Lemon Pepper Chicken

chicken breasts in lemon pepper sauce with black olives

5 from 7 votes

Lemon Pepper Chicken

This lemon pepper chicken recipe walks the tightrope between sour and spicy. Juicy chicken breasts in intensely lemony sauce flecked with cracked black pepper.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Marinating Time30

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon pepper chicken

Servings:

Author: Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Equipment

This is an affiliate link.Cast iron casserole dish

Ingredients

For the Lemon Pepper Marinade

2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.wholegrain mustard or Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, pressed
3 tsp cracked black pepper
1 lemon zest and juice

For the Lemon Pepper Chicken

2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
2 chicken breasts, large cut in half lengthwise
salt
2 shallots or 1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp flour heaped
125ml / 1/2 cup white wine
175ml / 3/4 cup This is an affiliate link.chicken stock
90g / 1/2 cup black olives optional
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions

For the Lemon Pepper Marinade

Mix the honey, mustard, pressed garlic, cracked black pepper and lemon juice and zest in a small bowl. Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise or if using small chicken breasts keep them whole. Pour the marinade over the chicken breasts and let them marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

For the Lemon Pepper Chicken

Take the chicken breasts out of the marinade and scrape the marinade off as much as possible, save the marinade. In a large and deep pan brown chicken breasts seasoned with salt in 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat until golden but not cooked through, approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate.
Add chopped shallots, garlic and sauté for 5 minutes over low heat. Add the flour to the pan and combine it with the oil that was left in the pan from browning the chicken. Add the marinade and white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release the brown bits. Cook it on high until the sauce thickens, which should take about 2 minutes, reduce the heat to medium.
Add the chicken stock, chicken breasts and olives and simmer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Notes

Cracked pepper keeps this dish pleasantly spicy without overwhelming. Ground pepper's finer texture releases more heat, so use it only if you like things fiery.
Scrape off excess marinade before the chicken hits the pan. You want a gorgeous golden sear, not sad, steamed chicken.
When you add the marinade and wine, use your spatula to scrape up all those caramelised bits stuck to the pan. That's where the magic lives — pure, concentrated flavour that transforms your sauce from good to unforgettable.

Nutrition