Lemon Butter Chicken Cutlets - Vikalinka

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Lemon Butter Chicken Cutlets

By Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

4.72 from 7 votes

Updated Apr 09, 2025

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These juicy chicken cutlets take less than 30 minutes to come together and the lemon butter sauce is simply divine! Think tender chicken infused with the glorious flavours of this simple but fragrant sauce making a dish that tastes every bit as good as it looks!

Serve them with our fluffy mashed potatoes or our warm zucchini salad for a lighter meal.

top down view of chicken breasts in lemon sauce in a pan

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You can never underestimate the value of a good and reliable chicken recipe collection. Chicken is the meat, that is the most popular and also most affordable. No wonder it’s so loved. That is the reason I will never get tired of creating new recipes with this versatile meat.

Chicken Cutlets

Chicken breasts are not always my favourite part of the bird but they do have their uses and benefits. If cooked properly, they can be tender and juicy.

They are also the quickest to cook, especially when split into cutlets like this Chicken Paillard in Sherry Caper Sauce or Chicken Arrabbiata.

One of the reasons why chicken breasts have a reputation of being dry is because they are very uneven in shape. Each breast is thick on one end but thin and tapered on the other. So while we are waiting for the thick part to cook all the way through, the end gets overcooked and rubbery.

Chicken cutlets are made to solve this problem! All we have to do is to cut a thick chicken breast in half lengthwise to create two equally thin pieces. This allows each piece to cook quickly and evenly, resulting in tender, moist chicken.

Take a look at my Chicken Marsala recipe, where I go into detail on how to cut and pound chicken cutlets thin.

Lemon Butter Sauce

This sauce is inspired by Chicken Piccata and definitely in my top 5 sauce recipes when it comes to the taste, ease and versatility. It takes 5 minutes to make and only requires 5 ingredients.

Lemons, butter, chicken stock, garlic and parsley. You can also add a handful of capers if you wish but I wanted to keep it simple and let the lemons shine!

This sauce flavours the chicken breasts beautifully and it works just as well with fish. Like I said it’s so versatile. Take a look at my classic French Sole Meuniere recipe for inspiration.

lemon butter chicken recipe process images

Recipe Tips and Notes

This recipe uses very few ingredients, so make sure they are all good quality for best results.
I use a combination of olive oil and unsalted European style butter. They each flavour the chicken breasts but also add a nice colour when browning.
Brown the chicken on medium high heat. We want to achieve a beautiful golden colour on the outside. Then bring the heat way down for the sauce.
Use fresh lemons only. No bottled lemon juice will give you the taste this sauce deserves.
Feel free to add capers for that briny, salty hit!

chicken in sauce in a pan, chopped parsley in a small pan

Serving suggestions

The flavourful sauce is a big part of what makes this dish so good, and you’ll want to serve it with something to soak it up and make it go even further. I can’t think of anything better for the job than fluffy rice or potatoes.

Storage and leftovers

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days and while the microwave might be the easiest way to reheat, I find it best to do this on a stovetop. The sauce may need a splash of water if it looks a bit too thick.

It’s also a good idea to cover with a lid or foil while it is reheating. This keeps the chicken from drying out. Reheating should take around 15 minutes over medium-low heat.

Favourite Chicken Cutlet Recipes

Chicken Katsu
Chicken with Garlic Mushroom Sauce
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken Breasts
Lemon Pepper Chicken

4.72 from 7 votes

Lemon Butter Chicken Cutlets

By Julia Frey of Vikalinka Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Total: 30 minutes Servings: 4 top down view of chicken breasts in lemon sauce in a pan

SaveSaved Pin Print These juicy chicken cutlets take less than 30 minutes to come together and that lemon butter sauce is simply divine! Save this recipe!Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Email Save Recipe

Ingredients 1x2x3x

▢ 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
▢ salt
▢ 3 tbsp flour
▢ 3 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
▢ 4 tbsp butter, good quality
▢ 2 cloves garlic
▢ 2-3 sprigs parsley
▢ 1 lemon, juiced
▢ 1/2 lemon, sliced
▢ 125ml/1/2 cup This is an affiliate link.chicken stock

Instructions

Slice the chicken breasts in half, season with salt and dredge in flour on both sides.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, brown the chicken cutlets in the hot oil until golden for 5 minutes on each side. After the chicken has been frying for a couple of minutes add the butter. This will add more flavor and colour to the chicken. You might want to do the frying in batches. Then remove the chicken from the pan and keep it warm in an oven preheated to the lowest temperature while you are making the lemon butter sauce.
To the same pan add the minced garlic and let it cook over low heat for 30 seconds, then add the parsley, lemon juice, lemon slices and chicken stock, turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the sauce until it’s reduced in volume for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken back to the pan and spoon the sauce all over.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Me

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.

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21 Comments

Thank you!
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So so dish, won’t be making it again
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I’m making this tomorrow for a holiday. Can I make and refrigerate it and then heat in the oven next day?
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1. Hi Donna, yes that’s absolutely fine. If your sauce seems a little dry, just add a splash of water.
  Reply
Best chicken cutlet recipe ever, moist and tasty.
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This was an excellent chicken dish and very tasty…but I have a question. Even tho I only used 3 Tbsp of olive oil there was a lot of oil left after 8 minutes of frying and before I added the butter. Should I discard the oil first before adding butter or does the oil and butter become a part of the sauce? I discarded most of the oil and added more butter but I am still not certain I did the right thing. Thanks for the recipe tho…I loved it.
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1. Hi Valerie, the oil, butter and lemon juice all create the sauce.
  Reply
Great and simple dish. Love the recipe and the food was amazing.
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1. Thank you, Nina!
  Reply
This dish was quick and easy. And delicious! The sauce makes ordinary chicken into fabulous! My family loved it.
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1. Thanks so much, Denise. I am so happy you loved it.
  Reply
Quick easy and my picky eaters LOVED it!
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1. Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Desi!
  Reply
The chicken was delicious! The only problem is my dish had a bitter after taste, can you tell me why?
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1. Hi Robin, I am guessing the lemon butter sauce was cooked at high heat, which can make the sauce bitter. If you look at step 3, I specify that you need to lower the heat before you proceed with the sauce.
  Reply
Looks very good.
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This was a big hit in our home!! My husband LOVED it. The flavor was great!
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1. Love hearing it!
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A big hit with the whole family! I’m currently doing keto, so I made my serving without dipping the chicken in flour. Still delicious – the sauce is to die for!
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1. Thank you for your review, Kara!
  Reply
This chicken cutlet looks so tasty and full of so much flavor! My family is definitely going to love this dinner. Going to be such a yummy dinner!
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