My Honey Lemon Chicken is perfect for weeknights! Chicken breast lightly coated in seasoned flour, pan fried until golden and served with a gorgeous honey lemon sauce. At just 320 calories a serve – with plenty of sauce – and on the table in 15 minutes, this is a fantastic back pocket recipe for busy days!
This rarely happens, and it usually only lasts 24 hours, but I can officially say: I’m cooked out. Between cooking for Easter both in real life and for RecipeTin Eats and client work, the amount of food that has come out of my pokey little kitchen over the past couple of weeks is extraordinary.
My freezer is jam packed, the homeless guy is getting 2 meals almost every day, and every friend I see gets sent home with food.
So today, it’s fitting that I share something super fast to make but, as always (!!), super tasty – this Chicken with Honey Lemon Sauce.
I start off by dusting the chicken with lightly seasoned flour which serves two purposes: 1) so the chicken forms a lovely golden brown crust; and 2) it helps thicken the sauce (via brown bits stuck on the pan mixed into the sauce and popping the chicken back into the sauce at the end).
The key to this recipe is the golden brown bits left in the pan from cooking the chicken. It’s gold and it should never be wasted. Whether you’re cooking fish or protein, swish a little liquid of some sort (broth/stock, wine, lemon juice, even water), bring it to a simmer to loosen the brown bits and use a spatular to scrape it off the bottom of the pan and into the liquid.
It’s free flavour and it’s the key to making this simple Honey Lemon Sauce so tasty even though there are so few ingredients in it.
This Honey Lemon Chicken is actually a really healthy meal too, at just 320 calories per serving. Serve it with a simple side salad and a couple of slices of bread to mop up the sauce, and you’ll have a complete meal for less than 500 calories.
Something to mop up the honey lemon sauce is key! It’s rude to lick the plate (in front of others, home alone is perfectly acceptable). So make sure you have some bread to wipe your plate clean!! – Nagi x
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Honey Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb / 500g chicken breast (2 pieces)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup / 35 g flour (any)
Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3/4 cup / 185 ml chicken broth / stock
- 1/4 cup / 85g honey
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml lemon juice (fresh)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
To serve (optional)
- Lemon slices
- Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast horizontally to form 4 steaks in total. OPTIONAL (for more even cooking): Pound to even thickness about 1cm/ 2/5" thick.
- Sprinkle each side generously with salt and pepper.
- Place flour in shallow dish. Coat the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess.
- Mix 1 tsp of the flour (reserved from step 3) with the water. Set aside.
Cooking
- Place butter and oil in a skillet over medium high heat until butter is melted and hot. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side until golden brown, then transfer onto a plate to rest.
- Add garlic into the skillet and stir for 20 seconds or until golden. Add chicken broth / stock and bring to simmer. Use a spatula to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan into the liquid.
- Add honey, lemon juice, soy sauce and flour/water mixture (from step 4) into the skillet. Mix and bring to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened into a syrup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, pour Sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley and lemon slices if using. Alternatively, return the chicken to the pan for 30 seconds (to reheat), turning to coat in the sauce.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Honey Lemon Chicken recipe video! Note: The recipe is missing the soy sauce which is in the ingredients, returned to the recipe by popular demand by readers who loved the original recipe!
Nagi:
I have a to die for Honey Lemon Chicken recipe.
Even so, I’m going to give yours a try when I’m back on my feet.
Oh no, you aren’t well???
I broke my ankle and leg about six weeks ago.
Today I got the second cast off. Physio starts tomorrow.
Dr. doesn’t want me to do to much to soon until my leg is strong.
I’m hoping it goes quickly.
So in the mean time I’ve been planning meals, and finding all kinds of new recipes to try when
I’m up and about.
You told me previously I think, I’m sorry I forgot! I also don’t remember you mentioning that it was your LEG as well as your ankle. You poor thing. I remember the physio being the worst part, I’m sorry to say! 🙁 Please take care of yourself!!! I got so frustrated I ended up getting a wheelchair so I could do my own shopping – seriously! It was driving me crazy not being able to do my own grocery shopping!!!
ahhh Nagi I feel you! I did a catering party last night and was prepping all week…I’m pooped 🙁 And need a break as well! This however looks so lovely…it’s like THAT ultimate chicken dish complete with saucy goodness!!! #YUMMERS 🙂
You’re catering??? Since when??!!!
Lol I have always done private catering, private chef(ing?) and private cooking classes…Gotta hustle 🙂
I remember you doing private cooking classes, I didn’t know you did cheffing!!!!
Oh I do it all 🙂
Oh myyyy…I love simple meals like this and yes tastes wonderful. Now that Easter is over, I hope you get extra rest…and finish all the food in the fridge 🙂
I’m eating leftovers all week!! 🙂
Hi Nagi! I’m little cooked out myself after yesterday! But we have lots of leftovers, including carrot cake and apple pie so I guess I can take a day or two off! Your sun dried tomato chicken is amazing and I will be making this once I’m back on duty! 🙂 Hopefully with fresh asparagus from the garden!
Awww, you tried the sun dried tomato chicken?? I didn’t know that! Put your feet up and relax Dorothy. I have your carrot cake ingredients on my shopping list for today – looking forward to it!!! <3 N x
This is gorgeous Nagi!! Beautiful flavors.. Xo
Thank you hun!! N x
YUM!!!!!!!
I just want to come to your house, shut the door, ignore the world, curl up on your sofa and eat!!!!
I am certain your freezer wouldn’t look quite so chocca 😉
I don’t often buy chicken breasts, but the other day in woollies they had organic free range chicken reduce with 40% off, so I stocked up. I have 6 packets in the freezer…..I know where one packet is going 🙂
I did have 7 but I have used a packet for your sundried tomato chicken….
Seriously cannot even fit another thing in my freezer, it is THAT FULL!!! PS OMG I think we bought from the same sales!!! I used macro free range I got on sale!
This looks delicious! My freezer is actually jam-packed with homemade stock (I put the long weekend to good use) so we have plenty of chicken stock on hand to use for this recipe!
Oooh, sounds like you certainly DID have a productive long weekend!!! ?