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
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Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home.
I’d give this recipe 100 stars if I could. Best chicken recipe my family and I have ever had!! My husband said it was absolutely restaurant quality and he’d could eat it for breakfast lunch and dinner lol. Soooo happy I found this recipe!! Definitely a keeper to add to the rotation!! Thank you!!
I’m so happy you found a favorite on my blog, Emilie! Thank you for your awesome review!
Quick, delicious & we loved it. I did marinate the breasts in the juice of 2 lemons for an hour prior though!
I made this according to the recipe, but I wasn’t impressed with the way to came out. The sauce was thin, the chicken, thought I pounded it, wasn’t very tender. Probably won’t be going on the rotation calendar.
HI Sharon, I’m sorry to hear that. You might enjoy our creamy lemon chicken pasta more if you are looking for a creamy sauce.
My family loved this recipe. It’s so lemony. It is now one of my favorites.
So glad to hear that, Natalie!
Delicious! I made several of your recipes and they all turned out great. I think it’s time to order your cookbook
I’m so happy you enjoyed my recipes, Denise. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I have never commented on a recipe before but this one deserves more than five stars! It was delicious thank you!
That’s wonderful! Thank you so much for your excellent review.
Love your recipes . Tried your whole chicken recipe was great👍
Just made it. It was amazing. Will definitely make it again
Easy recipe, my picky daughter LOVED it!! She ate 2 pieces of chicken. My dad and I preferred it without the sauce. It was a bit tart. It’s a definite repeat in our house.
Yay that’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Sue.
This was the best chicken recipe I’ve ever had and I’m not a big chicken fan
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Susan!
Delicious I made this lemon chicken tonight and oh my this recipe is a keeper. Thank you
That’s great, Johanna! I’m glad you found a keeper!
Excellent! Added some fresh spinach to the pan at the end. Was a great addition. Everyone loved it
I’m so glad to hear that, Deb!
Hi! This was delicious as I made it. However, I shredded the Parmesan, and it didn’t blend well with the flour. Please forgive this possibly stupid question, but is grated in the recipe referring more to the Kraft type texture? I thought grated and shredded were interchangeable – any clarification would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Carrie! I like to grate parmesan fresh for recipes, so I use a block that I grate, but you can also purchase parmesan cheese in the fridge section that has already been grated. I hope that helps!
Hi Carrie- try using a microplane to grate the cheese. It is a much finer texture than when you shred it. I think it will blend well into the flour
Grated cheese is finer cut with the little grater holes. Shredded is the larger holes of the grater. Use the smaller holes.
My family loves this but i have difficulty with it sticking to the pan because of the cheese. I thought maybe the heat it up too high (medium) or i need more flour? Any advice?
Hi Ryan, It’s hard to say why the crust gets stuck without being there – it may be they type of pan, or being loft on too long, but be sure you fully preheat your pan before cooking on it. Depending on the pan type that may take several minutes. I hope you have a better outcome when you try this again!
Wow! This is so yummy. Even my picky husband loved it. It’s very easy to make also. I served mine with spaghetti noodles.
Great to hear that he loved this recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Could I leave out the flour in the crust to make it low carb?
Hi Doreen, I haven’t tested that to advise.
I’ve made this with oat flour instead of AP and it came out perfectly. I imagine you could also sub almond or gluten free flour without it affecting the outcome.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Megan.
Could this be baked instead of pan fried? If so what temp/for how long?
Hi Ashley, 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.”
Absolutely delicious! My family loved the flavor.. I did use thin chicken breast..Thank you for a great recipe..
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Kathy!
This recipe is super quick. Recipe is delish as is, however my family loves black pepper. I follow recipe and add a bunch of pepper to the sauce creating more of a lemon pepper chicken. I serve with egg noodles or angel hair and broccoli.
Hi Becca! That sounds great.
This was fantastic! I added 4 cups of still partially frozen broccoli after the chicken breast was cooked. Poured over the lemon garlic butter sauce over everything. Turned the heat down to low and timed for 30 mins…amazing flavour! I cut back on the butter for the sauce, 5-6 tbsps, and the juice of one whole lemon. Broke off a chunk of some of my frozen parsley and added that in. For the parmesan cheese, I chopped/minced finely Parmesan petals from a container from Costco. I used 4 chicken breasts and just cut them into thinner pieces. The flavour was subtle garlic lemon. Wow! Love this recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Shirley!
I’m making this dish as we speak, sauce tastes a bit sour, should a little sugar or honey be added.. love the recipe.