Lemon Garlic Herb Chicken (Printable Version)
Seared chicken breasts in a bright lemon-garlic herb sauce, finished with butter and parsley; 40 minutes total.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Aromatics
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium shallot, finely diced
→ Herbs
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
→ Sauce
10 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
12 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
# How to Make It:
01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the chicken breasts and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and diced shallot to the skillet. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and softened.
04 - Add the fresh thyme, parsley, and rosemary to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for about 1 minute until the herbs release their aroma.
05 - Pour in the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, incorporating them into the sauce.
06 - Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Cover with a lid and let simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
07 - Uncover the skillet and add the unsalted butter. Swirl the pan gently until the butter melts completely and the sauce becomes glossy and slightly thickened.
08 - Transfer the chicken to serving plates and spoon the pan sauce generously over each piece. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pan, which means you get all the flavor and almost none of the cleanup.
- The lemon butter sauce is the kind of thing you will want to drag crusty bread through until the skillet shines.
02 -
- Do not skip patting the chicken dry because wet meat steams instead of searing and you lose that caramelized crust.
- Letting the sauce reduce for an extra minute before adding the butter concentrates the flavor dramatically.
03 -
- A two hour marinade in lemon juice, garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil transforms the texture into something remarkably tender.
- Crank the heat slightly higher than you think is safe for the initial sear, because that deep golden crust is where half the sauce flavor comes from.