Every few weeks or so, I make a recipe that I am super proud of. The kind of dish we all devour—in serene silence—within minutes of the video wrapping. The latest creation that yielded such hungry fans? Lemon Butter Chicken.
How could you go wrong with a lemon butter sauce? I made a similar sauce for a summery pasta a couple months ago that was so yum, so I decided to capitalize on the flavors with a straight-up skillet chicken dinner. This one has (adorably tiny) cherry tomatoes and basil to make it feel just right for summer.
The simple pan sauce comes together in less than 10 minutes. Sear the chicken, then make a sauce from butter, garlic, lemons (juice! zest! slices!), and a splash of cream. The resulting chick is so damn good you need to serve it over pasta or rice to soak up every last drop of pan sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- kosher salt
- lemon pepper
- 1/2 stick butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 2 lemons
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 c. heavy cream
- 1 pt. cherry tomatoes (preferably small)
- 1/4 c. shredded fresh basil
- 1 lemon, sliced into half moons
- Cooked rice, for serving
Directions
1. Season chicken all over with salt and lemon pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and sear until golden and cooked through, 10 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and make pan sauce.
2. Add butter to pan drippings and let melt. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute, then add lemon juice and zest and cream. Bring to a simmer, then add cherry tomatoes, basil, and lemon slices. Simmer until thick, 5 minutes, then add back chicken to skillet.
3. Serve chicken over rice with pan sauce.
