There are some dinners that just hit the spot every single time, and this Lemon Butter Chicken recipe is one of them. It strikes that beautiful balance between being elegant enough for guests and straightforward enough for a Tuesday night. This is my go-to recipe when I need something that feels special without spending hours in the kitchen. The magic is in the sauce: a rich, velvety blend of butter, garlic, and cream, made wonderfully bright and zesty with a generous amount of fresh lemon. It’s the kind of sauce you’ll want to mop up with a good piece of crusty bread.

We’re talking about tender, pan-seared chicken breasts enveloped in this luscious sauce, finished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. It’s a dish that relies on good ingredients and solid technique rather than a long list of complicated steps. The result is a meal that tastes like it came from a lovely little bistro, but you made it right at home. It’s a wonderfully versatile dinner that works beautifully with pasta, rice, or even just a simple green salad.

This lemon chicken dish is ideal for anyone who appreciates classic flavours combined in a fresh, modern way. If you’re looking for a new staple dinner idea that your family will genuinely get excited about, I think you’ve found it. It’s sophisticated yet comforting, and the combination of rich butter and sharp citrus is just sublime. Let’s get cooking, and I’ll show you how to make this stunning butter chicken dish in your own kitchen.

Recipe Overview

This Lemon Butter Chicken recipe creates incredibly tender chicken in a sauce that is both creamy and zesty. The key is building layers of flavour in one pan, from searing the chicken to create a delicious fond, to deglazing with a splash of wine and finishing with fresh lemon to keep it vibrant. I’ve tested this with both chicken breasts and thighs, and while both are delicious, I find the breasts cook a little quicker for a weeknight meal.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe

• Genuine Flavour: The sauce is the star here. It’s not just vaguely lemony; you get a bright, sharp citrus hit from both the juice and zest, which cuts through the richness of the unsalted butter and double cream beautifully. The garlic provides a gentle, aromatic warmth in the background.
• Ready in Under 30 Minutes: From start to finish, this entire meal comes together in about half an hour, making it a fantastic option for those busy evenings when you still want a proper, satisfying dinner.
• Flexible Recipe: You can easily adjust the richness by using single cream instead of double, or swap the chicken breasts for thighs (just cook them a little longer). A handful of spinach or some capers can be tossed in at the end for extra flavour and texture.
• Works Wonderfully for Guests: Because it looks and tastes so impressive, this is a brilliant dish to serve when you have friends over. It feels elevated and thoughtful, but it’s not stressful to prepare.
• Family Tested: I make this at least once a fortnight, and it’s become a huge family favourite. Even my pickiest eater adores the creamy sauce, and it always gets compliments when we serve it.

Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe

⏱️ 15 min prep  •  🍳 25 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For a recipe this focused, the quality of your ingredients really shines through. I always recommend using a good quality unsalted butter, like a block of Lurpak or a similar European-style butter, as its flavour is central to the sauce. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is also non-negotiable – the bottled kind just doesn’t have the same brightness.

• 4 medium chicken breasts (about 600g total), pounded to an even thickness of about 2cm
• 50g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 80g unsalted butter, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 60ml dry white wine (like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) or chicken stock
• 120ml chicken stock
• 120ml double cream
• Juice of 1 large lemon (about 60ml)
• Zest of ½ a lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Sophia’s Tip: Pounding the chicken breasts to an even thickness is a crucial step. It ensures the chicken cooks evenly and quickly, preventing some parts from becoming dry while others are still cooking. It also helps the chicken stay incredibly tender.

How to Make Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe

The whole process takes place in a single frying pan, which means fewer dishes to wash and maximum flavour development. We’ll build the sauce right on top of the delicious browned bits left behind after searing the chicken.

1. Prepare the Chicken: On a plate or in a shallow dish, mix the plain flour, salt, and black pepper. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then dredge each one in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. This light coating helps create a lovely golden crust.
2. Sear the Chicken: Heat the olive oil and 30g of the butter in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan. Be sure not to overcrowd it; cook in two batches if needed. Sear for 4-5 minutes on each side, until beautifully golden brown. The chicken won’t be cooked through at this point. Remove it from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
3. Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 50g of butter to the pan. Once it has melted, add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn, as it will become bitter.
4. Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine (or 60ml of chicken stock) to deglaze. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavourful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid bubble and reduce by about half, which should take 1-2 minutes.
5. Build the Sauce: Pour in the 120ml of chicken stock and the double cream. Whisk everything together until smooth and bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
6. Add the Lemon: Stir in the fresh lemon juice. I find that adding the juice now, rather than earlier, keeps its flavour bright and fresh. Give it a taste and season with a little more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
7. Finish Cooking the Chicken: Return the seared chicken breasts (and any juices that have collected on the plate) to the pan. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 74°C. You can find more detailed guidance on chicken safety from the Food Standards Agency.
8. Garnish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Stir the lemon zest and chopped fresh parsley into the sauce. Serve the chicken immediately, with plenty of that incredible sauce spooned over the top.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control: Keep your heat at a steady medium when simmering the cream sauce. If the heat is too high, the cream can curdle or split. A gentle, confident simmer is what we’re aiming for.
• The Secret Step: Don’t skip deglazing the pan. Those little brown bits, known as ‘fond’, are packed with concentrated flavour from the chicken. I learned that scraping them up and incorporating them into the sauce is what separates a good sauce from a great one.
• Make-Ahead: While this dish is best served fresh, you can prepare the components ahead of time. You can season and flour the chicken and store it in the fridge for up to 4 hours. You can also mince the garlic and chop the parsley in advance.
• Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of chicken stock or water to loosen the sauce if it has thickened.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large frying pan or skillet (a heavy-bottomed one works best for even heat)
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Tongs for flipping the chicken
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcrowding the pan: If you squeeze too much chicken into the pan at once, the temperature will drop and the chicken will steam instead of searing. This means you miss out on the beautiful golden-brown crust. If your pan isn’t big enough, simply cook the chicken in two batches.
• Adding the Cream to a Ripping-Hot Pan: If the pan is too hot when you add the double cream, it can cause the sauce to split. After deglazing, make sure the heat is on a steady medium-low before pouring in the cream.
• Forgetting to Rest: Even though the chicken finishes cooking in the sauce, allowing it to sit off the heat for a minute or two before serving lets the juices redistribute, ensuring it’s perfectly moist.

Delicious Variations to Try

One of the best things about this recipe is how easily you can adapt it. Here are a few of my favourite ways to change things up:

• Spicy Lemon Butter Chicken: Add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes along with the garlic for a gentle, warming heat that complements the lemon beautifully.
• Add Some Greens: Stir in a large handful of fresh spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking until it just wilts into the sauce. It adds colour, nutrients, and another layer of flavour.
• Different Protein: This sauce is fantastic with other proteins. Try it with pan-seared salmon fillets or even large prawns. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly. For a dish with a different flavour profile, you might enjoy these Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders.

What to Serve With Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe

This dish calls for sides that can soak up every last drop of that amazing sauce. Here are some suggestions:

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes: The ultimate pairing. The mash becomes a perfect vehicle for the rich, zesty sauce.
• Steamed Asparagus or Green Beans: A simple green vegetable provides a fresh, crisp contrast to the creamy chicken. Just steam or blanch them and toss with a little butter.
• Crusty Bread: A fresh baguette or a slice of sourdough is essential for mopping up the plate.
• Wine Pairing: A crisp, unoaked Chardonnay or the same Sauvignon Blanc you used in the sauce would be a perfect match.

Frequently Asked Questions

Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe

A quick and elegant dish featuring tender, pan-seared chicken breasts coated in a rich and tangy lemon butter cream sauce. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 620

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 medium chicken breasts about 600g total, pounded to an even thickness of about 2cm
• 50 g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 80 g unsalted butter divided
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 60 ml dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio or chicken stock
• 120 ml chicken stock
• 120 ml double cream
• Juice of 1 large lemon about 60ml
• Zest of ½ a lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Method

 

1. Prepare the Chicken: On a plate or in a shallow dish, mix the plain flour, salt, and black pepper. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then dredge each one in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. This light coating helps create a lovely golden crust.
2. Sear the Chicken: Heat the olive oil and 30g of the butter in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan. Be sure not to overcrowd it; cook in two batches if needed. Sear for 4-5 minutes on each side, until beautifully golden brown. The chicken won't be cooked through at this point. Remove it from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
3. Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 50g of butter to the pan. Once it has melted, add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn, as it will become bitter.
4. Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine (or 60ml of chicken stock) to deglaze. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavourful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid bubble and reduce by about half, which should take 1-2 minutes.
5. Build the Sauce: Pour in the 120ml of chicken stock and the double cream. Whisk everything together until smooth and bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
6. Add the Lemon: Stir in the fresh lemon juice. I find that adding the juice now, rather than earlier, keeps its flavour bright and fresh. Give it a taste and season with a little more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
7. Finish Cooking the Chicken: Return the seared chicken breasts (and any juices that have collected on the plate) to the pan. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer gently for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 74°C. You can find more detailed guidance on chicken safety from the Food Standards Agency.
8. Garnish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Stir the lemon zest and chopped fresh parsley into the sauce. Serve the chicken immediately, with plenty of that incredible sauce spooned over the top.

Notes

Delicious served over pasta, mashed potatoes, or with steamed asparagus to soak up the creamy sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I really hope you enjoy making this Lemon Butter Chicken recipe as much as my family and I do. It’s a dish that proves a truly memorable dinner doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s all about letting simple, high-quality ingredients speak for themselves. Once you’ve tried it, please come back and leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out! And if you’re looking for a dessert to follow this meal, a slice of my Peach Crumb Cheesecake would be a delightful finish.

Happy cooking,
Sophia Martinez