American
Skillet Lemon Pepper Chicken
Thin cutlets pick up a hard sear, then lemon, cracked pepper, and a little butter turn the pan juices into a sauce. Dinner is on the table before the evening gets away, and it does not rely on a cream sauce.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 14 min
- Total
- 24 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- About 25 minutes from start to plate.
- One skillet and a short list.
- Pepper and lemon do the seasoning, not a bottled sauce.
- Cutlets stay juicy if you pull them at 165°F.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Pat the cutlets dry. Season both sides with the salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Sear the chicken until golden and the thickest piece is 165°F, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Move it to a plate.
- 3
Lower the heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp of the butter and the garlic. Stir 30 seconds, until fragrant, not brown.
- 4
Pour in the broth and lemon juice. Scrape up the browned bits and simmer 2 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- 5
Swirl in the remaining butter and the zest. Return the chicken and any juices for 1 minute.
- 6
Taste the sauce. Add a pinch more pepper if you want it louder, then finish with parsley.
Pro tips
- Pound uneven pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Wet chicken will steam. Dry it first.
- If the sauce tastes sharp, another teaspoon of butter rounds it out better than sugar.
Easy substitutions
- Cutlets
- Breasts sliced in half horizontally and pounded to about 1/2 inch.
- Butter
- Olive oil. The sauce will be less round, so do not skip the broth.
- Parsley
- A few basil leaves, torn, added off the heat.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. The sauce tightens as it cools.
Reheating
Warm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth until the chicken is hot. Do not boil it.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 340
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Gluten-Free, Lower-Carb, High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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