Description
This Lemon Pepper Chicken recipe features tender chicken breasts coated in a zesty lemon and cracked black pepper flour mixture, pan-fried until golden and flavorful. It’s a quick and easy dish perfect for a weeknight dinner, garnished with fresh parsley and optionally accompanied by pan-cooked lemon slices for an extra burst of citrus aroma.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts (~250 – 300g / 8 – 10oz each)
Lemon Pepper Mixture
- Zest of 2 lemons (1 1/2 – 2 tbsp lemon zest)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1/2 – 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or onion powder as substitute)
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
- Optional: sliced zested lemon slices to cook
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner steak-like pieces. Optionally, pound them to an even thickness of about 1cm (2/5 inch) for uniform cooking.
- Make Lemon Zest Mixture: Zest the lemons carefully to obtain 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of zest, avoiding the bitter white pith. Mix the zest with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl.
- Coat Chicken with Oil Mixture: Add the chicken pieces to the bowl with the lemon oil mixture. Use your hands to thoroughly slather each piece with the mixture, ensuring an even coating.
- Prepare Flour Coating: In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, cracked black pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well to evenly distribute the spices.
- Coat Chicken in Flour Mixture: Dip each lemon-oil coated chicken piece into the flour mixture, coating fully. Shake off excess flour.
- Cook Chicken: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a small amount of oil. Cook the coated chicken pieces for about 2 minutes on each side or until they develop a golden crust and are cooked through.
- Optional – Cook Lemon Slices: If desired, slice the zested lemons and cook the slices in the skillet alongside the chicken until lightly caramelized, adding extra citrus flavor to the dish.
- Serve: Plate the cooked chicken, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- You need enough lemons to yield approximately 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of zest, typically about 2 medium lemons.
- For cracked black pepper, use a mortar and pestle to roughly crack whole peppercorns for a more pronounced pepper flavor. If using fine ground pepper, reduce to around 3/4 teaspoon.
- Garlic powder can be substituted with minced fresh garlic mixed into the lemon zest and olive oil mixture, but powder offers a smoother flavor similar to store-bought seasoning.
- This recipe pairs well with pork and seafood but is too delicate for lamb and beef.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast half (approx 125-150g)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
