Lemon Butter Chicken Fillet, the Restaurant-Style Dinner Made at Home.

Lemon butter chicken is one of those dishes that feels elegant without being complicated. Tender chicken fillets are pan-seared until golden, then finished in a bright, buttery sauce made with fresh lemon juice, garlic and herbs. The sauce is tangy, rich and deeply satisfying, and it comes together in one pan in under 30 minutes, which makes it equally suited to busy weeknights and dinner parties.

This recipe uses chicken breast fillets that are lightly dredged in flour for a subtle crisp, then seared in butter and oil until golden. The pan is deglazed with chicken stock and lemon juice, and cold butter is whisked in at the end to create a silky, emulsified sauce that clings to the chicken. Serve it with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes to soak up every bit of that sauce. It is the kind of meal that tastes expensive but costs very little to make.

Pan-seared chicken breast fillets with lemon butter sauce and charred lemon slices on a white plate

Lemon Butter Chicken Fillet Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes

For the Chicken

  • 4 pieces (about 500 to 600 g) Boneless Chicken Breast
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for searing)

For the lemon butter sauce

  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)

To serve

  • Steamed rice, buttered pasta or mashed potatoes
  • Steamed or roasted vegetables like asparagus, broccoli or green beans

Steps

  1. If the chicken breasts are thick, butterfly them by slicing horizontally through the middle to create thinner fillets. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
  2. Place the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each piece of chicken lightly in the flour, coating both sides. Shake off any excess flour and set aside on a plate.
  3. Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted and begins to foam, add the chicken fillets in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side without moving the chicken, until the underside is golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 75 degrees Celsius. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet with the browned bits still in the pan, add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
  5. Pour in the chicken stock and lemon juice. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This adds flavour to the sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cold butter cubes one or two at a time, whisking or swirling the pan constantly until the butter melts and emulsifies into the sauce. The sauce should look glossy and slightly thickened. If the sauce seems too thick, add a teaspoon of warm water. If it seems too thin, let it sit off the heat for a minute as it will thicken slightly as it cools.
  7. Stir in the lemon zest and black pepper. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Remember that the chicken is already seasoned, so taste before adding more salt.
  8. Return the chicken fillets to the skillet along with any accumulated juices from the plate. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and let it warm through for 1 minute over very low heat. Do not let the sauce boil or it may separate.
  9. Transfer the chicken to serving plates, spoon extra sauce over the top and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately with steamed rice, buttered pasta or mashed potatoes, and steamed or roasted vegetables on the side.

Tips for Best Results:

  • Pat the chicken dry before flouring to ensure proper browning.
  • Use cold butter for the sauce. Room temperature butter will not emulsify properly.
  • Always remove the pan from heat before adding butter cubes to prevent the sauce from splitting.
  • Fresh lemon juice is essential. Bottled juice will not give the same bright flavour.
  • Do not let the sauce boil once butter has been added as it will separate.
  • Serve immediately for best results as the sauce can separate if left to sit.

Lemon butter chicken is one of those recipes that looks and tastes far more impressive than the effort it requires. It is elegant, flavourful and endlessly adaptable, and once you have made it a few times, it becomes one of those dishes you can pull together without thinking twice. That is exactly what a good dinner recipe should be.

Visit shop.zorabian.com to order fresh Zorabian Boneless Chicken Breast and try this recipe today.

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