Introduction to Lemon Pepper Chicken
Lemon chicken is a refreshing dish that combines tender bites of chicken with the bright, tangy flavors of lemon. Boneless chicken breasts are marinated in lemon juice and flavorful seasonings, then cooked to perfection. This variation of lemon chicken includes fresh cauliflower and broccoli, which balances well with the savory and succulent chicken.
The Benefits of This Dish
The dish can be served as a complete meal since it includes protein and vegetables. Alternatively, it pairs well alongside a variety of side dishes such as rice, zoodles, pasta, or a fresh salad. Overall, this lemon chicken is a versatile and flavorful dish that showcases the vibrant taste of lemons while highlighting the tender and juicy qualities of chicken.
Ingredients for Lemon Pepper Chicken
To make this simple chicken dish, you will need:
- Chicken Breast: other cuts of chicken such as chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work.
- Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, and fresh garlic. If you prefer to use only broccoli or cauliflower instead of mixing the two, that will also work.
- Oil: any neutral oil such as olive oil or avocado oil works in this recipe.
- Lemon: you will need fresh lemon juice, but bottled can work in a pinch.
- Spices: lemon pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley.
- White Wine: a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc. Alternatively, if you prefer not to use wine, chicken or vegetable broth will also work.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken
This recipe is super easy to make, but it does have a few different steps. There is marinating and browning the chicken, then seasoning and cooking the vegetables, then adding everything together.
Marinate the Chicken
Cut the chicken into small bite-sized 1-inch cubes. Add the chicken to a bowl with part of the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings. Mix everything together and let sit for 15 minutes to marinade.
Season and Cook the Vegetables
In a large bowl, toss broccoli and cauliflower with lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned broccoli and cauliflower. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes until veggies begin to soften. Uncover and continue to cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl or plate and set aside. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Brown the Chicken
Keep the now-empty pan on the stove (no need to clean it). Pour the wine into the pan and use your mixing spoon to scrape off any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. This method is called deglazing the pan. Next, add the marinated chicken to the hot skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 15-18 minutes, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through and registers about 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Combine
Push the cooked chicken pieces to one side of the pan, and add the vegetables back to the other side of the pan. Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low for 5 minutes, to rewarm the veggies.
Serve
Serve this chicken and vegetable dish immediately while warm. Garnish with fresh parsley. You can serve this as a complete meal, or it works quite well with some side dishes like Low Carb Red Lobster Biscuits, Wedge Salad, Cucumber Salad, or Cacio e Pepe Zoodles.
Storage
Before storing the chicken, allow it to cool completely. Next, store in an airtight container up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing as the cauliflower and broccoli will have altered textures that may be unpleasant. To reheat, simply microwave individual portions for 30-second increments at 50% power. To reheat the entire dish, return to a skillet, cover, and warm on medium-low until heated throughout, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Tips for the Best Lemon Chicken
- Choose fresh lemons: Opt for juicy and ripe lemons to get the most vibrant flavor. Squeeze the lemons just before using them to retain their freshness.
- Marinate the chicken: Marinating the chicken in lemon juice and other seasonings will infuse it with flavor and help tenderize the meat.
- Uniform size: Be sure to get the chicken and broccoli as close to the same size as possible so everything cooks through in a timely manner.
Recipe FAQ
- Can I use other vegetables? Yes, other vegetables that pair well with these flavors are green beans, zucchini, and asparagus.
- Will a different protein work? Sure, shrimp is a great option for this recipe.
- Do I have to use the wine? No, chicken broth or vegetable broth will also work.
- What if I don’t have fresh lemon? Bottled lemon will work in a pinch.
One Pan Chicken Recipes
If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy:
- One Pan Jalapeno Chicken
- Easy Butter Chicken
- Pesto Chicken Bake
- Creamy Garlic Chicken
- Crock Pot Crack Chicken
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1” cubes
- 4 cups broccoli florets (1 medium head broccoli)
- 4 cups cauliflower florets (1 small head cauliflower)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup lemon juice, divided
- 3 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon EACH onion powder, garlic powder, and kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ¼ cup white wine or broth
Instructions
- Place chicken cubes in a medium bowl and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Mix everything together and let sit for 15 minutes to marinade.
- In a large bowl, toss broccoli and cauliflower with 1 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned broccoli and cauliflower. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes until veggies begin to soften. Uncover and continue to cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer the vegetables to a bowl or plate and set aside. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Keep the now-empty pan on the stove (no need to clean it). Deglaze the pan with the wine and use the mixing spoon to scrape off any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Add the marinated chicken to the hot skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 15-18 minutes, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through and registers about 165°F.
- Push the cooked chicken pieces to one side of the pan, and add the vegetables back to the other side of the pan. Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low for minutes, to rewarm the veggies. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley as garnish.
Notes
You can marinate the chicken the night before and place it in the fridge. Take it out of the fridge 10 minutes before cooking! This recipe makes 6 servings (about 1 1/2 cup each!)), and each serving has 6.7 net carbs.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5 cups
Calories: 324 kcal
Carbohydrates: 10.2 g
Protein: 40 g
Fat: 13 g
Cholesterol: 117 mg
Sodium: 542 mg
Fiber: 3.5 g
Sugar: 3.3 g
