will try the recipe for themselves. 🙂
Sylvia Brand says
Hi Carrie,
I am a cook at home but a very experimental one. I tried this recipe, tasted good but the only issue I have was too much flour, the source became too thick. I will still make this dish again but will reduce the flour to 1.5 tbsp. Nonetheless, thank you very much for sharing.
Many thanks,
Sylvia
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thanks for trying the recipe Sylvia!
Jeanette says
This same sauce I make it for Speghetti when I'm being lazy and don't wanna fix much for myself. I add mushrooms sometimes shrimps or chicken, broccoli or spinach whatever I got it's amazing and a full meal for me! Tonight I'm using it as souce to go over left over Rotisserie Chicken.
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Adding this sauce to pasta sounds amazing! It's got such a rich flavor. I'll have to try it myself, thanks for the tip!
Felicity Lange says
hey are the temps in this recipe in F or C... trying this tomorrow night
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
All of my recipes are in Farenheit. I hope you enjoy it!
Sara says
Amazing! Love it . First time doing it and it is light,lemony and delicious! I made it for me amd my husband so we are only 2 i reduced the chicken broth to 1 cup instead of 2 and 1 1/2 tsp flour instead of 3 and ofc thr amount of chicken is reduced to our liking . Thank you gooddd one
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe Sara, it's one of our favorites too!
Tamara says
I make lemon chicken all the time, many different ways. This is my all time favorite recipe!!! So flavorful! I added fresh broccoli and cauliflower to the pan with the chicken, then poured on the sauce and baked. SO GOOD!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
I bet that was delicious! I'm so glad you enjoy the recipe Tamara, thanks for letting me know. Enjoy the holidays!
debbie says
Carrie,I having a large party(70 people) and would like to know if this dish can be frozen, and is that with or without the sauce. thanks!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Hi Debbie, It absolutely can be. Prepare it with the sauce and freeze it before cooking in the oven. Once defrosted, cook as directed.
Rachel says
Carrie I have a party for 90 people coming up and would like to make this. Can you give me the recipe for 90? Rachel
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Hi Rachel, if you go under the recipe card you can adjust the amount under servings (click on the red servings number and slide a few times to get to 90). Since this is such a large jump in servings, I also feel the ingredients might be skewed a bit; especially for the dredging in flour, frying and the sauce portion. So I would use the new suggestions as a guide, but it may be less. You will probably have to work in batches; especially if you're preparing this in a home kitchen vs. commercial kitchen which has larger pans/burners. If you are preparing this in your home, you also should clean out your frying pan in between a few batches so the chicken doesn't get the residual burning that can happen when you reuse frying oil. I can suggest that for that many people that you use the 2oz. chicken tenderloins and pound it flat with a meat mallet instead of cutting down a larger chicken breast. This way will give you even portion sizes (it's also easier to figure out how much chicken you'll need: 90 people= 90 tenderloins). I hope your party goes well and this helps. Please let me know if I can be of any more assistance.
Kristin says
I made this dish in a mad rush as my husband and son had limited time before heading out the door. I love that the ingredients aren't complicated and neither is the technique. Because of it's simplicity and my haste, I really didn't have high hopes that I'd be wowed. I ended up having seconds. I never have seconds. And I had the left overs for lunch the next day. I'll be making this again soon for sure. Thank you for sharing such a tasty, easy recipe.
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Thank you so much for your kind words Kristin! I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed it and it's one of my favorites as well. I'm a firm believer that dinner should be made with as little ingredients and as simple as possible. Thanks for trying the recipe. 🙂
Karen L Meyers says
Hi Carrie,
I just found this recipe in my search for an easy, tasty lemon sauce for some leftover chicken and will try today.
I have a question that I didn't see above in the comments..... have you ever tried using some dry white wine (or maybe dry sherry) for part of the chicken broth?
Thanks so much for your website and this recipe.
Karen
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
You can certainly use a combination of white wine and chicken broth; which I do for my Chicken Francaise recipe. I made this recipe without the alcohol as some people don't like it, but I'm sure it would taste amazing! Enjoy!
Karen L Meyers says
Thank you so much for your quick reply! I look forward to trying your recipes.
k
Stacimarie says
Sooo good!!! Definitely a great recipe.
A very balanced taste.
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
I'm so glad you liked the recipe!
Rosemary says
Most of the time the chicken breast that I can find are not thick enough to slice into 3 slices, but sometimes huge chicken breasts appear that can be sliced into 3 slices. My question is simple, about how thick are the slices as some of the market have pre sliced pieces? Cutlets are too thin I’m sure. Thanks and this will be a grandma & grandson cooking project for sure.
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
Actually the thin sliced cutlets would work perfectly! I've also used chicken tenderloins and pounded them so that the pieces are uniform in size. I hope you enjoy the recipe!