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My lemon pepper chicken uses simple ingredients and yields juicy and tender chicken that is packed with flavor. It’s ready in just 20 minutes!
Love easy chicken recipes? Try my parmesan crusted chicken, oven fried chicken, Huli Huli chicken, and Peruvian chicken next.
I cook chicken for my family at least twice a week, and they never get bored, thanks to its versatility and how easy it is to flavor. My lemon pepper chicken recipe is one of our favorites because it packs in so much flavor with just a few ingredients!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Takes less than 20 minutes to make. There isn’t much prep work involved in making this recipe. The chicken itself takes only 10 minutes to cook.
- Perfect every time. The chicken is seriously juicy and tender, and the buttery lemon sauce tastes incredible.
- Simple ingredients. My recipe allows you to achieve a rich-flavored dish with minimal ingredients.
- A versatile main dish. I’ve paired this chicken with salads, vegetables, and even grains!
Ingredients needed
- Chicken. Boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken cutlets are preferred, but I’ve also tested this with skinless chicken thighs, and it worked well, too. Avoid using bone-in chicken because there will not be enough sauce to compensate.
- Olive oil. To pan-fry the chicken.
- Flour. To dredge the chicken breasts before frying. Use gluten-free flour if needed.
- Lemon. Opt for fresh lemons, as we’ll be using both the juice and the zest.
- Lemon pepper seasoning and salt. To season.
- Butter. While the oil gives the chicken the golden crust, the butter mixes with the lemon to create the most delicious sauce ever.
- Garlic. Please use freshly minced cloves, not garlic powder.
- Parsley and lemon slices. to garnish.
How to make lemon pepper chicken
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Pound. Cut the chicken breasts into four cutlets and pound them lightly to get them evenly thick.
Step 2- Season. Dredge the chicken breasts in a mixture of flour, lemon zest, lemon pepper, and salt. Shake off the excess.
Step 3- Cook the chicken. Cook the cutlets for 5 minutes per side until they are nicely browned. Add butter, garlic, and lemon juice. Simmer for two minutes.
Step 4- Garnish and serve. Remove the lemon pepper chicken from the heat, garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices, and serve.
Serving ideas!
- Veggie sides. Use the air fryer to quickly whip up some air fryer Brussels sprouts, air fryer asparagus, or air fryer carrots.
- Salads. Try my Asian cucumber salad, wedge salad, or 7-layer salad. You can also keep it simple with some mixed greens.
- Potatoes. Sauteed potatoes, air fryer baked potatoes, or made into air fryer French fries, you can never go wrong with potatoes!
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make a homemade lemon pepper seasoning. If you don’t have store-bought lemon pepper seasoning in your spice drawer, combine sea salt with lemon or lime zest. Both dried and fresh zest will work.
- You’ll know the chicken is fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. You can check using an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Let the chicken rest. After removing the chicken from the oven, allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender and flavorful meat.
- Add herbs and spices: Enhance the flavor of this dish by incorporating additional herbs and spices. Dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, or smoked paprika can add some umami flavors.
Storage instructions
To store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat: Reheat lemon pepper chicken in the oven preheated to 325 degrees for 15 minutes. You can also reheat the chicken in the microwave.
To freeze: Once the chicken has cooled, place it in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can. If you bake the chicken breasts, skip the flour and only season the chicken with salt, spices, and garlic. Put the chicken breasts in a baking dish, add some lemon juice and butter, and bake at 350F degrees until they are cooked through.
More tasty skillet chicken dinners
- Cast iron chicken breast
- Chicken Marsala
- Honey mustard chicken
- Chicken Katsu
- Chicken schnitzel
- Marry me chicken
Lemon Pepper Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts in half into four cutlets and pound them lightly to get them even thickness.
- Combine the flour, lemon zest, salt, and lemon pepper in a bowl.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off any excess.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and working in batches, cook the chicken until browned on both sides.
- Add butter, garlic, and lemon juice. Simmer together for 2 minutes before removing from the heat and serving immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published June 2023, updated and republished July 2024
I followed this recipe yesterday and it was great. Lemon and pepper!
The coating was just right and the lemon and garlic was a very tasty addition. I only put about half the amount of salt knowing my lemon pepper seasoning already had salt but it was still way too salty. I’d suggest less than half of the salt or none at all if you have a lemon pepper seasoning that already contains salt.
Easy and delicious