Description
Lemon Butter Chicken is a one-pan dinner recipe featuring juicy chicken thighs simmered in a zesty lemon garlic butter sauce. This quick and easy chicken dish is perfect for busy weeknights and elegant enough for guests. Serve it with rice, pasta, or veggies for a complete meal bursting with flavor.
Ingredients
4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or rosemary (optional)
Instructions
1. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Sear chicken skin-side down for 5-6 minutes, flip and sear the other side. Remove and set aside.
4. Lower heat to medium and add butter and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for about 1 minute.
5. Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
6. Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over, cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.
7. Add thyme or rosemary in the last few minutes.
8. Serve with spoonfuls of sauce over each piece and pair with sides of your choice.
Notes
This recipe is best with chicken thighs, but you can use breasts or boneless cuts too.
Don’t skip the browning step—it builds rich flavor for the sauce.
Add a splash of white wine with the broth for a slightly elevated flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 0.5g
- Sodium: 460mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 110mg