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.
Great recipe! I make frequently. Some minor adjustments I make based off my families preferences; add some lemon juice to the pan while I am cooking the chicken breasts, add a good bit of breadcrumbs to the breading part, and add more Italian seasoning. I have adjusted over time, however always use this recipe as the base. Great find!
Thank you for sharing those adjustments with me, Jennifer! I’m so glad you loved it.
I have store-bought shredded Parmesan cheese. Can I use this instead of grated Parmesan? If so, should I use the same amount of shredded versus grated?
Hi Sally, grated parmesan (the one that looks finely ground up rather than shredded), works better to prevent sticking in this recipe. Other readers used shredded in this recipe and found it to not blend as well.
Grated is definitely better. You are using this to coat the chicken (like breadcrumbs) so need a mixture that will stick to the chicken. Using shredded would not work out the same. If you only have shredded I would substitute the Parmesan for breadcrumbs and than mix the shredded cheese into that. Then you can follow rest of recipe for the sauce, etc. It would still turn out yummy!
I love anything lemon and this didn’t disappoint! Huge hit! Making it again tonight. Will double the sauce, not the butter, and serve over Italian basmati rice! So good!
I’m so happy this was a hit, Kelly!
Delish! I added 1/4 cup heavy cream to sauce and added to garnish some shaved parm I also had on hand . Wish I could add photo. So good! Thx from TX!
Delish! I added 1/4 cup heavy cream to sauce and added to garnish some shaved parm I also had on hand . So good! Thx from TX!
Excellent recipe. I put a little extra garlic and lemon juice in the sauce then added some capers to it. Perfect! We will make this again fr sure
I have made this a few times and it always gets rave reviews from those lucky to have it. I do double the sauce ingredients, but not the butter amounts. It is very lemony, but we love it anyway.
Loved it so did my grandson and daughter !!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Greetings from Vienna! Can I substitute chicken for veaL? The idea is to make veal with the Lemon butter sauce, WITHOUT the egg mixture and the parmesan mixture. What would be your suggestion? Thank you.
Hi Sandra! I have not tested that to advise but I bet that would work. If you do an experiment, let us know how it goes!
Hi Natasha! My family loves this recipe! It really is so delicious and very easy to make. I always triple the sauce minus all of that butter, and it comes out perfect every time. I serve it over pasta and warm Italian bread, sooo yummy, thank you!!
You’re so welcome, Lori. I love hearing my recipes becoming family favorites. I’m smiling big reading your comment. Thank you!
Going to try this recipe tonight I’ll let you know how it comes out
I used glute free flour because my grandchild has celiac disease. It was perfect and whole family loved it. If I want to prepare ahead of time, could I made chicken and then later reheat with sauce?
I’m so glad you loved it, Teri! It’s best enjoyed fresh, but you could reheat in the oven or pan.
Wonderful!! Made twice, one with coating, one without. Flavorwise both perfect. The coating did help the sauce “stick” to the chicken, which made each mouthful lemony delicious!!
Really delicious. The lemony butter sauce is wonderful especially if you place the chicken on a bed of angel hair pasta to sort of soak up the flavor without making chicken soggy.I also used italian seasoned panko with the flour and parm cheese for the breading mixture. Also, if you do that, try adding in some cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and black olives. Makes a tremendously great dish even better.
Any tips on how to make this for a crowd of 18 ahead of time? I’ve made it for 6 or less and love it, but am thinking about doing this for a post Christmas family party
Hello! You can click the number of servings in the recipe card and slide it to 18 to change the ingredients in the recipe. However please take note that only the amount of ingredients will be adjusted in the recipe. You can use two large roasting pans or baking dishes to avoid overcrowding, to make it ahead, marinate the chicken and slice the lemons a day ahead. Keep covered in the fridge and bake the next day when you’re ready.
Best recipe I’ve tried for a long time. So easy to make and delicious. I made it totally as recorded and will make it again. It looked like a restaurant dish on my table.
That’s lovely! I”m glad it was a huge success!
Chicken and breading were delicious. The butter sauce was too intense for me. I used it as a dipping sauce in a cup to the side so I could control the portion and keep the breading from getting soggy.
I made this last night. It was delicious! I don’t usually bread my chicken but this breading was light and yummy. The sauce was really good on it too. I used about half of the butter and still had some left over. I love your recipes.
I’m so excited to hear you’re loving my recipes, Joyce! Thank you for your awesome review! We love this chicken recipe too!
Can I make this and freeze it? Thank you!
You can make this ahead of time. I recommend checking this part in the recipe “Can I make this Ahead?” for more info. I haven’t tried freezing it, though, and I worry the parmesan breading will get soggy once defrosted.
I am looking at this recipe and loving it. I want to make it for a larger group. Have you evern done it in the oven?
Hi Renee, I have not. See my make ahead instructions above for another option.
You can also reheat them in the oven or pan or keep them warm in a warm oven that’s turned off. I would keep them covered with foil.