Sautéed Garlic Butter Chicken with Lemon Zest

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-06 · Updated 2026-08-06

Tender chicken breasts sautéed in a fragrant garlic butter sauce with bright lemon zest for a simple weeknight dinner. This American-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs chicken breasts, unsalted butter, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 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.

Ingredients

• 2 pieces (about 6 oz each) chicken breasts
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat dry 2 chicken breasts and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
2. Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams, about 1 minute.
3. Step 3: Add chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes on the first side until golden brown and edges crisp.
4. Step 4: Flip chicken and add 4 minced garlic cloves, cooking for 4-5 more minutes until chicken is cooked through to 165°F internal temperature and garlic is fragrant but not burnt.
5. Step 5: Remove chicken to a plate and stir in remaining 1 tbsp butter and 1 tsp lemon zest into the skillet, swirling to make a garlic butter sauce.
6. Step 6: Pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, and serve immediately.