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
Made this last night! It was awesome! Any tips on how to make the crust not stick to the pan? I used a non stick pan and oil, just need to master that part.
Hi Cande, I haven’t had that experience could it be the pan? Are you coating the chicken well?
We loved it. Natasha, any suggestions on keeping the chicken crispy until you are ready to serve the dish?
Hi Sara, I would probably keep the chicken and sauce separate until serving and re-crisp the chicken on a skillet or air fryer.
I didn’t have the tool to beat the Chicken. I noticed parts of the chicken seem tougher than others, would beating the chicken have tenderized it? Loved the Recipe, can’t wait to make it again
Hi Leta, it could also be due to having varying thicknesses of chicken. A really large chicken breast can be very thick on one and very slim on the other and in that case, pounding would definitely help.
Here is one person who is not a fan of Parmesan. I always omit it from recipes, but when I read the reviews I decided I will try the recipe step by step….and guess who has no regrets! This is a really good one!! Thank you !!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha
Here in the UK we call all purpose flour “self raising”. Is it really plain flour?
Very confusing when your recipe requires all purpose flour.
Hi Carol, self-rising flour has leavening added to it to make it rise in baking. If you are just dredging in flour for sauteeing like in this recipe, I think it would work fine to use self-raising flour.
OMG, I made this last night for my daughter. As it’s just the two of us,
she was so happy that we have leftovers for tonight and so am I. My daughter called it the bomb. I served it with fettuccine and I will definitely be making it again!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Tried the lemon chicken this evening on the family. I never cook, but I have some time, and wanted to impress with my cooking skills! This recipe made me look good. Very good. It was so nice, and quick and easy to put together. Thank you Natasha.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Ross!
I made this dish for my daughter. She was so happy that we will be having leftovers tomorrow night and so am I! She called it the bomb. I have saved this in my “Make again file”. It was so yummy!
What an awesome comment, thank you to you both for giving this recipe a try!
Tried the Lemon Chicken for dinner tonight. My husband loved it and wanted more. Thanks for a new recipe to add to my list.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
During this time supplies a bit low. I did this recipe with 6 chicken tenders and only had a scant 1/2 cup Parmesan so increased the flour, added sautéed mushrooms and spinach. This dinner was delicious. It’s a keeper and definitely will have this again.
So glad to know that you were able to find some substitutes, Jan. Thank you for the great feedback and I hope you love every recipe that you will try!
Love so many of your recipes! I make a lot from from you! Is there an option to increase servings? My husband likes left overs for his lunches, so I always make extra.
Hi Naomi, you can definitely double this recipe! We have the serving slider on the printable recipe. If you click “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post it will take you to our printable recipe where you’ll have the option to change the number of servings. Hover over the “4” highlighted in red and slide it to how many servings you would like to make. I hope that helps!
I was originally going to make Chicken Parm but I saw this recipe as I was browsing Natasha’s recipes and this caught my eye. It turned out fantastic and my wife said she’d like me to make it again…. and soon! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Love it! So happy to know that you both loved this recipe. Thank you for your wonderful review!
This is the second recipe I’ve made of yours, does not disappoint. I am hooked! Keep the recipes coming. I look forward to trying more.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Andrea! Thank you for that great review!
Love your recipes
Thank you, Linda. Hope you love all the recipes that you try!
This chicken was awesome! We typically don’t care for chicken breasts – boring and dry – but this was amazing! I made the recipe times 3 with 8 large chicken breasts for a family of 6 and my husband grabbed the last piece to set aside for his lunch tomorrow. People were literally licking their plates(we’ll have to work on their manners another time).
Thank you for another great recipe!
Wow that was an anazing feedback! I love that everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing!
This was amazing. Full of flavor and easy to make. Thanks so much.
You’re welcome, Howard. I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
We had this tonight and the chicken was delicious. I found the sauce too buttery and would definitely cut down on the butter next time.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Love your cooking
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
Just making this tonight. I used both Chicken Breast and Thighs. Chicken is super moist. Making Rice and Brussel sprouts for sides
Very Good!!
So great to hear that, Jean! Enjoy the food and hope you love every recipe that you try.
I made this last night and all I can say is WOW! My family loved it and ate every bite – even my picky eater. We love your receipes.
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!