This parmesan-crusted Lemon Chicken Recipe is so EASY to make and completely ready in 30 minutes! The quick garlic and lemon butter sauce enhances the flavor of the chicken and adds so much flavor to the dish!
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I’m convinced you’ll love my Lemon Chicken with the best Lemon Butter Sauce.
Lemon Chicken Recipe:
This dish is going to become a favorite chicken dinner recipe for BUSY evenings. The chicken breast is generously coated in parmesan and pan-fried to give it a crispy crust. The chicken is then smothered in a lemon butter sauce with garlic that adds so much flavor to the chicken.
We love easy 30-minute chicken recipes for busy weeknights and some of our go-to’s include Chicken Marsala, classic Chicken Parmesan and of course this easy lemon garlic chicken. With these recipes in your arsenal, you can make restaurant-quality meals for a fraction of the price of eating out.
How to Make Lemon Chicken:
With just a few simple ingredients a few minutes of prep time, you can have yourself the most DELICIOUS crispy chicken breast in a buttery garlic lemon sauce!
- Cut chicken in half lengthwise and beat with a meat mallet to an even thickness.
- Prepare Egg Mixture – whisk together eggs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Prepare Parmesan Mixture – in a separate bowl, mix together the parmesan cheese and flour.
- Dredge the Chicken – coat in the egg mixture, then generously coat in parmesan mixture, shaking off excess.
- Cook Chicken. Add oil to a hot skillet then add breaded chicken and cook 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165˚F with an Instant Read Thermometer.
Cook’s Tip – If the chicken crust begins to brown too quickly, reduce heat allowing the chicken to fully cook through.
How to Make Lemon Butter Sauce:
This 5-minute EASY lemon butter sauce will become a staple in your home. The sauce is tangy from the fresh lemon and butter and the garlic just brings all the flavors together – SO GOOD!
For a quicker dinner, prepare the lemon sauce in a separate saucepan or skillet while the chicken is cooking. Then just pour the sauce over the chicken once it is cooked. Or, you can just cook the chicken, remove it from the skillet (cover to keep warm) and prepare the sauce in the same skillet, then add the chicken back.
- Saute the garlic and butter until fragrant.
- Whisk in the lemon juice, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Allow the sauce to cook over med heat for about 2 minutes.
NOTE: We love the fresh and tangy lemon flavor in this recipe. If you prefer a less lemony flavor, reduce the lemon juice.
Can I make this Ahead?
If you like to prep dinner in advance, slice the chicken and add it to the egg mixture, cover and refrigerate until you are ready for dinner. Allowing the chicken to marinate will result in a juicier and more tender chicken breast. Then, just continue with the remaining recipe instructions.
Can I make the Lemon Chicken without Parmesan Crust?
Yes! For a healthier option, completely omit the egg mixture and parmesan mixture. Slice the chicken breast and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then, continue with the preparation of the sauce.
Substituting for Chicken Thighs?
This lemon chicken will work with chicken breast, chicken thighs, and even chicken tenderloins. You will want to prepare the recipe according to the instructions, the only difference will be in the cooking time. The cook time will depend on the size of the thighs, you want the internal temperature to reach 165F on an instant-read thermometer.
Adding Vegetables to the Chicken in Skillet:
Yes, you may definitely add vegetables to complete the dish. Asparagus, green beans, and zucchini will all go great with the lemon sauce and compliment the chicken
I can’t wait for you to give this simple chicken dinner recipe a try!
What to Serve with Lemon Chicken?
The EASY chicken dish is completely ready in just 30 minutes and can be served with our Mashed Potatoes or your favorite pasta and it pairs well with Caesar Salad.
More Chicken Recipes to Try:
- Chicken Cobb Salad – so easy with rotisserie chicken
- Spatchcock Chicken – one-pan baked chicken dinner
- Chicken Fried Rice – a great way to use leftovers
- Chicken Carbonara- Olive Garden copycat recipe.
- Tender Chicken Thighs- Easiest and juiciest baked tender thighs.
Lemon Chicken with BEST Lemon Butter Sauce

Ingredients
Ingredients for Parmesan Crusted Chicken:
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breast, (2 large), patted dry with paper towels
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, to sautee
- 1 Tbsp parsley, to garnish (optional)
- 1/2 lemon, sliced for garnish (optional)
For the Egg Mixture:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
For the Parmesan Breading Mixture:
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Ingredients for Lemon Butter Sauce:
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Lightly beat with a meat mallet until even in thickness.
- In a bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the egg mixture. In another bowl, combine the ingredients for the parmesan mixture. Dip chicken into the egg mixture, then dredge chicken in the parmesan mixture. Allow any excess ingredients to fall off from each bowl.
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a skillet. Once hot, add the chicken and cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until crispy, golden and cooked through to 165˚F on an Instant Read Thermometer. Reduce the heat if chicken browns too quickly.
- Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, melt butter and garlic, cook until fragrant. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and pepper. Allow the sauce to cook for about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken, turning to coat. Garnish with lemon slices and finely chopped parsley if desired.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
So much flavor. My husband said one of the best chicken dish I’ve ever cooked. I served this with roast potatoes and green beans.
Thanks for sharing that with us JB. Love your great feedback!
This recipe is a new favorite for the family!! So delicious! The chicken out very crispy which I really loved!
I’m so glad you found a family favorite on our blog! that’s so awesome!
I give this 4 stars instead of 5 because the sauce was a bit too much lemon flavor and did not thicken. Chicken was divine and I did soak the breasts in the refrigerator in the egg mixture for about an hour before cooking so the cheese mixture really stuck to it! came out crispy and delicious. I would probably skip the sauce next time.
Thank you so much for sharing that feedback with me.
Do you think this would work if I roasted it in the oven, like your one pan oven roasted chicken and veggies recipe?
Hi Stacey, I have not tested that but it may work. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
It worked in the oven! I used 1 cup of panko bread crumbs and 1 cup of parmesan cheese instead of the flour/parmesan mix, used cooking spray in my pan, and baked at 375 for 30-35 minutes. My family wanted it crispier, so next time I’ll broil for a few more minutes at the end.
Great to hear that Stacey! Thanks for sharing that with us.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was very tasty! We had it with egg noodles and everyone left the table very happy. Thank you for sharing your recipe Natasha!
Great to hear that, Karen. Thanks for the good feedback!
Made this last night…it was delicious and so easy….I marinated the chicken ahead of time based on the comments….this is definitely a must have recipie! Thank you Natasha!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Lynne!
Dear Natasha,
The Lemon Chicken recipe was the most wonderful meal for me to serve to my family of 3. My husband said it is the best chicken he has ever had. I used your hint to marinate the chicken with the eggs and seasonings in the fridge for a few hours.
We had leftovers and I used some of the chicken sliced thin to use in quesadillas from your Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas recipe.
The Lemon Chicken was a nice switch from beef for quesadillas.
Thank you for sharing your recipes. They are very special meals in our home and you always make cooking look easy!
Thank you so much for your amazing feedback. I am so happy to read your nice comments I appreciate you sharing it with us here!
My husband and I tried this recipe and it was great. The parmesan added a really nice flavor to the chicken and the sauce was so flavorful. We will definitely fix this again.
Awesome thank you for sharing that to us Kimberly. I am happy that you loved this recipe!
This was AMAZING! would eat this over any chicken pasta meal at Olive Garden lol
Thank you!
You’re very welcome I’m glad you loved it! Thanks for your great review too!
This recipe is a new favorite! I can attest that the recipe works perfectly with fresh shrimp as well. So yummy!
That is fantastic, Leah. Thank you for the great review! I haven’t tried it with fresh shrimp but thanks for the tip.
Made this and it got the thumbs up in our house. Easy to make and brightens up often dull chicken. Will be made again.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Marjanne!
I made this for the wife (52 yrs) on Valentine’s Day. We enjoyed it immensely. The only adjustment I made was in the breading where I merely sprinkled both sides of the meat with the cheese, pressing it into the meat, before doing the same with a mixture of flour and corn starch which I believe results in a crispier crust. It also wastes less breading. I use the same technique with several recipes.
Thank you for sharing that great idea with us, Dave. That sounds delicious!
I can’t have onion or garlic, what can I replace pleass
Hi Helen, it will alter the flavor drastically so it may be better to substitute. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I can’t use garlic or onion either, and use a healthy dose of poultry seasoning instead, along with light dashes of chili powder, celery salt, and the lightest whiff of paprika.
Girl. It was love at first bite. I was literally so sad when it was over. I just stared at my empty plate! Haha. Five stars!!!
Haha that is funny but true. I think I had the same experience the first time I tried this recipe too. Thanks for your great review!
Hello Natasha, this is a great recipe.I added capers and served it on noodles. It doesn’t take long to make is another great point. Love Love Love this recipe
Thanks for your good feedback, Kate. I’m glad to know that it worked well with capers and noodles!
I’ve made your chicken Marsala and it was heavenly !!! I saw this pParmesan lemon chicken And want to make this for a guest on Saturday. I’m sure like everything of yours it will be FABULOUS!!❤️
That’s a good plan this weekend. Hope you also love the lemon chicken recipe!
Hi looks amazing, any suggestions for egg substitute. My daughter has an egg allergy but would love to make this
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Luba.
Luba What if you tried milk?
Looks so delicious and easy!
How did you cook the zucchini to make it look so green? when I make mine it’s so pale
Hi Lana, thank you! Zucchini can darken with longer cooking times. If you cook it until it is firm-tender, it will stay pretty vibrant.
Wow Natasha I was shocked to see you posted this recipe today lol what happened to Friday’s
Either way I’m excited to make this. Looks so yummy!
Thank you Shay! Excited for you to try this recipe.
Hi Natasha!
Can this be made gluten free and dairy free? I love ALL of your recipes and pretty much use one of them each day. My kids say…is this from your friend Natasha? they eat everything! I’ve recently started needing to be gluten free and dairy free so I’m trying to adapt all of your recipes! Thanks so much!
Hi Tracy, this could easily be made with gluten-free flour and gluten-free bread crumbs. If the butter is problematic for you, I would probably try ghee instead which is lactose-free (not technically dairy-free since it’s milk fat).
I LOVE how quick, easy and incredibly delicious this is! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thanks for your great feedback. Hope you love it!
Could you please email me a recipe for chicken with mushrooms half and half chicken broth spaghetti and cheese. I saw it the other day and copied the recipe but not the instructions
Hello Jeanette, are you referring to this Chicken Tettrazini recipe?
I really love how quick and easy this is to make!
Hi Toni, it really is os easy to make. I hope it becomes a new favorite for you!
Made this lemon chicken and it was SO good! We loved it and can’t wait to make it again!
You are quick! I’m so happy you loved it. Thanks for sharing your great review.
Is there a video to go with this recipe? I cannot find one. But, your recipe will be on my short list next week ! Thank You
Hi Peter, not at this time. I’ll have to add it to my list.