This one pan chicken skillet recipe is a weeknight dinner lifesaver! With just a handful of ingredients and in less than 20 minutes, you are left with perfectly glazed honey lemon chicken that is moist, tender and bursting with flavor.
Serve this Lemon Chicken with Green Beans Almondine and a simple Spinach Salad for a healthy, easy family dinner!
Honey Lemon Chicken
People often tell me they think that eating healthy, home cooked meals takes too much time.
That does not NEED to be true.
When I am looking for quick and healthy dinner options, this recipe for Honey Lemon Chicken is one of my favorites. Made in one pan with only a few ingredients, and in less than 20 minutes, this recipe is nearly effortless. In fact, I would argue that it is easier than driving through any drive-thru and certainly easier than running into a store to grab a frozen meal that you have to come home and cook.
And I think it goes without saying, but let me remind you that this skillet chicken recipe is SO much healthier than take-out or frozen meals. It is low in fat, low in sodium, gluten-free, and full of protein!
I am telling you, between the tender chicken cutlets and the sweet and tangy honey glaze, this chicken meal is one you will be putting on repeat as well! It is a meal that beats ANY take-out meal. And with one dish to clean up after dinner–there is NO excuse not to try this chicken recipe.
Ingredients for this Chicken Skillet
Because this honey lemon chicken recipe has very few ingredients it is important to use high quality ingredients for maximum flavor.
- Chicken Cutlets: I recommend using thin chicken breast cutlets for this chicken skillet recipe. Because the chicken is thinly sliced it will cook quickly, remain tender, and have more sauce to chicken ratio, which translates to more flavor
- Honey: The honey will add sweetness and a bit of earthiness to this sauce. I prefer a raw, unfiltered honey. But really any honey you have on hand will do (as long as it pure honey–not flavored!)
- Lemon: Do not use jarred lemon juice–fresh lemon juice is a must for the sauce. You can omit topping the chicken with fresh lemon slices if desired. It makes for a beautiful presentation and adds a bit more flavor, but is not crucial to this recipe.
- Dijon Mustard: The Dijon mustard adds a bit of rich depth to the honey lemon sauce, but if you don’t like mustard, feel free to leave it out.
How to Make Honey Lemon Chicken
Step One: Prepare Chicken
This recipe calls for thin chicken cutlets. However, chicken breast cutlets can be pricey. You can save money by making your own chicken cutlets. To do this, use a sharp fillet knife to slice the chicken breast horizontally into two even pieces. Place the sliced chicken breast between two slices of plastic wrap and then pound with a meat mallet. For more help, watch the video on how to make chicken breast cutlets out of chicken breasts here.
Once your chicken cutlets are prepared, evenly sprinkle each side of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Step Two: Cook Chicken in Sauce
This beauty of this skillet dinner is how quickly the chicken cooks. The chicken just needs seared quickly and then simmered with the honey lemon sauce until just cooked through. This takes only minutes!
I do recommend using a nonstick skillet for easier clean up and less risk of burning the sauce. The honey in the sauce is a bit sticky and high in sugar and can burn quickly if not watched carefully–I never have an issue in a non-stick pan.
Step Three: Serve
Once the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees, remove from heat and serve with a garnish of fresh parsley if desired.
More Simple Chicken Recipes
- Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
- Skillet Chicken with Green Beans and Tomatoes
- Simple Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry
- Instant Pot Chicken Breasts (Fresh or Frozen)
Honey Lemon Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Sear chicken on both sides in skillet, for about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
- Whisk together the honey, lemon juice, chicken stock, and Dijon together. Pour into skillet and whisk until boiling.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer and add the chicken back in the pan. Lay the lemon slices over the chicken, cover the skillet and let simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Make you own chicken cutlets by using a sharp fillet knife to slice the chicken breast horizontally into two even pieces. Place the sliced chicken breast between two slices of plastic wrap and then pound with a meat mallet.
- Do not use jarred lemon juice--fresh lemon juice is a must for this chicken.
- The Dijon mustard adds a bit of rich depth to the honey lemon sauce, but if you don't like mustard, feel free to leave it out.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days. This leftover chicken is great used to top a salad.ย
Why is the sodium listed as 800mg This was delish! However the sodium worries me.
Hi Lisa! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I just double checked the sodium calculation–2 teaspoons of salt instead of the one were being calculated, along with chicken stock that was not reduced sodium. Once those corrections made, it is only 185 mg.
I would use a regular pan to sear it in the beginning, and then transfer to a nonstick when using the honest mixture, otherwise the chicken has a boiled look to it.