Honey Lemon Chicken Breasts (Easy Skillet Recipe)
Thin chicken cutlets with a golden flour crust, glazed in a honey lemon sauce built on the browned bits in the skillet. A little cornstarch makes it thick enough to spoon over rice, and a thermometer takes the guesswork out of when the chicken is done.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken breasts 4 pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced or squeezed
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ cup honey 8 tablespoons
- ¼ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Japanese soy sauce or Indonesian kecap asin
For Serving (Optional)
- lemon slices
- Fresh Parsley finely chopped
Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Lay a chicken breast flat on a cutting board. Hold your knife parallel to the board and slice the breast in half horizontally to make 2 thin pieces. Repeat with the remaining breasts. You should have 8 pieces.2 pounds chicken breasts
- Place the chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to an even thickness of about ½ inch (1 cm). Use a meat mallet or the flat bottom of a saucepan.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish, coat the chicken, and shake off any excess.salt and pepper, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Cook the Chicken and Make the Sauce
- Cook the chicken in batches so the pieces fit in a single layer with a little space between them. Divide the butter and olive oil between the batches. Heat the first portion of butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams.1½ tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the first batch of chicken. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes on the other side, until golden brown on both sides.
- Check the internal temperature by inserting an instant-read thermometer from the side into the center of the thickest part. The chicken should reach at least 165°F (74°C). If the chicken is browned but hasn't reached that temperature, lower the heat and continue cooking until it does.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and cover loosely with foil. Add more of the reserved butter and oil for the next batch. Leave the browned bits in the skillet.
- After removing the last batch of chicken, add the garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for about 20 seconds, until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.1 clove garlic
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Use a spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.1 cup chicken stock
- Mix the cornstarch with the cold water until smooth and set aside.2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons cold water
- Stir the honey, lemon juice, and soy sauce into the skillet. Stir the cornstarch mixture again until smooth, then slowly pour it into the sauce while stirring.½ cup honey, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Japanese soy sauce
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon but still pours easily.
- If the sauce is too thin, simmer a little longer, checking the consistency regularly. If it's too thick, stir in 1 tablespoon of water, adding more as needed.
- Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if needed.
Serve
- Return the chicken to the skillet and turn to coat in the sauce. Warm over low heat until the chicken is heated through.
- Divide the chicken among plates and spoon the sauce over it. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices, if desired.lemon slices, Fresh Parsley
NOTES
1. Chicken breasts: To skip slicing and pounding, use about 1¾ pounds (800 grams) of unbreaded chicken cutlets that are about ½ inch (1 cm) thick. If some pieces are thicker, place them between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them a little thinner.
2. Cooking in batches: Arrange the chicken in a single layer with space between the pieces. Crowding the skillet lowers the temperature and keeps the chicken from browning well.
3. Butter and oil: Divide the butter and oil between the batches. Leave the browned bits in the skillet for the sauce.
4. Honey: Use good honey. A floral honey works well here.
5. Soy sauce: Use regular soy sauce, such as Japanese soy sauce or Indonesian kecap asin. Kecap manis makes the sauce sweeter and changes the flavor. Taste before adding extra salt.
6. Sauce: Mix the cornstarch with cold water and stir again just before adding it to the skillet so none stays settled at the bottom.
- If the sauce is too thick, stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it pours easily over the chicken.
7. Storage
Cool the chicken and sauce promptly, then refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours. The flour coating will soften during storage.
- Refrigerator: Store for up to 2 days at 40°F (4°C).
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator. The sauce may be a little thinner after thawing.
- Reheating: Warm the chicken and sauce over low heat in a covered skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of water if the sauce is too thick. Turn the chicken and stir the sauce as it heats, until everything is steaming hot throughout. Stop heating at that point to keep the chicken as juicy as possible.
Nutrition
Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 472mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 204IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Iron: 1mg
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