Lemon Garlic Chicken
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Lemon Garlic Chicken is an easy skillet dinner with tender chicken in a flavorful lemon garlic sauce. Ready in about 25 minutes and perfect with rice or pasta.
These Lemon Garlic Chicken are one of those easy skillet dinners that tastes like you spent way more time in the kitchen than you actually did. Tenderloin chicken cooks quickly in a flavorful, garlicky lemon sauce that’s perfect for spooning over rice, pasta, or roasted vegetables. My kiddos always want seconds!
The light dredge of seasoned flour helps the chicken brown beautifully while also thickening the sauce just enough to make it silky and flavorful. Every bite has that perfect balance of savory garlic, fresh lemon, and tender juicy chicken.
This recipe is also incredibly flexible. You can adjust the lemon for more brightness, add a splash of apple juice for subtle sweetness!
Quick Bites About This Recipe
Skill Level: Beginner friendly and perfect for weeknight cooking.
Swaps: Chicken breasts cut into strips or boneless chicken thighs work well instead of tenderloins.
Make Ahead: This works well for meal prep!
Freezer Friendly: Freeze cooked chicken and sauce for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
Variations & Substitutions: Add capers for a briny kick or a splash of white cooking wine for extra depth. To keep it kid friendly I like to add a bit of apple juice if needed.
Lemon Garlic Chicken Tenderloins Ingredients
Chicken tenderloins: These cook quickly and stay very tender. You can also slice chicken breasts into strips if you don’t have the tenders!
All-purpose flour: A light coating helps the chicken brown and gives the sauce a slight thickness. A 1-for-1 gluten free flour blend can work if needed.
Salt and pepper: Simple seasoning that enhances the chicken and balances the lemon.
Granulated garlic: Adds an extra layer of garlic flavor that sticks to the chicken during the dredging step.
Dried oregano: Brings a subtle Mediterranean flavor that pairs beautifully with lemon and garlic.
Olive oil: Used to cook the chicken and help create those flavorful browned bits in the pan that build the sauce.
Butter: Adds richness and helps mellow the brightness of the lemon.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is the star of the sauce. Finely chopping it helps it release flavor quickly.
Water: You can also swap for homemade chicken broth and nix the bouillon.
Better Than Bouillon chicken base: This concentrated flavor boosts the sauce and makes it taste like it simmered for hours.
Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice brings brightness and balances the savory garlic sauce.
Apple juice: Optional but lovely. It adds a subtle sweetness that softens the acidity of the lemon.
Lemon slices: These infuse extra citrus flavor while the chicken finishes cooking.
Parsley: A fresh, bright finishing touch that adds color and a light herbal flavor.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Chicken Tenderloins
Start by preparing the seasoned flour mixture. In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and oregano. Lightly coat each chicken tenderloin in the mixture, shaking off the excess so the coating stays light.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken tenderloins in a single layer. Cook them for a few minutes per side until they develop a light golden crust. They don’t need to be fully cooked yet. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Add the butter and the remaining olive oil to the same skillet. Once the butter melts, stir in the chopped garlic. Cook briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds, being careful not to let it burn.
Pour in the water and stir in the Better Than Bouillon chicken base until fully dissolved. Add the fresh lemon juice and the optional apple juice, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the flavorful browned bits left from the chicken.
Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes so it slightly reduces and concentrates in flavor.
Return the chicken tenderloins to the skillet and add the lemon slices. Let everything simmer together until the chicken is fully cooked and coated in the sauce. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F according to USDA guidelines.
Finish by sprinkling chopped parsley over the top and serve warm.
Storing and Reheating (If There’s Any Leftovers!)
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Freeze the cooked chicken and sauce in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over medium low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce. Stir occasionally until heated through.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Do not overcrowd the pan when browning the chicken or it will steam instead of brown.
- Fresh lemon juice gives the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch too!
- Reserve any pasta water, if making pasta, so there’s enough sauce.
- A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a nice subtle heat.
Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6-8 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Chicken Bouillon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
- 2 lemons juice of, about 1/4 cup
- 1/4 cup apple juice optional
- 3-4 thin lemon slices
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- salt, pepper, granulated garlic to taste
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, and dried oregano. Mix until evenly blended.1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Lightly dredge each chicken tenderloin in the flour mixture, coating both sides. Shake off any excess flour so the coating stays thin.2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.4 tablespoons olive oil
- Place the chicken tenderloins in the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly golden. The chicken should be mostly cooked but not fully done. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the finely chopped garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so it does not burn.4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 6-8 cloves garlic
- Pour in the water and whisk in the Better Than Bouillon chicken base until fully dissolved.1 cup water, 1 1/2 teaspoons Chicken Bouillon
- Add the lemon juice and the optional apple juice. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, which adds flavor to the sauce.2 lemons, 1/4 cup apple juice
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Return the chicken tenderloins to the skillet and let cook in the sauce on both sides for about 2-3 minutes each until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- At the end I like to season to taste with a bit more salt, pepper, granulated garlic, if needed.salt, pepper, granulated garlic
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken, top with lemon slices, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve warm.3-4 thin lemon slices, 2 tablespoons parsley
Video
Notes
- Substitutions: Chicken breasts sliced into strips or boneless chicken thighs can be used instead of tenderloins. Apple juice can be omitted or replaced with white cooking wine.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium low heat with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce and keep the chicken moist.