Pan Seared Chicken Breasts with Lemon Mustard Sauce Recipe
A simple yet flavorful recipe featuring pan-seared chicken breasts cooked to golden perfection, served with a tangy and creamy lemon mustard sauce. Ideal for a quick weeknight dinner or an impressive meal anytime.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-searing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 3 chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Sauce and Seasonings
- 1 cup chicken broth (or chicken stock or water with chicken base)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (start with half and add more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch (or potato starch, all purpose flour, or cornstarch)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pat dry the chicken breasts with a paper towel. Score each piece with a crosshatch pattern by making two cuts lengthwise and five cuts across, without cutting all the way through the meat. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and garlic cloves to the hot oil. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Carefully pour in the chicken broth, then stir in the Italian seasoning, Dijon mustard, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Let the sauce simmer with the chicken for an additional few minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), using a meat thermometer for accuracy.
- Thicken Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot starch and water to create a slurry. Push the chicken pieces to one side of the pan. Slowly add the slurry into the pan over medium heat, stirring continuously to thicken the sauce. Cook for about one minute more.
- Serve: Serve the chicken breasts topped with the warm lemon-Dijon mustard sauce immediately. For leftovers, cool the chicken to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Be careful not to cut chicken breasts all the way through when scoring.
- Adjust Italian seasoning quantity based on the strength of the blend.
- Chicken cooking time varies with thickness; ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) for safety.
- Arrowroot starch can be substituted with potato starch, all-purpose flour, or cornstarch, but avoid if following Whole30.
- Leftover chicken should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking and consumed within 3-4 days.
- Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor brightness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
Keywords: pan seared chicken, lemon mustard sauce, easy chicken recipe, quick dinner, healthy chicken, chicken breasts, stovetop chicken
