Spinach Lemon Butter Chicken (Printable)

Golden chicken cutlets in a bright lemon butter sauce over tender wilted spinach

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each), pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend (for dredging)

→ Spinach

05 - 14 oz fresh baby spinach
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - Pinch of salt

→ Lemon Butter Sauce

09 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
12 - Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
13 - 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
15 - 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained (optional)
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
17 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
18 - Lemon slices (for serving, optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Remove to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
03 - Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth, lemon juice, and zest, scraping up browned bits. Stir in Dijon mustard and capers if using. Simmer 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
04 - Return chicken to the skillet, turning to coat in the sauce. Simmer gently 2 minutes until heated through.
05 - Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add spinach and a pinch of salt; sauté 1-2 minutes just until wilted. Remove from heat.
06 - Arrange wilted spinach on plates. Top with chicken cutlets and spoon lemon butter sauce over. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together faster than you can boil pasta and uses ingredients you probably keep on hand
  • Guests always assume you spent hours reducing butter and wine when really you were just hanging out in the kitchen
02 -
  • Crowding the pan steams the chicken instead of searing it so work in batches if your skillet is not big enough
  • The sauce thickens as it cools slightly so do not panic if it looks thinner than you want right off the heat
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before juicing it or you will struggle to get the zest off a squeezed fruit
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold straight from the fridge
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