Lemon Parmesan Chicken
This meal brings restaurant-quality flavor right to your kitchen—and it’s downright delicious!
The lightly breaded chicken is perfectly crispy without the need for Panko or deep frying. The green beans are tender with a hint of lemon and a nice char, and the optional lemon butter sauce? Perfection!
Best of all, you can make this entire dish in one pan. I start with the lemon butter sauce, then cook the chicken, and finish with the beans. It’s a one-pan dinner everyone will be obsessed with!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Lemon Parmesan Chicken:
- Chicken breasts: Slice thin and pound evenly for faster, even cooking.
- Flour: Adds a light coating for a crispy finish.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated for the best flavor and texture.
- Paprika: Adds a hint of color and touch of smokiness.
- Garlic powder: Boosts flavor without being too overpowering.
- Olive oil: Divided for sautéing and coating the chicken. Don’t skimp here!
- Butter: Adds richness; use unsalted to control salt levels.
- Green beans: Trimmed and halved for quick cooking.
- Lemons: Fresh juice and zest bring a bright, fresh finish!
Optional Lemon Butter Sauce: Brown butter with garlic, parsley, and lemon for a rich, flavorful finish. It’s perfect drizzled over the chicken and beans!
How To Make Lemon Parmesan Chicken
- Prep Chicken: Pound chicken pieces, drizzle with oil, then dredge in flour mix.
- Cook Chicken: Heat oil and butter. Cook chicken on both sides until golden, then transfer to a plate.
- Cook Lemons: Slice lemon, add to skillet, and cook until softened. Set aside.
- Cook Beans: Add butter, green beans, salt, and pepper. Cook until tender.
- Assemble: Return chicken and lemons to skillet. Drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle Parmesan, and serve.
Lemon Parmesan Chicken Tips
- Pound the chicken evenly for a faster cook time and even browning. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor—bottled juice just doesn’t compare!
- Don’t stir the beans too much; a good char adds tons of flavor!
- Watch the butter closely when browning for the sauce—it goes from golden to burnt fast.
- Keep chicken warm by covering with foil while you cook the beans.
What To Serve On The Side
This Lemon Parmesan Chicken goes really well with:
Storage
For the crispiest results, enjoy the chicken hot, as it loses its crispiness quickly. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in a skillet or Air Fryer for best texture.
More Chicken Dinners:
-
If making the lemon butter sauce, start there. See notes.
-
In a shallow bowl, mix flour, Parmesan, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Cut each chicken breast into 3 pieces. Place the chicken pieces between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to 1/4-inch thickness. Use your hands to rub 1 tbsp olive oil all over the chicken (divided between both sides), then dredge in flour mixture until evenly coated.
-
Heat 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in the skillet over medium-high. Add half of the chicken pieces to the skillet and cook for 3–4 minutes on the first side until golden brown. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat to cook remaining chicken adding more oil if needed. Cover with foil.
-
Thinly slice 1 lemon and add to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute until softened, then flip and cook another 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.
-
Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter to the skillet and increase the heat to high. Add green beans, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Toss to coat, then let cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally for another 1-3 minutes until the beans are crisp-tender and charred.
-
Remove pan from heat and add the chicken and lemon slices back on top of the green beans. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired. Serve with the lemon butter sauce (optional) and enjoy!
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus zest
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
Place the butter in a light-colored, wide saucepan over medium heat. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and nutty-smelling (about 3 minutes). Watch carefully. Remove from heat and scrape every bit of it into a separate bowl. Add remaining ingredients, and whisk. Set aside until ready to use.
Storage: For best texture, enjoy the chicken hot, as it loses crispiness over time. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or Air Fryer to bring back some of the crisp!
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.4g | Protein: 29.8g | Fat: 29.5g | Cholesterol: 123.6mg | Sodium: 413.6mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 5.6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.