20-Minute Lemon Garlic Chicken Skillet

Juicy chicken breast is seared until golden, then finished in a glossy lemon-garlic butter sauce with wilted spinach and fresh parsley. This fast stovetop dinner is ready in about 20 minutes.

Prep: 8 min · Cook: 12 min · Yield: 4 · Method: Stovetop

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic
• 0.5 cup chicken broth
• 1 medium lemon
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Cooking instructions

1. Pat the chicken dry. If the breasts are very thick, slice them horizontally into cutlets. Season both sides with the salt and pepper. (about 2 min)
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; it may not be fully cooked yet. (about 8 min) — Medium-high heat
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the chicken broth and the finely grated zest and juice of half the lemon, scraping up any browned bits. (about 1 min) — Medium heat
4. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, turning once, until the sauce lightly coats the chicken and the thickest part reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. (about 3 min) — Gentle simmer
5. Remove the chicken from the heat. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then add the spinach and toss until just wilted. Slice the remaining lemon half into wedges, garnish with parsley, and serve immediately. (about 2 min)