I love chicken breast but sometimes get a little tired of the same old ways we make it (typically grilled or in stir fry). Pairing it with the brightness of the lemon, really takes the flavor profile to the next level in this recipe.

I try to keep chicken breasts on hand in our freezer and do a little bit of the prep before freezing. I will do a full post on meal prep techniques at some point but for chicken breast, my best advice is to freeze it already prepped for the recipe you will use it for. When using chicken breast as cutlets (either grilled, baked, or fried), pound it out to get an even, thin, thickness is key to cooking it through but not dry. Isn’t dry chicken breast the worst? So, get yourself a good meat cleaver and take the time to not skip this step.

First step in this recipe is to prep the chicken breast. Trim it from extra fat and pound it out to an even thickness. Cut into two even pieces if using one large breast.

Next prep the rest of the ingredients. Peel and cut the garlic into thin slices. Zest the lemon into a bowl and squeeze the juice from half the lemon into it. Mix the flour and thyme in a bowl. I recommend thyme because thyme & lemon go great together as do chicken & thyme. But feel free to change up the spice here – parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary would all work well. I used dried thyme as it is what I had on hand. Fresh is always best if you have the chance to get it. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture and set aside.

Now we can get started cooking. In a large fry pan, melt butter on medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a few minutes. Once the garlic starts to soften, add the chicken to the pan. Add the lemon juice & zest and wine to the pan and spoon some on top of the chicken. Let chicken cook for 3 minutes per side to brown. Cover with lid to let cook through.

Cooking chicken breast can be tough! I still have low chicken confidence but have come a long way. When I first started out, I would tend to over cook my chicken as it’s always safer to over cook than under cook. I’ll share a few tips for getting it right.

• Heat the pan / grill first. In a rush to get dinner on the table, it can be tempting to get the chicken in the pan right away but it’s really important that the pan is heated before putting the meat in.
• Be patient. Let the chicken get brown and cook on one side before flipping.
• The feel test. This will take some time to learn but the firmness of the chicken is a good indication of when it’s done.
• Use a meat thermometer. This is the sure way to determine whether your chicken is done. 165 degrees F is the magic number for chicken.

When your chicken is done, let rest for 5 – 10 minutes before serving. I recommend serving with pasta in a garlic butter sauce and roasted vegetables – like Brussels sprouts.

Lemon Chicken

Ready in 45 minutes; Serves 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 lbs Chicken Breast
• ⅓ cup flour (gluten free flour works)
• 1 tbsp Dried thyme
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• 2-4 tbsp butter
• White wine (splash… a few tbsp)

Preparation

1. Pound chicken breast until thin and even thickness. Cut into two pieces (if not already two pieces). Pat dry (with paper towel).
2. Peel and thinly slice garlic.
3. Zest lemon and juice half the lemon until a bowl and set aside.
4. Mix flour and thyme. Coat chicken breast in flour mixture.
5. In a large fry pan, melt butter on medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add chicken breast. 
6. Add lemon zest/juice and wine to pan. 
7. Let chicken cook for 3 minutes per side to brown. Cover with lid to let cook through. Cooking time for chicken breast will greatly vary by thickness. 

Tips

• Cooking time for chicken breast will greatly vary by thickness. Use a food thermometer to confirm doneness.
• Watch that the butter doesn’t brown too much, turn down heat if starting to brown.
• Serve with noodles and some veggies for a full meal.