Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my disclosure policy.

Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken is a quick and easy chicken dish the whole family will love. Serve with your favorite sides, like orzo and steamed vegetables, for a complete meal.

Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken in a skillet with a bowl of orzo next to it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Chicken breast cutlets are lightly pan fried until golden brown, then tossed in a sweet and savory citrus sauce. It’s ready in just 20 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight dinner.

You don’t want to miss out on this honey garlic lemon sauce, it’s absolutely delicious! If you like this recipe, then you’ll love our other chicken recipes, like this Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken.

Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken Ingredients

  • Chicken: Two boneless, skinless, chicken breasts. Slice them in half lengthwise to create 4 thinner pieces of chicken.
  • Flour: All purpose flour, to coat the chicken in. This helps it brown while pan frying.
  • Olive oil: To fry the chicken. You could substitute for your favorite cooking oil, like avocado oil.
  • Garlic: Minced garlic, for a savory flavor.
  • Chicken Broth: Low sodium chicken broth is the base for the sauce.
  • Lemon: Juice of half a lemon. Slice the other half to garnish when serving.
  • Honey: For sweetness.
Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken Ingredients.

Step-By-Step Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper on both sides. Evenly sprinkle both sides with flour, and gently shake off any excess.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, and cook 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. Add the garlic cloves, and cook for 30 seconds until golden and fragrant. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and honey to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up the brown bits from the chicken. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until liquid begins to reduce. Add the chicken back into the skillet and cook 1-2 more minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken.
  4. Serve, topped with fresh parsley and lemon slices (optional).

Expert Tip: When slicing the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 4 cutlets, be sure they’re all a similar thickness so they cook evenly. You can cover them with a piece of saran wrap or wax paper, then pound with a meat hammer until even thicknesses, about 1/4-inch thick. Cook until their internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken in a skillet.

Variations

This Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken is delicious as it is, however if you want to make any changes, here are some recommendations.

  • Make it gluten free. Swap out the flour for gluten free flour.
  • Add even more flavor. Season the sauce with fresh or ground ginger. To make it even more lemony, garnish with lemon zest.
  • Swap out the chicken breast. If you don’t have chicken breast on hand, you could use turkey cutlets, chicken thighs, chicken tenderloins, or pork chops.

Serving Suggestions

My favorite way to serve this chicken is over orzo, with a side of sautéed zucchini. Place the chicken on top of cooked orzo with an extra drizzle of the sauce. It’s so good!

Other great side dishes for chicken are:

  • Grains: pasta, rice, couscous, or quinoa.
  • Vegetables: broccoli, green beans, zucchini, or potatoes.
  • Salad: a simple garden salad, caesar salad, or pasta salad.

Storage

To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The FDA offers great tips on how long to store different foods in the refrigerator and freezer.

Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken on a plate with orzo.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are lemons in season?

Though you can find lemons all year round at the grocery store, they are at peak season from late fall through early spring.

How do you know when chicken is done cooking?

Chicken is done cooking when it is no longer pink inside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. The FDA recommends this minimal safe internal temperature, which should kill any harmful bacteria.

More Chicken Recipes

Are you looking for more go-to chicken recipes?

To get even more recipes straight to your inbox, sign-up for the Fresh Apron Weekly Newsletter.

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to come back and leave a 5-star rating and a comment below.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken.

Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Nicole | Fresh Apron
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: Skillet
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Honey Garlic Lemon Chicken is a quick and easy chicken dish the whole family will love. Serve it with your favorite sides, like orzo and steamed vegetables, for a complete meal.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 (8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • lemon slices and fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)


Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper on both sides. Evenly sprinkle both sides with flour, and gently shake off any excess.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, and cook 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. Add the garlic cloves to the skillet, and cook for 30 seconds until golden and fragrant. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and honey to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up the browned bits. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until liquid begins to reduce. Add the chicken back into the skillet and cook 1-2 more minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken.
  4. Serve, topped with fresh parsley and lemon slices (optional).


Notes

When slicing the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 4 cutlets, be sure they’re all a similar thickness so they cook evenly. You can cover them with a piece of saran wrap or wax paper, then pound with a meat hammer until even thicknesses, about 1/4-inch thick. Cook until their internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 chicken breast
  • Calories: 211
  • Sugar: 4.6 g
  • Sodium: 217.2 mg
  • Fat: 6.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 9.2 g
  • Fiber: 0.2 g
  • Protein: 27.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 82.7 mg

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

One Comment