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!

Homemade lemon chicken recipe in a skillet topped with a lemon butter sauce and fresh lemon slices then garnished with herbs.

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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.

Parmesan crusted chicken breast on a bed of mashed potatoes and zucchini in a lemon butter sauce topped with greens.

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!

  1. Cut chicken in half lengthwise and beat with a meat mallet to an even thickness.
  2. Prepare Egg Mixture – whisk together eggs, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  3. Prepare Parmesan Mixture – in a separate bowl, mix together the parmesan cheese and flour.
  4. Dredge the Chicken – coat in the egg mixture, then generously coat in parmesan mixture, shaking off excess.
  5. 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.

Step-by-step collage instructions how to make lemon chicken with lemon butter sauce.

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.

  1. Saute the garlic and butter until fragrant.
  2. 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.

Parmesan crusted chicken with a lemon butter sauce in a skillet topped lemon slices.

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

Easy 30-minute Chicken Lemon on a plate with mashed potatoes and zucchini topped with lemon butter.

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:

Lemon Chicken with BEST Lemon Butter Sauce

4.98 from 1489 votes
Lemon chicken in lemon butter sauce in skillet garnished with lemon slices
This parmesan-crusted Lemon Chicken Recipe is easy and done in 30 minutes! The quick lemon butter sauce pairs so well with the chicken.
Prep Time: 18 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 4 people

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:

For the Parmesan Breading Mixture:

Ingredients for Lemon Butter Sauce:

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

560kcal Calories9g Carbs46g Protein38g Fat20g Saturated Fat273mg Cholesterol1109mg Sodium738mg Potassium1g Fiber1g Sugar1105IU Vitamin A17mg Vitamin C322mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Lemon Chicken with BEST Lemon Butter Sauce
Amount per Serving
Calories
560
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
38
g
58
%
Saturated Fat
 
20
g
125
%
Cholesterol
 
273
mg
91
%
Sodium
 
1109
mg
48
%
Potassium
 
738
mg
21
%
Carbohydrates
 
9
g
3
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
46
g
92
%
Vitamin A
 
1105
IU
22
%
Vitamin C
 
17
mg
21
%
Calcium
 
322
mg
32
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon chicken
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 560
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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4.98 from 1489 votes (1,067 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Natasha Horrigan
    April 23, 2021

    I don’t have any garlic can I use garlic powder instead?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 23, 2021

      Hi Natasha, I haven’t tried it with garlic powder to advise. One of our readers did try it, though, and enjoyed that.

      Reply

  • Vivi
    April 22, 2021

    Loved it! Delicious. Added capers to the sauce.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 22, 2021

      I’m so glad you loved it! Thanks for your great comments and feedback, Vivi.

      Reply

    • Kate Pigula
      April 23, 2021

      Vivi, I add capers and extra butter and lemon all the time. I love it on noodles. Soo good.

      Reply

  • Donna Fanciullacci
    April 18, 2021

    I love this recipe!!! I made mine with chicken tenders because that is all I had. My husband enjoyed it. I usually make chicken piccata but that doesn’t even come close to this, I will be making this again .

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 19, 2021

      Sounds great, Donna! Thank you for your great comments and feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply

  • Tricia H.
    April 18, 2021

    Hands down the best dish when you are short on time and want something good and refreshing!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 18, 2021

      Thank you for your good comments, Tricia!

      Reply

  • Midj
    April 17, 2021

    I have not made this recipe yet, but I really want to. But I don’t want to have to fry it in a pan I would like to bake it in my oven, but I didn’t see where anybody had mentioned that they had done that. So I guess I’ll just try it myself

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 17, 2021

      Hi Midj, I hope you find this helpful. Here’s what one of our readers said about baking it in an oven: “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.”

      Reply

  • David
    April 15, 2021

    Fabulous dish and I managed it without my wife’s intervention. And she really enjoyed it!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 15, 2021

      Achievement unlocked! Haha I’m glad it was a success, David.

      Reply

  • Beth
    April 15, 2021

    So delicious! I used 2 tbsp butter (high blood pressure😕) and thickened the sauce with a little cornflour- still superb! Served with wild rice, and green beans and Swiss chard straight from the garden! Thanks for this great recipe❤️

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 15, 2021

      You’re very welcome, Beth! I’m glad you loved this recipe, thanks for sharing that with us.

      Reply

  • Renuka Marshall
    April 13, 2021

    Hello Natasha! I love your recipes! I tried this for lunch today with chicken thighs and the family just loved it! My boys rated it 10/10. Thank you for making cooking and baking such a treat!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 13, 2021

      Wow, that is so awesome! Thank you for giving this recipe a perfect rating!

      Reply

  • S
    April 11, 2021

    I don’t have any chicken broth on me at the moment. Would it be okay to omit it or is there a sub I can use?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 12, 2021

      You can try using bouillon instead.

      Reply

  • Ginny Metheny
    April 10, 2021

    I have always shied away from lemon chicken recipes because they never seem to have much flavor to me. However, I tried this recipe and I am so glad I did! It is really good! Got a thumbs up from some picky eaters too! Thank you!!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 10, 2021

      I’m so glad you tried it too, Ginny! Thank you for sharing that wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Sherri Leonardi
    April 7, 2021

    Can you make this gluten-free, say, with cornstarch instead of flour?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 7, 2021

      Hi Sherri, yes, this could easily be made with gluten-free flour and gluten-free bread crumbs.

      Reply

    • Bev
      July 26, 2021

      How can I make this ahead so I can serve it to company and still get to visit with them!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        July 26, 2021

        Hi Bev, we prefer it fresh! But I bet you can make a it a bit ahead and either keep it warm or reheat.

        Reply

  • Cat
    April 5, 2021

    I tried this tonight, and it turned out great. Much easier than I thought it would be. Thanks for the recipe, will definitely be making it again. I also served broccoli with the lemon sauce on top. Really good!! Next time I’ll take a picture.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 5, 2021

      Don’t you love a recipe that turns out easy and delicious?! This one is a favorite for a good reason!

      Reply

  • Ganna
    April 5, 2021

    Great dish and I love the tip of soaking the chicken in the egg beforehand. Makes prep easier. This is a new family favorite ( all 5 of us and that never happen). Not hard, lemony without being to lemony. A fab meal, thank you.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 5, 2021

      That is the best when the family loves what we parents make. That’s so great!

      Reply

  • Sallie Capotis
    April 5, 2021

    What an awesome easy meal to make. Thank you !!! Paired it with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Definitely a keeper🙂👍

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 5, 2021

      Awesome! I’m really happy to read your great comments, thank you for your wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Mims808
    April 4, 2021

    I really enjoyed this dish, so delish! I didn’t want to open a can of chicken broth so I used Sherry wine instead. I stir-fried the egg wash with my pasta, put the chicken on the pasta and poured the lemon butter sauce over it, so good! Thank you for sharing your recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 4, 2021

      Perfect! Glad that worked and the result was great. Thank you for your wonderful review and feedback!

      Reply

  • Kathleen
    April 3, 2021

    Made this lemon chicken recipe for the first time and gotta say…. Delicious!!! WOW.

    Question for you….

    The nutritional info is for a 6 oz serving?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 3, 2021

      Hi Kathleen, yes, that would be about 6oz of chicken per serving. I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for your wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Patti
    April 2, 2021

    I tried this Lemon Butter Chicken, I didn’t have all the ingredients but substituted what I had to work with. Turn out great! I really like this recipe and will make it again.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      April 2, 2021

      Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful review with me, Patti! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Kirsten Sossin
    April 1, 2021

    This was so delicious! I’ve made lemon chicken before and it has never come close to tasting anywhere as good as this! The parmesan crust is sooo good!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 1, 2021

      I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kristen. Thank you for your great feedback!

      Reply

  • Michelle Jusko
    April 1, 2021

    I made it exactly as directed. My husband said it was the best dish I’ve made an hour 26 years of marriage! I will say, it wasn’t hard but it took me longer than 30 minutes. I know I will be making this again and I’m sure I will get quicker at it! Yummy!!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 1, 2021

      Hi Michelle, that is so awesome! I’m happy to hear that you and your husband loved this recipe.

      Reply

  • Marcy
    March 31, 2021

    Oh my gosh!! This is the BEST Leon Chicken!!! I used 1 fresh lemon for the sauce as the lemon juice. I sliced a lemon in thin slices & placed on too of the chicken while it simmered while I finished everything else. I served it with roasted asparagus. We poured some of the lemon sauce on top of the asparagus as well… instead of just drinking it with a straw :). … it was really good. Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 31, 2021

      You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Marcy!

      Reply

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