Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Lemon-Thyme Butter

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-06 · Updated 2026-05-06

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Juicy chicken breasts seared to golden perfection and finished with a fragrant lemon-thyme butter sauce. This American-inspired gluten-free recipe, ready in about 22 minutes, pairs boneless skinless chicken breasts, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with rice, quinoa, or a quick salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 12 min Serves 2 American cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 pieces (about 6 oz each) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves, crushed garlic cloves

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add chicken breasts and sear for 5-6 minutes on the first side without moving, until golden brown.
Step 3: Flip the chicken breasts and add 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, and 2 crushed garlic cloves to the pan. Spoon melted butter over the chicken continuously while cooking for another 5 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Step 4: Remove chicken to a plate and stir 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice into the pan sauce. Pour the lemon-thyme butter sauce over the chicken before serving.