Preparing this Lemon Chicken with Butter Sauce will provide an enormously well-balanced dish, merging the tenderness of golden chicken breasts with a bold tangy lemon butter. The chicken is properly seasoned and seasoned with a good dusting of flour for that crispy, golden crust to marinate with a creamy, very garlicky sauce.
The most elegant, simple preparation of this splendid dish is with an optional touch of capers for that salty chomp. Sprinkle both the sauce and the dish with fresh parsley for that simply magnificent finish. Wit, pasta, or roasted vegetables, whatever you fancy, but make sure it’s perfect in your mouthing paired with some amazing weeknight snacks or an excellent bonafide special occasion dinner!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It beautifully bridges the gap between richness and lightness. This is golden, tender chicken bathed in a rich sauce, made with fresh lemon juice and lots of butter and cream, managing elegance and comfort. The optional caper tang will make your mouth want more, and garlic and fresh parsley fully round out this very simple dish.
All this comes together quick as far as it will take less than 30 minutes and would be a real special quick pass off for something your guests may remember.
Key Ingredients
Chicken Breasts: This is a tender cut of boneless, skinless chicken breast that cooks quickly and serves as a canvas for the buttery and lemony union achieved in the sauce.
Lemon Juice: This has bright, tangy flavors that complement the richness from the butter and cream.
Butter: This is a sauce that brings all the flavors together with a velvety, indulgent feeling because it is unsalted butter.
Heavy Cream: Will smoothen the sharp tang of the lemon juice and make it rich.
Chicken Broth: To bring depth to the sauce and also gives it a meaty flavor.
Garlic: This is minced and gives the whole sauce an aromatic kick.
Capers (Optional): It provides an edge of tanginess or slight saltiness and therefore beautifully accompanies the taste of lemon butter sauce.
Flour: Lightly lain over some chicken, flour creates the golden crust and adds a little thickening to the sauce.
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
Season the Chicken: Generously season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Dredge in Flour: Lightly coat each chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess. This will help create a golden crust when cooking.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken
Heat Oil: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.
Cook Chicken: Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fully cooked (internal temperature of 165°F/74°C).
Set Aside: Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a plate. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Step 3: Make the Sauce
Deglaze the Pan: In the same skillet, add:
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves minced garlic.
Simmer: Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet for extra flavor.
Step 4: Add Cream and Butter
Add Cream: Reduce the heat to low and stir in ½ cup heavy cream.
Add Butter: Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Optional Capers: Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of capers for a tangy burst of flavor, if desired.
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Step 5: Combine and Serve
Return Chicken to Sauce: Place the chicken breasts back into the skillet, spooning the sauce over the top.
Heat Through: Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for an additional 2-3 minutes until fully heated.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot. Pair with pasta, rice, or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this Lemon and Butter Chicken Dinner by serving it with any or all of these complementary exchanges elaborating the appealing flavor:
Pasta: Layer with some of the angel hair pasta or linguine topped with drizzles of that extra sauce.
Rice: Jasmine rice, fluffy white rice, and pilaf work well.
Mashed Potatoes: Another great thing to accompany this dish is a comforting creamy mash.
Vegetables: Fine examples are roasted asparagus, green beans, or sautéed spinach as accompaniments.
Salad: It would also be nicely done together with a light and crisp vinaigrette on a side salad to counteract everything.
Storage and Tips
Storing Leftovers:
Store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating:
Keeping Leftovers:
Store both the chicken and sauce in an airtight container and keep them inside the fridge. For the best, consume within three days. Keep both the chicken and the sauce separate to extract maximum freshness.
How to Reheat:
Heat up gently in a skillet, and then let it sit on low heat. Adding a little chicken broth or cream gives it a smoother texture, should the sauce need it. The sauce should neither be overheated nor heated for too long, or it risks separating.
Tips for Success:
Pound Chicken Evenly: If you pound even the thickest of chicken breasts to a uniform thickness, you will get quicker and more uniform cooking results.
Don’t Overcook: Keep your chicken perfectly cooked by ensuring that meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice tastes quite better.
Deglaze the Pan: There are flavorful browned bits in the skillet. Scrape the pan to incorporate them completely into the sauce.
Serve Immediately: If you have not served it at the beginning, it is ideal for enjoying the sauce with a warm and creamy consistency.
Variations
And there are unending possibilities to suit anyone’s taste:
Herb-Infused: Have thyme or rosemary in the sauce for that spice of aroma.
Vegetarian Option: Have mushrooms in the lemony butter sauce
Vegan Option: Switch the chicken with either grilled, braised or roasted pieces of big-slabs cauliflower or with crispy fried tofu to make it a meatless version.
Spicy Lemon Chicken: Add chili flakes on the sauce to give that overall taste a bit of spicy kick.
Wine-Enhanced Sauce: Use of 1-1⁄2 cup white wine and 1-1⁄2 cups chicken broth takes the sauce to a whole different level.
With a Lighter Option: Substituting half-and-half for heavy cream gives this a slightly lighter take.
Conclusion
Luxury can be associated with simplicity in this Lemon Chicken and Butter Sauce dish, impressive with distinct taste. It would also make an uneventful chicken breast, similarly sophisticated as in the finest restaurant cuisine. Whether for a family dinner or guests there is nothing to do-besides having little time and the big flavor would be hard to resist; enjoy it with your favorite sides and a perfectly balanced, fulfilling meal. Trust me, people would come back for seconds with the buttery sauce alone!
Lemon Chicken with Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon capers optional, for tangy flavor
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken and cover to keep warm.
- In the same skillet, add chicken broth, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Simmer while scraping up any browned bits from the skillet.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Gradually add butter, one tablespoon at a time, stirring until the sauce is smooth. Stir in capers if using.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to heat through. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
