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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Yummy Parmesan chicken with lemon garlic butter sauce!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome recipe. This one will stay in my saved pins.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Awesome recipe. I made the sauce in the pan I cooked the chicken. I added a little bit of white wine and a little more chicken broth as my family likes sauce over everything. Definitely a keeper.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Made it for my family and they all loved it! Skipped the egg and flour to make it healthier! Would recommend using a little less butter next time!
Hi Natasha! My grandmother made this for the family and it was absolutely delish, lol!! It was so nice to see her cooking again! It was great to eat with the family and have this heartwarming meal!!!
Thank you for the wonderful review!
I forgot to rate it- also, is there supposed to be Italian seasoning in the lemon butter sauce? The post mentions adding that but it’s not listed in the recipe ingredients and I didn’t add it there, but did add it to the egg mixture. ? Can you clarify where it goes?
Hi Diana, it goes in with the egg mixture. All of the ingredients listed under “egg mixture” go in at step 2.
Very good! The sauce was a little lemony for us so next time I’ll just cut that down a bit but it was still very good. I ended up cooking the chicken in the air fryer at 375 for 20 min for 3 breast (cut in half lengthwise), flipping over halfway and spraying with coconut oil. Pretty good!
I’m so glad that worked in the airfryer! Thank you for sharing that with us!
Love your recipes!!! Thank you!!
Delicious! A new family favorite! Thank you for inspiring me to try new recipes for my family!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I made this for the first time today. It was delicious! My boyfriend couldn’t even speak he was busy enjoying every bite! Thank you Natasha for another amazing recipe ❤️Lisa
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Oh my God, this was DELICIOUS!!! This will definitely go on my list of regulars! It tastes just like chicken francaise at a restaurant.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
As always, spot on!!! My husband and I enjoyed this lemon chicken.
That’s so great! I’m happy you both enjoyed that!
Delicious! I didn’t change anything. So easy and so much flavor!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Michelle!
This recipe was amazing. The chicken was a huge hit thanks to the unbelievable sauce. I added some parm cheese to the actual sauce as well and everything turned out great. I served this was mashed potatoes which soaked up more of the sauce goodness and asparagus.
Love the simplicity of this lemon, chicken meal. Very easy to make in practically no time at all and find it a more refreshing and lighter meal than Chicken Parm. Plan to prepare this at least twice a month. Thanks so very much.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Susan! It sounds like you found a new favorite!
This was a big hit at my house, I doubled the chicken broth to cut the lemon a bit (just the way my kids prefer). It was delicious!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Beth!
We eat this dish about twice a month. So easy and so good. Love the lemon sauce.We love it.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Cindy!
This is one of our favourite “Natasha” recipes. It’s a never-fail, delicious dish and we love it!! Thank you.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
This recipe is So Good! We really enjoyed this flavorful dish and the Parmesan crust cooked up to an appetizing golden brown. This one is a Keeper!
So great to hear that, Mary. Thank you for your perfect rating and excellent feedback!
I made this for dinner tonight and was beyond impressed with the flavor. I think this is my new favorite chicken recipe! So easy also. I paired with a side of steamed broccoli. Definitely going into the rotation of meals, thank you for sharing this!
You are most welcome, Jen. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!