This easy lemon pepper chicken recipe is made with a handful of everyday ingredients and comes together fast! The perfect comfort food for busy weeknights.
This isn't an overly rich dish, but it is satisfying, and if you serve it with a vegetable it's definitely not too heavy in my opinion. The sauce is thickened up a bit with a roux (flour and butter), and I added some cream, but not a lot.
Before this recipe, I hadn't used lemon pepper seasoning in forever. I used to use it often, but somehow it got neglected for what is probably years now. I guess I go through phases with some ingredients. Anyhow, it's a versatile seasoning that makes the most delicious sauce, and I'm glad that I resurrected it. 🙂
What is lemon pepper?
Just in case you've never tried it before, lemon pepper is a seasoning blend made with granulated lemon zest and cracked peppercorns. It tastes nice and zesty! Often, the store-bought kinds do contain added salt, so I would definitely taste the sauce prior to adding extra salt. You can buy it in the herbs/spices aisle at most grocery stores. I buy McCormick brand, but various brands offer it.
How to make lemon pepper chicken (summary)
Start by cutting the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you've got 4 thinner cutlets (this ensures the chicken cooks faster and stays tender). Season the chicken with some salt. You then heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet until it's good and hot. Sear the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side (it likely won't be quite cooked through, and that's fine). Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the remaining butter to the pan and then add the garlic and flour and cook for a minute or so. Whisk in the chicken broth, cream, and lemon pepper until the sauce is nice and smooth. Add the chicken back to the pan and continue cooking it until it's cooked through and the sauce thickens up a bit (approx. another 4-5 minutes). Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below.
Recipe notes & tips:
- As always, sub ingredients at your own discretion. I use heavy cream because it's less prone to curdling and offers a thicker and richer sauce. Something with a lower fat content may not give you the best results.
- Try to use fairly large chicken breasts since they're cut in half to make thinner pieces. If your chicken breasts are on the smaller side, feel free to keep them intact, but you may need to cook them for a bit longer.
- Using an instant read meat thermometer never leaves you in doubt whether chicken is properly cooked or not (it's safe at 165F).
- You can definitely sub the chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you prefer that cut of meat (adjust cooking time as needed).
- I love my kitchen tongs to quickly and easily turn chicken (or whatever meat you happen to be searing).
What to serve with lemon pepper chicken:
Try rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. If you want a richer side, try my Alfredo gnocchi. For veggie sides, I like green beans, broccoli (or broccolini), or carrots.
Other tasty chicken breast recipes:
Questions about this lemon pepper chicken recipe? Ask me in the comments below!
Lemon Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you've got 4 thinner pieces. Sprinkle them with salt (some lemon pepper blends contain salt so don't go overboard).
- Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes.
- Sear the chicken for 4-5 minutes/side, then transfer it to a plate.
- Add the remaining butter to the pan and let it melt, then add in the garlic and sprinkle the flour in. Let it cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute (stir it a couple times).
- Add the broth, cream, and lemon pepper to the skillet. Whisk it for a minute or so until the flour dissolves.
- Add the chicken back to the pan (and any juices from the plate), and let it cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the chicken has cooked through (165F) and the sauce has thickened a bit. You may need to turn the heat down if it's boiling like crazy (you want it to bubble fairly gently). Season with extra salt & pepper if needed and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you're particularly sensitive to salt, use low sodium chicken broth, and look for a low or no salt brand of lemon pepper.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Jo Leyva says
I switched out the lemon pepper seasoning for fresh lemons. (Only because my store didn't have lemon pepper seasoning and I happened to have a whole bag of lemons lol) you have to add it slowly though and taste it each time until you approve of the flavor and the same with pepper. But my husband LOVED it. So did I! This recipe is awesome. Love love love!!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Marla says
Loved this!! So much flavor and I loved the thickness that the roux created! Served mine with risotto and steamed broccoli...yum!
Natasha says
So pleased you liked it, Marla!! Thanks for reviewing my recipe. XO
Ariane says
4 stars for an easy-peasy way to have a cream based sauce that's light & fulfilling. I took one star off as I found it rather bland despite the lemon pepper and garlic. Felt it was missing something. I will try adding some "Better Than" chicken boullion paste next time to jazz it up a bit. Don't want to compete with the Lemon Pepper which already has lots of spices in it. I find that 'Better Than" intensifies and brings out flavour in many dishes.
Natasha says
Yup, Better Than Bouillon is delish! I wonder if your lemon pepper seasoning just didn't have enough salt in it? I find that's usually the case when cream sauces taste bland. In any event, the Better Than Bouillon should help. I'm glad you liked the recipe in general, though.
Heather Murray-Herlocher says
So good even though I had to sub lemon juice and black pepper, and I didn't have enough heavy cream so used some 2% milk.
Natasha says
I'm so glad it worked out!
Olivia says
So tasty and easy! Another Salt & Lavender hit! Thanks for your awesome recipes
Natasha says
I'm so happy you liked it, Olivia! So glad you're liking my recipes. XO
Megan says
Could you use canned coconut milk to make it dairy free?
Natasha says
Hi! I haven't tested it, but I think that could work.
Annette says
I made the lemon pepper chicken and it was so very good . My daughter enjoyed it as well, another clean plate. I am doing the quick chili today.
Natasha says
I'm so happy to hear that! 🙂 I hope you enjoy the chili too!
Sally says
Maybe it was my choice of lemon pepper seasoning but there was only a hint of lemon. None the less, absolutely delicious! My husband said another awesome dinner choice. Now we can add this one in the rotation as well. Thank you again!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Sally! 🙂 Yes... they can vary. Next time you could probably include a bit of lemon juice and/or zest and that will bump up the lemon flavor. Thanks for reviewing this recipe!