Mum's 30-Minute Lemon Chicken
Quick pan-fried chicken with garlic lemon sauce. A weeknight savior perfected by working mums everywhere.
The Story Behind This Recipe
My mother's weeknight recipe - Rachel Chen
This recipe represents the hero of weeknight cooking everywhere: the working parent who needs to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes without resorting to takeaway. My mum perfected this in the early 1990s when she went back to work full-time and couldn't spend hours in the kitchen anymore.
She'd arrive home at 5:45pm, and by 6:15pm, this chicken would be on the table, the kitchen would smell incredible, and we'd be sitting down to what tasted like a restaurant meal. "It's all about the sauce," she'd say, whisking together lemon juice, garlic, and butter while the chicken rested. "Good ingredients, high heat, don't overthink it."
The genius of this recipe is its simplicity - chicken breasts pounded thin so they cook fast and evenly, a quick pan-fry to get that golden crust, then a two-minute sauce made in the same pan. No separate pots, no complicated techniques, just smart cooking that respects both flavor and time. Mum served it with steamed vegetables and rice or pasta - whatever was quickest that night.
She taught this recipe to every young parent in our street. Tuesday nights became "lemon chicken night" for half the neighborhood. Even now, decades later, when I'm rushing home from work and need something quick but comforting, this is what I make. It's proof that homemade doesn't have to mean complicated or time-consuming. Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that save your weeknight sanity.
"Every recipe tells a story, and every story brings us closer to the heart of home."
Adjust Servings
Scaled Ingredients:
💡 Tip: Cooking times may need adjustment when scaling. Larger batches may take longer, smaller batches may cook faster.
Ingredients
Pro Tips
- • Pounding the chicken to even thickness is key - it prevents dry, overcooked edges and raw centers.
- • Don't move the chicken while it's cooking - let it develop that golden crust before flipping.
- • Fresh lemon juice is essential - bottled lemon juice doesn't have the same bright flavor.
- • The sauce comes together in minutes - have all ingredients ready before you start.
- • For extra richness, add a splash of cream to the sauce at the end.
- • This recipe doubles easily for larger families or meal prep.
Storage
Best served fresh, but leftovers keep refrigerated for 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water or stock to refresh the sauce.
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or baking paper. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, gently pound to an even 1cm thickness. This ensures quick, even cooking and tender results. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
5 minutes - 2
Set up your coating station: Place flour on a plate and season it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess. The flour creates a light crust and helps thicken the sauce later.
- 3
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken breasts. Don't overcrowd - cook in batches if needed. Cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side without moving them. You want a lovely golden crust.
5 minutes - 4
Flip the chicken and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the second side until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 75°C. Transfer chicken to a plate, tent with foil to keep warm. Don't clean the pan - those golden bits are flavor gold!
5 minutes - 5
Make the sauce in the same pan. Reduce heat to medium, add minced garlic, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Don't let it burn - garlic turns bitter when burnt.
1 minute - 6
Pour in chicken stock and lemon juice. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan (deglazing). Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.
3 minutes - 7
Remove pan from heat. Add butter cubes and swirl the pan gently until the butter melts and creates a silky sauce. The butter gives it that restaurant-quality richness and glossy finish. Taste and adjust seasoning - you might want more lemon juice or a pinch of salt.
1 minute - 8
Return the chicken to the pan, spoon sauce over it, and let it warm through for 1 minute. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and garnish with lemon slices. Serve immediately with steamed vegetables, rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up that incredible sauce.
1 minute
Ingredient Substitutions
Nutrition Information
Per serving (approximate)
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