Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Lemon-Thyme Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

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.

Tender chicken breasts pan-seared to golden perfection and finished with a bright, fragrant lemon-thyme sauce. This Mediterranean-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs boneless skinless chicken breasts, olive oil, salt 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 a quick salad or grain on the side. 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: 15 min Serves 2 Mediterranean cuisine 320 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Know when the chicken is done: thermometers under $100 → Best Instant-Read Thermometers for 2026: Fast, Accurate Picks Under $100

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat dry 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
  3. Step 3: Remove chicken from skillet and tent with foil to keep warm. Reduce heat to medium and add 2 tbsp unsalted butter along with 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Step 4: Pour in 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1/4 cup chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Simmer sauce for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced and coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Step 5: Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over the breasts, warming for 1 minute before serving.

Related recipes