Easy Lemon Chicken Recipe
We try to prioritize meals around healthy sources of protein like chicken, but can get really sick and tired of bland chicken dishes. If you are like us, then this recipe is for you. Recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist, Kristen Carli, MS, RD, brings us this recipe for Easy Lemon Chicken.
Not only is this dish easy, coming together in less than 30 minutes, but it also requires very few ingredients, most of which you likely have on hand. That's an ideal recipe in our book!
The real answer to the speed at which this dish comes together is because Carli prioritizes boneless skinless chicken tenderloins over boneless skinless chicken breasts. This helps to cut down on cooking time as well as ensures even cooking.
We're sure you can think of a million ways to pair this versatile protein, but if not Carli recommends pairing this dish with sides such as char roasted broccoli parmesan or roasted romano red potatoes.
Gather your ingredients
To make this easy lemon chicken, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need chicken tenderloins, olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, dried oregano, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Add all ingredients to a large bowl
The first step in this recipe is to coat the chicken in the flavorful marinade. Add the chicken tenderloins to a large bowl. Carli notes, "I love to use pre-cut chicken tenderloins in this recipe because they are quicker to cook by pan-frying." No need to mix the marinade ingredients before pouring on the chicken. Instead, add the olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, dried oregano, lemon zest, and lemon juice on top of the chicken.
Toss the chicken into the seasonings
Then, using tongs, toss the chicken around in the bowl. This will help to coat the chicken in the flavorful marinade. Make sure to mix the chicken into the seasonings well.
Sear chicken on each side
Lastly, heat up a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add in the seasoned chicken tenderloins. No need to grease the skillet as the chicken is already coated in oil. Sear each piece of chicken for 4 to 6 minutes on each side. You may have to cook the chicken in batches depending on how much space you have. Then, remove the chicken from the skillet once the minimum internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- zest of one lemon
- juice of 2 lemons
- In a large bowl, add the chicken tenderloins, olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic, dried oregano, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Using tongs, toss the chicken around to fully immerse in the seasonings.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken tenderloins to sear. Cook 4 to 6 minutes on each side, until cooked through (165 F minimum internal temperature).
| Calories per Serving | 524 |
| Total Fat | 33.7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6.5 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 69.7 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 30.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.3 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.8 g |
| Sodium | 768.6 mg |
| Protein | 25.7 g |
