Chicken Breasts with Lemon & Pepper

Five ingredients and one skillet. That’s all it takes for chicken breasts that taste like they came from a French bistro. Pounded thin, seared in browned butter until golden on both sides, then finished with a quick pan sauce of fresh lemon juice scraped across the fond.

Pounding the breasts to an even half inch ensures they cook through in about 10 minutes without drying out. The browned butter adds a nutty depth that plain oil can’t match, and it creates a golden crust on the chicken’s surface. Letting the pan cool briefly before adding the lemon juice is a smart step. It prevents the acid from evaporating on contact so more of it ends up in the sauce rather than the air.

Fresh cracked black pepper and chopped parsley finish the plate. That’s it. No cream, no flour, no fuss.

Chef Tips

• Pound between two sheets of waxed paper to prevent tearing. Even thickness is more important than thinness.
• Let the butter get bubbly and just starting to brown before adding the chicken. That nutty, toasty butter flavor is half the dish.
• Don’t move the chicken constantly. Let it sit and develop a golden crust before turning.
• Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled. The difference in a sauce this simple is night and day.

Variations

• Add a splash of white wine to the pan before the lemon juice for a more complex sauce.
• Top with capers and a pat of extra butter for a quick chicken piccata.
• Finish with a handful of fresh arugula wilted over the hot chicken for a peppery green garnish.